Find Hot Spots Easier

Detect Hot-Spots Before Launching Your Boat  
By Buck Perry
Fishing Facts, Feb 1985

Excerpt:

- The BASIC guideline of the structure fisherman, #1, says the bigger adult fish, in an area spend the greater part of their time somewhere in the deepest water - in the area - being fished. This is their true home base, their sanctuary, where they are quite comfortable, secure, and slowed in their activity.
From these sanctuary homes, they may migrate over known routes* to find food, depending on water and weather conditions.

* routes which are known to THEM.

In the case of reservoirs this deepest water - in an area - normally means the channels, and in the majority of cases, it means the main channel, or its main tributary channels.

- A structure fisherman's #2 guideline then says the fish will not move across an expanse of bottom devoid of visible, known, "signposts" (called, "breaks") just to reach some good-looking stick-up that might be over, "that-a-way" toward the shoreline. And by that, we mean 'good looking' to the angler.

Simply put, you can't expect these adult fish to travel a long way over featureless flats, just because you hope they will.

- Next, guideline #3 says when the fish DO move toward the shallows, the features of the bottom visible to them (aka, bottom structure, breaks, depth breaklines) which they use in their migration must go "all the way" from the deep water to the shallow water. 

The fish may not go all the way to the shallows, and in fact, its likely most won't go all the way every time they become active and moving -- BUT, the path they know and usually use does go all the way. 

- Another guideline, #4, says how deep the fish are, and how far they move toward the shallows is determined (or controlled) by the weather and water conditions at the time of their migratory movements.
The structure fisherman also knows the weather and water conditions are seldom good enough to get a great many fish, and especially the larger, adult fish, into the shoreline shallows.
They just simply prefer not to go into the shallows (8-10 ft. or less), if they don't have to. For them its unsafe and insecure, compared to their deeper water homes. 

However, when we catch them, its usually in the shallows, so we assume thats where they ALWAYS live. But we have STUMBLED upon a few of them there by playing a numbers game of lure casting. Meanwhile, the most of them are further out and have not come in.

With just these few guidelines we should begin to see or get a good interpretation of most all reservoirs... at least one good enough to catch fish consistently in whatever reservoir we find ourselves.

This "classic" bar has depth breaks and signpost features (breaks) which fish know and follow into the shallows

Not far to go from deep water - straight up, basically. 

The long flat is the problem here - featureless and without any guideposts for fish to follow. The edge of the channel is the likeliest pace to find them..if they are here at all

Look Beyond The Obvious

By Buck Perry Fishing Facts, Sep. 1984

Excerpts:

> If I had a depth sounder, I would still do the trolling. Lures that are trolled properly will give a more detailed picture of the shape, depths, and the condition of the bottom than a depth sounder. But more importantly, the lures on the troll would have me "fishing" all the time. Furthermore, if I used a depth sounder as an aid in determining what bottom features were present, the speed of the boat would be rather fast, anyway, to get a good picture of the changes in the bottom.

If the boat is moving slowly, such as with a paddle or an electric motor, a depth sounder is not likely to allow a true interpretation of the bottom features (structure, breaks, breaklines, deep water). So I may as well be trolling a lure while I learn whats down below. Much too often the fisherman doesn't realize these things and he skips trolling. Trolling is still an outstanding, "teacher."

> My thoughts and "guidelines" in the fishing situations discussed are:

(1) Fish spend the greater part of their time in deep water—a sanctuary from a changing environment (when deep water is available to them). And they are usually so deep, or so dormant, they are almost impossible to catch.

(2) Fish are not active and moving ALL the time. Therefore I must exercise patience quite often for the fish to become active and move shallower.

(3) When the fish move shallower, they follow bottom features (structure, breaks or breaklines) to show them the way. I can also recognize the same features the fish use in their movements and migrations.

(4) How far the fish move toward the shallows and how long they stay is controlled by weather and water conditions (at that time). And I have found the weather and water conditions are seldom good enough for all the fish, and especially the larger ones, to move shallow enough for the shoreline fisherman to make a decent catch consistently.

(5) To handle the different fishing situations faced, I must control the depth and speed of my lures (or bait) on or around the bottom features (structure, breaks, breaklines) the fish use in their movements and migrations. To handle all the situations, trolling is the "teacher" and is just as important as casting - and in some instances may be the only way to put the fish on the stringer.

8 Rules For Bigger Fish

8 Rules To Help You Catch Big Fish

By Spence Petros

Fishing Facts, Sep 1984

Excerpt:

RULE 1 - Fish Where Your Chances Are Best ... deals with selecting trophy-producing waters.

RULE 2 - Be Aware Of Key Times And Conditions... deals with seasonal and weather conditions that usually turned the big ones on, plus some examples of on-the-water peak periods that occur.

RULE 3 - Forage Means Fish... explains how important forage is to game fish concentrations. Briefly, the more forage that's funneled through, collected or drawn to a specific area, the better it will generally be for consistently producing numbers of bigger fish.

RULE 4 - Big Balts For Big Fish.... Day in and day out bigger lures and baits will produce a lot more big fish than smaller-to-medium-size baits, unless dealing with certain adverse conditions that were noted.

Now let's get to the final four rules for maximum effectiveness on big fish.

RULE 5 -  ACE-IN-THE-HOLE PRESENTATIONS

I have a standard rule that's almost always followed: If I fish EXACTLY like everyone else on a lake or in an area, my results will pretty much be like everyone else's - average... and that's not a favorite word of mine.

RULE 6 - THAT BIG-FISH FEELING

Of all the rules given, this is the toughest one to teach. That big-fish feeling is similar to a very skilled hunter's sense of awareness. It's more like a feeling that comes over you that seems to signify it's big-fish time or you're on a big-fish spot. Most of these feelings probably stem from years of successful fishing experiences, and only those who have this awareness will understand exactly what is meant.

RULE 7 - LEARN TO 'PATTERN' FISH

Before you learn to "pattern" fish, you should understand what a fish-catching pattern is. By definition, "a pattern is the exact set of water conditions such as depth, cover, struc-ture, temperature, clarity, current, forage availability, etc., which attracts fish to that specific spot and generally to other similar spots all over the same body of water that day." Isolate features which are producing, and try to find similar situations elsewhere.

RULE 8 - MINIMIZE MISTAKES

Unfortunately, a lot of mistakes will never really be cured until they're made. But when a foul-up costs a trophy, you'll remember the hard way.

Bass By The Cupful

 A ‘Cupful’ Of Bass May Be Yours for the Taking

By Tom Seward

Fishing Facts, MAR 1984

Excerpt:

If you don't own a high-end fish finder, you'll be pleased to know that at least one major form of structure cannot commonly be found using this instrument. In fact, the subject of this article may be difficult for the "untrained eye" to find with any depth finder. 

I'm talking about, "The Cup," a major form of structural variation found in many man-made waters. This underwater condition is known to anglers fishing natural lakes as the inside turn, or corner, on a bar, weedline or other similar type edge.

Some form of the cup is generally found in natural and man-made lakes because nature usually plays the major role in its formation. In reservoirs, the activities of man in regard to land clearing before impoundment can affect the productivity of various cup formations, by altering the amount and position of cover left on each cup area prior to the reservoir filling up.

The important thing to understand about the cup condition is the universal, instinctive attraction of game fish to this structure and how it holds and centers their locations in a lake. Knowing when, and how fish are attracted and centered on major structural forms is the most important fishing knowledge you can obtain.

… The cup can be an all-season fish attractor and your ability to recognize it can produce good, "action-type" fishing, and often a lunker or two. 

But, do not expect to understand this universal fish attractor by one-shot structure checks or casual examination.

One more tip. Most fish related to cup positions are caught by lures coming over the edge into deep water. I do not do nearly as well by casting out over the edge and retrieving the lure toward shallower water. Casting parallel along the exact rim of the cup, or making diagonal casts from deep water are also good if wind permits. You can also catch active shallow fish from deep water casting positions. My drawings will better describe these cup conditions and how fish relate to them.

From Structure Cafe

Snag Free Lure Ideass

Snag-Free Lures That Work, And How!

By John McKean

Fishing Facts, Dec 1983

Excerpt:

CIRCULAR LOOP GUARD

An increasingly popular hook guard consists of a circular loop of heavy monofilament line which surrounds the hook point. This idea originated among fly tiers who sought protection for their streamer flies and surface poppers. For easy setting with long limber fly rods they needed something which would yield with minimal resistance. The mono guard worked so well that recently bass anglers who "flip" jigs into extremely thick cover with very heavy outfits have adopted it also.

The monofilament concept sure seemed like it could be easily applied to small jigs, but, much as I searched, line in the 50 pound test range or above couldn't be found locally. A suitable, or even superior, substitute turned out to be ordinary 20 to 30 pound test nylon-coated wire leader material. The wire had more spring than mono and was easy to work with in forming and attaching a guard.

Most importantly, this super hook protector easily bends and rolls away from the hook point as soon as the jig is engulfed by a fish. A standup jig head such as the Pow-RR Head or "Erie" design is probably most suitable to carrying the coated wire guard, although any style jig can wear one fairly well. This guard is especially good for jigs carrying larger sized hooks, say 2 to 4/0. As hook length or gap increases on any type head, it's generally best to use heavier gauge wire to maintain sufficient snag resisting tension. As shown in Figure 2

NEW SNAG-FREE BAIT RIG

I've saved possibly the best for last. What would you think about a rig which is virtually hang proof, yet sporting an ENTIRELY EXPOSED HOOK? It would have to be the ultimate for working tough areas with light gear, huh? Allow me to introduce you to the "Water Wizard."

When, after much tinkering, Cartwright* finally put the finishing touches on his masterpiece, he had vastly improved upon the concept of the floating jig, completely redefining its function.

* since this is an excerpt from a larger article, and now long out of print, well...I'm not sure who, "Cartwright" was

Notice, for instance, in Figure 3, how the fluorescent styrofoam ball is attached ABOVE the special wire harness on a free swinging ring. 

This is extremely important to the lure's precise balance, allowing it to sink (when weighted), swim, and rest in a PERFECTLY HORIZONTAL position.

By dropping parallel with bottom the rig is able to settle into heavy cover without giving tackle-gobbling hazards a chance to ensnarl the hook. Then, as it bumps into underwater obstacles when retrieved, the unique notched float slides backward, sits across the harness, and thoroughly shields the hook point. The hook never sways sideward nor downward to get into trouble due to an intricate soldered design which locks it in place on a tiny crossbar.

fig 2.

 

fig 3.

from Facebook group...The Structure Café

Go Bright or Go Home!

 To Up Your Catch…Bright May Be Right

By Jim Brang

Fishing Facts, Dec 1983

Most anglers who have tried fire-tail worms and grubs know they are deadly at times. Many anglers are so confident about the bright tail plastics that they seldom if ever use standard, solid color wigglers anymore. Worms and grubs that are completely fluorescent from head to tail are just as deadly at times. They have spelled "skillet" for many bigmouths.

Still, the one place where fluorescent colors are head and shoulders above anything else is in spinnerbaits. Under certain conditions during the summer and fall months, they will outfish regular spinners many times over. Even at times in spring they are superior to the regular spinnerbaits.

WHERE TO USE FLUORESCENT LURES

As in any type of fishing, concentrating on productive areas and working structure properly are vitally important. I am not advocating disregarding all the other variables that affect fish movement and behavior,... I am merely recommending fluorescent lures as an extra tool or advantage for anglers when fish neglect your regular offerings for one or more reasons.

Fished properly and in the right location, fluorescent colored lures will produce anyplace regular colored lures will - and some places they will not. 

Bright lures have produced exceptionally well for me around shallow water weeds, stumps, brush and other cover. 

They have also been effective along mid depth and deep water structure and breaks such as ledges, creek channels, sunken islands, sloping points and other natural and man-made structure.

(did you catch that? Spinnerbaits fished deep on structure....the reduced amount of light in deeper water may work well with the fluorescent colors) 

In lakes and areas that receive a lot of fishing pressure and fish become difficult to catch, sometimes a wild colored fluorescent lure will make them strike. With proper location, depth and retrieve speed, at times, fluorescent lures are irresistible.

(So sometimes they work, sometimes...😉 )

Many thanks to The Structure Cafe on Facebook.

Use Your Eyes Find Potential Hot-Spots Pt 2

By Buck Perry (cont’d.)

Fishing Facts, Oct 1983

Excerpt:

HIDDEN HOT-SPOTS

Earlier it was indicated more would be said about the structure situations at the causeway and the dam. I'd like to discuss these man-made structure situations in a little more detail, due to the fact they are not so cut and dried as some of the other situations we have discussed in the past. It is wise to point out features we are likely to encounter in some Flatland reservoirs. Of special importance are those features which could be called "hidden" hot-spots.

Figure 8 is a top view of a causeway (road) crossing a reservoir. The purpose of the figure is to show a condition that occurs in Flatland and Lowland reservoirs.

It shows were the original channel was diverted during the construction of the roadbed and the bridge. In this case, we should keep in mind there are three major "contact points" to the causeway. Number 1 is at the bridge (both sides). Number 2 is where the old channel comes in contact with the roadbed on the upstream side, and Number 3 is at the old channel on the downstream side.

Quite often, the most productive water in a situation such as this is the rocky riprap just adjacent to the old channel (both sides), AND, the breaks and breaklines along the old channel and the bypass channel. Where the two come together could be the hottest spot of all.

When working a causeway, be sure you check to see if the old channel was cut off by the roadbed. One key as to whether this occurred is to note the position of the bridge. If it was built rather close to one of the shorelines, most likely a bypass channel was dug.

Figure 9 is a top view of a dam in a Flatland reservoir. The purpose of the dam was for flood control. Here again the original channel was cut off during construction of the dam. At times a bypass channel may be noted, while at other times the diversion occurred in such a way, and at such a depth, it cannot be clearly defined.

As structure fishermen, a dam such as this must be checked out thoroughly. Trolling the rip-rap can be highly productive. The lake may be so full of debris, (trees, bushes, etc.), and the wind and water color so bad, the clearer area at the dam may be the only workable area in the lake.

When fishing, or planning to fish a Flatland flood control reservoir, we should look it over, as discussed in this article. If a causeway is shown on the road map, we should head directly to it to see the terrain and lake condition (debris, etc.). Of great importance is to note the water color on both sides.

The next spot to examine is the dam. While driving slowly over the dam you should observe both sides. The major condition to look at on the "lake" side is the water color and the degree and direction of the wind. On the back side of the dam, there are three important observations to be made. (1) The color of the discharge water; (2) How active is the fishing in the "tailrace." (It could be a "run" is in progress, or the conditions of weather and water may be such, the tailrace is the only fishable spot.)

The third thing to note on the back side is the position of the old channel. This could be the most important observation of all. This shows the location of the channel on the "lake side." This will show the location of a hot-spot on the rip-rap (and the breaks and breaklines of the old channel). This is where concentration of effort must be had, both trolling and casting.

The question may arise as to how we can be sure we are at the old channel when we get on the lake? (The condition and depth of the old channel may not be well-defined even with a depth sounder.) When crossing the dam, you should note the location of the old channel (on the back side). Then you look toward the lake side, and see if a big rock or some type marker isn't on one of the posts of the guard rail. 

[Editor's Note: This means Buck has fished the lake recently.]

- from Facebook page, Structure Fishing. 

Use Your Eyes To Find Fish

 ...aka, "Potential Hot-Spots"

By Buck Perry

Oct. 1983

Excerpt:

One reader asks: "In your reports you say we must develop a productive structure situation from the standpoint it must extend from the deepest water in the area all the way to the shallows. 

I understand the structure, such as a bar, must 'go all the way.' If the ridge-like bar does not go all the way, it must have breaks or breaklines on or connected to it that DO go all the way. I'm very much aware of the fact that the channels in a reservoir are the deepest water in the area. 

Where I run into problems is when the channels have silted in and I can't see any signs of breaks and breaklines in the area. In my lake the channels are silted in so bad I can't see any bars, breaks or breaklines below 18-20 feet. What do I do in a situation such as this?"

Fig 10.

Let's look at Figure 10, above. 

Such is the condition he talks about. It is a side view where a nice ridge-like bar extends out to a depth of 18-20 feet where a well-defined breakline occurs. Beyond this breakline the bottom is rather flat with no recognizable breaks or breaklines. 

Due, of course, to the silt that has filled the channel and covered the breaks or breaklines in the immediate area. 

Note that the recognizable structure (the bar) extends toward the deepest water in the area. It does not extend to what we'd call (on an average day) the sanctuary depths (below 20 feet — if available).

His question was: "What do I do?"

This question comes as rather a surprise. Your guidelines as a structure fisherman (Spoonplugger) are to use structure (breaks and breaklines) as your guide to where the fish will be found - and caught. 

You have been taught not to spend time where these features are not present. This is the reason we say, "Do not go out into a channel and wander around like some lost duck — 'hoping' to run across a fish." 

If you have no guidelines as to where the fish may be found, then get out of there and concentrate your efforts where they WILL be found.

You and I are saved due to the fact the fish become active periodically and may move toward the shallows. Sometimes, they linger there.

We are saved again, because you and I can recognize the features of the bottom the fish will use in their migrations and movements.

 Since fish do not move constantly nor consistently, this means we have to exercise patience at times, and wait for the fish to come to us. 

The secret to success is to, "hit," and probe the right places, and be there waiting. Since how far the fish move toward the shallows is dependent upon the weather and water conditions at that time, and due to the fact the weather and water conditions are usually not in our favor, we should concentrate our efforts as deep as possible, BUT NO DEEPER THAN RECOGNIZABLE FEATURES THE FISH USE IN THEIR MOVEMENTS.

You asked what do you do? 

You should work the obvious feature (bar in this case) down to and including the 18-20 foot breakline. You do not go out beyond the "base" of the breakline, where it goes flat again. You check all structure situations to the last recognizable feature. Check and recheck all the best ones. 

If you have interpreted the weather and water conditions accurately, you should expect contact with the fish once or possibly twice during the day...somewhere aming the right places you are probing.