When Small Lakes Flood?

Fishing small, shallow lakes can be fun and sometimes easier to pin fish down since they have less area and depths to go and hide. But, some lakes have rivers in/out of them and when the monsoon hits, the lakes can rise 2 to 4 feet, water gets a very murky chocolate, and finding fish for me on these lakes is shot. The lakes overtop their banks and although the weedline is still there, the fish just don’t seem to be.

Any suggestions on how to approach this situation? I’ve tried slowing down with live bait rigs, snap jigging plastics & lipless baits, pitching cranks and trolling cranks. I know I could abandon these lakes and fish others with less variables, but these small shallow lakes can be real gems and I gotta believe there is a solution to my conundrum.

In my opinion it is similar to when a river floods think of all the new habitat they can find and new critters to eat when water pushes up the bank.

Head to the woods.

Interesting. I always looked at the water that would flood into trees beyond the normal lake shoreline, but figured walleyes wouldn’t be back in that 2ft of water.

Or would they? 🤔

Walleyes follow the bait and the bait will be in those flooded areas.

Caught walleyes in less than 2 feet this weekend in semi flooded timber.

I find that intriguing! So do you go with SSR’s and fan cast it? Or what presentation works well in those situations?

Yeah, small shad rap style baits pitched into the timber.

One over looked presentation is a fathead on a 3 way rig. Pitch it to where the minnow is on the edge of the timber or structure. Let the minnow just flutter on the edge and wait for the walleye to come grab it.

Interesting. Kind of like drop shotting then. I’ll have to keep this in mind next time we get heavy, flooding rain.

Thanks!

Storm GT360 search-bait is great bait to throw in flooded timber or weeds. Less snags if you are finding that you are getting snagged alot with a shallow crankbaits.

At times walleyes will hit your bait even before you can close your bail after a cast. Can be an absolute blast.

That’s what I love so much about skinny water walleyes. Hand to hand combat! Can be so fast and exciting.

The beauty of fish finder technology is they don’t care what color the water is, depth, etc…So finding fish is as simple as using a fish finder.

If you aren’t using a finder to find fish and your fishing to find fish, it is hard; flat out! You might argue you cannot approach fishing in a harder way…Blind to everything but what your eyes can see and your past experiences can offer.

One must keep fishing. Heck, even if you find fish with a finder…You must still run the gauntlet of tactics to dial in a bite.

When you are fishing an area (vs finding fish and fishing fish) and running the gauntlet of tactics it is a foolhardy approach. Like shoveling sand with your hands vs a shovel. Both move sand, one more efficiently than the other…Then there’s the bobcat…That’s the SI unit with a operator who knows how to use it.

Weekender wrote:

Any suggestions on how to approach this situation?

Having and Understanding Side Imaging.

Think FBRM is right-guys on the IDO show either scan with SI before wetting a line or a guide is in the boat.
Still learning si, FBRM didn’t you say on another post that if your scroll speed is slightly faster than your boat it stretches out that fish image making it easier to see? I talked with a HB rep and he doesn’t even use his to find fish, only structure. Thanks

tim hurley wrote:

FBRM didn’t you say on another post that if your scroll speed is slightly faster than your boat it stretches out that fish image making it easier to see?

Scan speed faster than boat speed stretches everything, not just fish, because your fish finder is showing sonar returns.
It essentially puts more pixels of the objects on the screen than if you were going faster than scan speed. One more desirable than the other if detail is what your looking for.

Example:

I’ll make something up here for argument sake…

Your sonar sends out signals at a set rate.
Your graph shows these signals at an adjustable rate: Scan Speed.
If you increase your scan speed…you allow more of those signals to hit the screen. If you decrease your scan speed, you allow less signals to be on your screen.
You can look at this like a refresh rate. Your scan speed is a refresh rate. If you decrease your refresh rate, but your signal rate is the same…Your showing less signals on your screen…and visa versa.
I.E. Details are increased the slower your boat goes and the faster your chart speed. (More pixels per sonar signal)

Everybody has 2d sonar. It is the same here. Increase your scan speed and that fish arch is now longer. Decrease your scan speed and your fish arch is now shorter. There are extremes on both sides.

Take some time to think about how sonars work, and how their displays work…and a lot of the remaining details can fall into place.

Seems like you would want detail when looking at structure so boat at 5mph chart speed at 4 or 5. To spot fish you might want that signal stretched out, so boat speed 5 chart speed 6. BTW I read somewhere that 5mph is a good speed for SI.
How does that sound FBRM?

It is all about what YOU want the sonar to show you Tim. It is versatile!

You can cram as much AREA or as little AREA into your screen as you wish all by changing your boat speed or settings.

Faster you go more area on screen, less detail.
(Example, boat 10mph, chart speed 4) You can see football field on your screen.

Slower you go less area on screen, more detail.
(Example: 2 mph, chart speed 4) You can see 40′ on the screen vs a football field …I’m making numbers up here…

Ask yourself what you want to see. Then adjust to see it.
You obviously won’t see a fish on a screen if it is showing a football field of area. A fish might represent a single pixle.
But, you want to see a 30′ tree…Sure you could with a football field on your screen…But the tree will be about .25″ long on your screen

tim hurley wrote:

May 12, 2020 at 1:02 pm#1941802
Seems like you would want detail when looking at structure

Structure requires less detail…It is BIGGER. Unless of course you want to see if that is a sunken elm or a birch…

You want to see an entire bridge on your screen…you can do that.
You want to see an individual fish on your screen…You can do that too.

tim hurley wrote:

To spot fish you might want that signal stretched out, so boat speed 5 chart speed 6

I don’t think this setting really stretches anything out.
Think 1mph chart speed 4.
I am almost always 1 chart speed above my boat speed. As i increase that ratio i begin stretching.

Here’s one for ya – Anchored 0mph, chart speed 10. Something i often do while anchored. I get a clear view of fish passing by.

Another one for ya. Have you noticed your SI screen change when you use 200/83 for your 2d vs 200? Well on every humminbird i’ve owned there’s a big difference. I choose to keep on 200 for my 2d because of the impact it has on SI. – Check it out.

Ever notice how everything gets a little bit grainier and less clear the faster you go with your boat and sonar settings…Your just cramming more area into your screen…Less Detail.

Typically I am running a chart speed of 4 or 5.
What i want to see, i’ll change by changing my BOAT speed.

Hey, all your graph is, is a picture frame. You can put a picture of NYC in that frame – and you’ll get the associated detail putting something of that scale into a small frame…Or you can put a picture of an Ant in that same frame and see his Bunghole…
It is what YOU want to see Tim.

SHHHHHHbang! That is the sound of my mind being blown. I have never heard of anyone using SI anchored. What does a fish look like when you are anchored in SI?
Are you seeing that fish pass threw 50′ away? Lot to unpack here, I need more coffee. Wow thanks.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

It is all about what YOU want the sonar to show you Tim. It is versatile!

You can cram as much AREA or as little AREA into your screen as you wish all by changing your boat speed or settings.

Faster you go more area on screen, less detail.
(Example, boat 10mph, chart speed 4) You can see football field on your screen.

Slower you go less area on screen, more detail.
(Example: 2 mph, chart speed 4) You can see 40′ on the screen vs a football field …I’m making numbers up here…

Ask yourself what you want to see. Then adjust to see it.
You obviously won’t see a fish on a screen if it is showing a football field of area. A fish might represent a single pixle.
But, you want to see a 30′ tree…Sure you could with a football field on your screen…But the tree will be about .25″ long on your screen

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tim hurley wrote:</div>
May 12, 2020 at 1:02 pm#1941802
Seems like you would want detail when looking at structure

Structure requires less detail…It is BIGGER. Unless of course you want to see if that is a sunken elm or a birch…

You want to see an entire bridge on your screen…you can do that.
You want to see an individual fish on your screen…You can do that too.

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tim hurley wrote:</div>
To spot fish you might want that signal stretched out, so boat speed 5 chart speed 6

I don’t think this setting really stretches anything out.
Think 1mph chart speed 4.
I am almost always 1 chart speed above my boat speed. As i increase that ratio i begin stretching.

Here’s one for ya – Anchored 0mph, chart speed 10. Something i often do while anchored. I get a clear view of fish passing by.

Another one for ya. Have you noticed your SI screen change when you use 200/83 for your 2d vs 200? Well on every humminbird i’ve owned there’s a big difference. I choose to keep on 200 for my 2d because of the impact it has on SI. – Check it out.

Ever notice how everything gets a little bit grainier and less clear the faster you go with your boat and sonar settings…Your just cramming more area into your screen…Less Detail.

Typically I am running a chart speed of 4 or 5.
What i want to see, i’ll change by changing my BOAT speed.

Hey, all your graph is, is a picture frame. You can put a picture of NYC in that frame – and you’ll get the associated detail putting something of that scale into a small frame…Or you can put a picture of an Ant in that same frame and see his Bunghole…
It is what YOU want to see Tim.

I think this is about as good of an explanation as I have ever read in lay terms.

Si moving, fish on right

Reasonable example of stretched as I’ve tried to explain.

On the left you see a single sand dune. It’s basically a drift right, not very big.. so if you use that as an indicator of scale… you can probably say I have top to bottom maybe 30′ of bottom displayed at that time. Fish show up Pretty good. I’d guess 1-1.5 mph with graph speed 4.

Notice how these walleyes are all facing same direction (up current) and they’re spaced. Two key identifying features of walleye…That’s what walleye look like in cold winter months.

They like their space.

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Not moving. Ok…barely moving. You can see on left side how I covered maybe 4’…by focusing on that sand dune.

Fish on right.

If you look at above picture notice width and color of fish. Compare to this one.

Fish are just stretched waaaaay more.
Easy peasy.

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Here’s some i’ve posted before.

Gives you an idea of scale.
Use the Dunes to get an idea of how much ground coverage i have. You’ll notice the size of the fish associated as well. More info on the screen – smaller the fish…Vise Versa.

These are all eyes.

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Less coverage…. Like a single DUNE of info.

Anchored. picture: Time stamp 5:55:30
Notice how all information is streaks running top to bottom.
See on left the streaks that aren’t running the full length? THose are the fish that moved through.

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I don’t run HBird but getting the SI dialed in on my Garmin’s has been a game changer. The best example is on the dunes like FBRM is mentioning. We were scanning dunes last night and you can clearly see all are not equal….troll upstream, mark a pod of fish, spot lock and cast. You could be 50 feet in any other direction and be in a wasteland.

I thought LiveScope on the Garmin was gonna be a gamechanger but SI is alot more useful on the river.

Thanks for the detail on when you are sitting still…I still don’t have that locked down yet. Makes a ton of sense.

Ok FBRM if I bring you to a lake you know NOTHING about, what is the game plan for finding fish?

tim hurley wrote:

Ok FBRM if I bring you to a lake you know NOTHING about, what is the game plan for finding fish?

Google: HOW TO BREAK DOWN A LAKE
About 557,000,000 results (0.65 seconds)

I can promise you, i won’t be drug to a lake

The short of it is, use knowledge to narrow down areas to search, then begin the search. I don’t fish until they’re found.

I think your asking for advice on breaking down new water, to which there’s oodles out there to keep you busy reading/watching.

Honestly Tim, based on what i see you often posting. You are spending WAY too much time fishing LOTS of lakes and LOTS of species. You might consider spending more time on a select few to figure them out, then apply that to other lakes gradually. Being early on the learning curve of fishing and constantly fishing new lakes & species will only prolong a learning curve. 2c. Something i had to do back in the day too…Focus on a few to increase results. Then expand.

Busted-I love new lakes and I love fishing lots of species of fish. Anyone on this site could skip it all and just Google everything but their is a lot of junk online, right? (Captain Obvious)Having read your posts (and seen pics of your dang fish) I actually have a good amount of respect for what you are saying. I mentioned earlier that I talked to a humminbird rep who does not use SI to find fish (only structure)I bet less than 5% of fishermen are doing a good job with SI to find fish— I think the feedback I would get from the unit itself would make more sense if I kinda narrowed things down.

Oh everybody has information. It’s all relative to when, where, and how THE WRITER experienced or understood whatever they were writing about.

Nothing applies everytime or everywhere. If there’s once source of info I tend to skip over it is videos. But I’ll read everything I can get my hands on. Reading is just faster than videos. Sure I disagree with much I read, but it doesn’t mean I can necessarily discredit it either.

Im never meaning to be a jerk when I suggest ‘the Google search’. The more you know the better. I appreciate your willingness to learn and just trying to encourage it more.

I can’t wait, in 5 years I’ll look back at MY POSTS and scoff…ha what’s that guy know! Every year I look back and i usually think….I didn’t know Jack then! Lol.

Your question about how to break down a lake, to me the thought process is so darn indepth, and includes all my experiences also, making it very hard to explain in any way other than – continue absorbing information like your drinking from a firehose– there’s obviously plenty to keep us busy.

Breaking down a lake for fish is one thing breaking down a lake for walleye, crappie, bass, Muskie is a whole different ball game. I haven’t gone out fishing since I was a kid to just try and find fish. It would take an entire book to explain how one breaks down a new body of water to target a specific species. Especially when each lake is so unique underneath the surface. What works for one doesn’t always translates to the other, but that is the fun part for myself and I believe for FBRM. I am guessing and do not want to put words into his mouth but I believe that is why he personally likes the river so much as it changes daily and figuring out the pieces of the puzzle for him is what is most rewarding.
I will say that I also do not just go to my traditional spots and drop a line down very often and hope that I catch fish. I have a 4 year old so I have done this from time to time lately as I have to keep him occupied. I usually spend a fair amount of time scanning and with time I am fairly confident in what I am looking at underneath the surface. And then piece together the rest of it to try and actually catch the fish I am looking for.

FBRM on a lake I wouldn’t believe it if I saw it with my own eyes..

Breaking down a lake…. Ok this is not just directed at FBRM-and maybe this should be a whole new thread. I know you could write a damn book. My question is
all you have is SI, fishing for walleyes, this time of year-what are you doing the 1st half hour. Maybe what I would do is find a breakline or weedline run 5mph 6mph chart speed look for fish. Using what I just learned I would adjust boat speed to either stretch a mark or try to get more detail.

Tim wasn’t trying to be a dink. I really wasn’t this time. It is just such a broad question. I would first research the lake if it was brand new to me. As in looking at stocking reports netting numbers and studying maps of the lake. Side scanning fish is just part of the long equation. I think what FBRM was talking about is getting comfortable with you electronics on bodies of water you are familiar with so you can understand easier what the picture is painting.
I think it is a good thread topic much better than corona anyway.

Oh I’m cool Rip. I’m pretty good at getting info on a lake the traditional way, AND i get that all that stuff is still important. Just looking for (and am getting!) tips on finding fish with SI. Gonna go out tommorow and give some of this stuff a try-Thanks all