Get Away From Shore...

...and  “Get The Heck Out Of The Trees!”

If you;re like many anglers, you often fish in man-made reservoirs. And within these formerly dry, flooded bodies of water, are the remnants of human acitvity on the form of Man-made structures.
And these constructs make up some of the better structure found in reservoirs.
Also, thanks to modern marine electronics and well developed hydro-mapping, these structures are generally easy to find and observe. Moreover, they are usually cleaner of brush and debris than other areas one might fish. Finally, presenting bait or lures on man-made structures, by both casting and trolling, normally requires less skill and presents fewer problems than on natural cover and structure.

Some common man-made structures within a body of water (reservoir) might be listed as:

1️⃣ Old submerged roadbeds.

2️⃣ Causeways, or roads, that were constructed across certain portions of the reservoir during construction.

3️⃣ The dam area.

4️⃣ Power lines or boat trails.

BONUS STRUCTURE: A lot of submerged human structure also exists on reservoirs as a bonus. These are things like old bridges, houses, quarries, sunken boats, walls, foundations, fences, etc.
Wherever humans once live BENEATH the waters you see today, there is a good chance that man-made structure is there to attract fish. 

💯 However, two areas should be first on the list for your attention:

- Causeways that cross the lake
- The dam and the areas adjacent to the dam.
Not every reservoir will have casueways crossing it, but every reservoir will have a dam. Regardless, both of these areas have clean workable structure, and they are easy to locate.

The dam area, especially, requires a lot of attention. The deepest water in the lake occurs here, the structure is normally better and more varied, and it would be in this particular area that clumps of submerged, standing trees may be observed. 

In most instances, these clumps of trees also represent a hump or some break in the structure, the meandering of channels, and so on.

(Interestingly on the reservoir nearest to me, I rarely see anyone actually working the dam structure, itself.) 

✅ There is also a natural structure that intersects with man-made structure and that is  old main stream channel. These channels wind and turn as they cross the reservoir, and the overall depth of the channel doesn't vary a great deal from one section to that of another. A lot of human activity will have occurred along the banks of what was the old river channel, so the odds of finding such structure increases there. And from a strictly natural structure viewpoint, the best native structure on the channel will exist at all "turns," and where the old feeder stream channels enter the main channel.
You should check these areas thoroughly.

👉 My closing comment is to take with a grain of salt suggestions from those around the boat dock (or Facebook) who tell you to head back to the trees (docks, shore, and so on) if you want to catch fish. 

Yes, sometimes fish can be found there, under conditions that are largely a mystery to the average angler...and the entire industry is based on one singular idea:

"Cast enough times into these shallow, visible cover areas with the latest 'hot lure' we are selling...and you might eventually hook a fish."

But the fish will have come from somewhere else to be there... a "somewhere else" you rarely, if ever, think to look.
Flatly put, the places you are taught to cast to are not where the bigger adult fish live full time. You just get lucky to cross paths with them where they are visiting, fromtime to time. But a few hours, or even minutes, either way ... and you can be fishless.

So in most cases, that advice is a bum steer as far as locating the most productive structure in the reservoir. 

Just keep in mind that you can do a lot better by, "getting the heck out of the trees'!

- Buck Perry, 1973

Depth Finder Advice - From 1973

Stop Fishing Blindly! …Get a depth sounder

Back in 1973, your typical angler couldn’t afford a depth finder. 

According to the government’s inflation calculator, $175 for an average flasher unit back then is the equivalent of nearly $1,400 today. Tackle shops had to offer payment plans to help anglers swing the purchase. 

But George Pazik was steadfast in his thoughts that it was a tool you could not do without if you were halfway serious about your fishing.

“Broad daylight, clear sunny day... and these men are fishing blindly."

Look at the guys in the first pic. They are not novice fishermen nor are they fools, they simply don't KNOW that they're fishing blindly. It makes for a beautiful color photograph, but that's all. No fish caught. 

The next photograph in black and white shows the depth sounder reading that indicates the drop-off is from 10 to 17 feet, which is where they OUGHT TO BE FISHING.

In the last pic, you’ll see a contour map and you will note how far out from shore that drop-off comes. The section of the contour map shown on this page has an arrow pointing to the spot along the shore where those men were fishing. 

Now, it IS on a break structure that drops to the deepest water in the area. This is a decent bar, and fish do migrate up onto this bar at times where they are sometimes caught.
And thats the problem: a few fish are caught there under the right conditons. But nobody could you why...or where the fish came from to be there.

As you can see, however, these men were not where they should have been fishing. The preferred spot would be further back where the depth break seen in the second foto connects to the deeper water at 25'.

The men were close, but no cigar. They were unaware that IF fish were going to come up into the shallows where they were casting, they would be coming from the deepest water in the area.
And they would be working up the depth breaks like a staircase to get there. But they come that shallow under the right conditions...and super-bright, sunshiny daylight isnt all that inviting to them.
So the fish may have staged at the 25' mark (their sanctuary area)....but unless conditions were right and to their liking - it is unlikely they would come further...as the men found out. 

I also see the tip of the smaller island IF the depth break there contacts the 25' depth. But because it is a shallow slope, it would have to have some intermediate break for the fish to follow it all the way in, so it falls to 2nd place in priority.

So you can see, with a depth sounder, a good map, and a working knowledge of fish behavior, you can change your "luck." 

Trolling Is Key

 

The Importance Of “Trolling”

Back in the early days, Buck promoted trolling as being your “teacher.” But trolling quickly developed a negative connotation, at least in many bass fishing circles. 

What he was really talking about though was covering water to eliminate unproductive areas, and to locate higher percentage structural features to fish more thoroughly. 

Nowadays, you might refer to the same process as “idling“ or “graphing.” It’s not unusual to hear professional bass anglers mention spending nearly all their time in practice before an event doing nothing but. Today’s pros lean heavily on their electronics to accomplish this - Buck relied on his Spoonplugs. It’s the same concept in action,  before today’s modern technology existed.

Buck Sez: “The trolling, if done correctly, is your ‘teacher’ when on the water. It is the thing that will tie all the loose ends together such as structure, movements of fish, weather and water conditions, depth and speed control, mapping, and interpretation. The trolling will tell you when, where, what, why and how to cast. If you pass up the trolling process, it is doubtful you will ever become a great fisherman. 

But, after a couple years, you may be able to talk for an hour on ‘how to fish a plastic lizard.’”

How to: Analyze A Lake

 

Breaking Down A Lake

"This diagram shows the channels and the structure situations (marked with an "X") that must be checked out. 

You notice we have placed the "X" in relation to the deepest water in the area (channels). 

Please be aware of the fact our interpretation STARTS at the deepest water, not at the shallows. 

During our presentation of lures we may start at the shallows and work toward the deepest water (channels), but our "interpretation" of a PRODUCTIVE structure situation must start at the channel (deepest water in the area). 

Study this figure very carefully."

- Buck Perry, 1983

Source: Fishing Facts

Breaks on Breaks

"Breaks On The Break (1972)"

If you were a structure fisherman back in the day, you no doubt knew about a ‘break on a breakline,’ later known as a ‘spot on a spot.’ Carl Malz offered up this illustration and important points in a 1972 article, “For Real Success - Fish The Breaks.’

📚 Each month we have a page in Fishing Facts called "Fishing Talk - Our Language of Structure Fishing".

➡️ A breakline is defined as "A line on structure where there is a definite increase in depth, either sudden or gradual; weedline, brushline; edge of a channel or holes; where two bodies of water, deeper vs. shallower, meet...etc." 

➡️ A break is defined as "Where structure is no longer uniform due to dips, or a quick drop in depth; rocks, stumps, etc."

📚What is it that helps make these great fishermen so great? One of the major reasons is their ABILITY TO INTERPRET THE "BREAKS ON THE BREAK."

✅ First let's start with some examples of typical underwater objects that could be called breaks. A rock pile, a brush pile, a sunken tree, a sunken boat, a hard spot surrounded by mud, sunken cribs, an under water hump or depression, an old hot water heater, a six pack of beer or pop, a pair of old rubber boots, a pile of broken glass or (as you have probably already surmised) anything else that can be seen by the fish and used to guide them when they move, or any object that could be used to pause or hold the school.

✅ To further illustrate the point, let's take that old hot water tank and drag it away from the rock pile toward deeper water and closer to the "home" area. The large rock pile would be fairly easy to locate. Anyone with a depth finder could accomplish this. But now we have moved the hot water heater closer to the home area and created a deeper break away from the rock pile.

💯 The man who only fishes the rock pile would believe he had found the hot spot. The more knowledgeable fisherman would not quit at that point. He would continue to search for the breaks that the school would use to arrive at the rock pile.

✅ So when we find a structure which produces fish, we must always be thinking in terms of, "How did the fish get there? What breaks did they use to arrive at that point? Where did they come from? Are there deeper breaks than the one I am fishing that might hold the school? If so, can I reach it or is it too deep to present my lures? Have I really taken the time to look for that small detail on the structure or breakline that could be termed a break on the breakline' or 'a break on a break'?"

Carl Malz, Fishing Facts, 1972

 Repeat: always ask, "How did the fish arrive at the point where I caught them?"

Then seek the answer.

Thumping... Fish Come To You

 Fish calls that go "thump" (Secret #6)

This one sounds a bit weird, but I know that many people swear by homemade “thumpers.” They often laud their success with these devices, but I haven't seen many make a true comparison test with them.
I do recall that Buck Perry also wrote of “thumping” the boat, or making noise, so the fish knew something unusual was happening in the area... and supposedly this put them into an active mood. Considering that particular source, I'm inclined to think there's something to it. Then I found this tip from Paul Johnson, who was Berkley’s director of research and development  for nineteen years.
It was featured in his 1984 book, “The Scientific Angler.”

✅ "This secret is one I discovered quite by accident, while my son and I were out recovering lost lures for fishermen on a popular reef. Huge boulders in the reef area made it a perfect holding area for a variety of species, but it was also difficult to fish without getting hung up.

✅ On one particular day the lake was calm. As we swam around a boulder, we spotted a yellow object that revealed itself to be a cut-off mushroom anchor. At first it looked much bigger than it really was, but then everything looks one-third larger underwater. The anchor must have weighed a full ten pounds, and the dive boat seemed a hundred miles away.

✅ We started back with our treasure, which grew heavier as we moved along. Finally, all I could do was pick it up, swim a few kicks, then drop it back to the bottom. After about the fourth thump we noticed that we were being surrounded by fish, whereas up until then we had seen nothing.

✅ Bass, walleyes, and even a muskie came flashing across to see who was making all the commotion. Whenever the fish left I thumped again, and again they returned.

✅ Remembering this tidbit, I tried the same tactic the next time my son and I were out fishing. The action was slow, so I reached over and grabbed the anchor line, then thumped the mushroom anchor on the bottom, fifteen feet below the boat. Within minutes we had our first fish. 

✅ About every fifteen minutes thereafter I repeated the thumping. This trick seems to work best when you give just a few thumps, spaced a half minute apart rather than in a steady tom-tom beat.

“The Scientific Angler.” Paul Johnson, 1984

Illustrator, SCOTT ZOELLICK

Make A Map

By request, I tracked down the marked map for Lake Koshkonong. It was marked by Tom Rawski and appeared in a 1965 issue of Fishing News. The writeup stated, “This guy catches fish. And he is one of the very few who will take the time to write up his secrets.”

Here is an edited version of some of his comments on fishing the lake:

✅ Lake Koshkonong offers exceptionally good fishing for northerns, crappies, walleyes, perch, and catfish. But Koshkonong is generally accepted as one of the finest lakes for white bass in the state of Wisconsin.

✅ White bass fishing is at its best in the late afternoon and through the night. We have had great success trolling Spoonplugs right next to the shore. The best way to locate stripers (white bass) is to troll. This is especially true in the river. Work one side of the shore, then the other until you hit the main channel.

✅ We have had good success using a 3 way swivel and the No. 500 (tiny) Spoonplug trolled right off bottom. (River rig)

✅ Another hint that may come in handy here or elsewhere: Sometimes you may have anchored in deep water in the river. Boats around you may be getting fish and you are not. Usually the trouble is that you are in water that is too swift. If this happens, then move so you can fish the EDGE of the sluice.

✅ The lake itself is very shallow, maximum depth 6-8 feet. There are a few deeper areas where the Rock River flows in and out. Because of the river it is an excellent lake.

✅ Koshkonong is an ideal lake for Spoonplugging (casting the Spoonplug) because much of the bottom is sand or gravel. We find Brass, Red and White, and Silver Spoonplugs best. Jigs, French Spinners, and Streamer Flies (Silver Minnows, Mylars) are excellent, too.

✅ This lake is big, nine miles; it gets rough so watch out. Most anglers fish the lee shore or, if too windy, they go into the river.

Could you do the same for your lake?

To Catch More Fish

 Facts To Get You Started

Just a couple of fishermen trusting to dumb luck, hoping to blunder upon a fish? No, not exactly.

✅ These men are fishing the edge of a floating bog in the huge, man-made Chippewa Flowage in northern Wisconsin. These floating bogs are loaded with worms and insect life, and represent real "cafeterias" for the fish.

✅ These bogs are bottom areas which floated to the surface years after the flowage was created. All kinds of plants will grow on them, including trees! Yes, those trees in the background are part of this old and very large floating bog.

So how does this seemingly unique situation relate you?

✅ On any lake, any day, you will see boatloads of men fishing in ten feet of water casting to the shoreline. Their eyes will be glued to their electronic screens all the while.... and now and then, these people will even catch a fish. Their notion is that its a numbers game, meaing, the more you cast - well, that is how you catch something. Sounds about right, yes?

Meanwhile..., under the right conditions of water and weather, schools of game fish may have moved in from their deeper water home in the area. Its even possible that they have scattered into the ten to fifteen foot depth area, around the shoreline. But they only rarely come shallower. Which means that they are mostly under and behind the fishermen's boats, where their lures are never presented to the fish.
Occasionally, one or two of these fish has come closer to the shore, and when caught, the angler applauds himself for having the hottest lure, the latest and greatest reel, the most expensive boat, and so on.

However, if these fishermen would only turn around, switch to lures that bump the bottom, and cast those lures into the deeper water - working it up onto the structure* - they stand a good chance of limiting out on the fish that are there to be caught!

✅ Ask yourself this: "Do I really believe that limits of big fish are lying in two or three feet of water under a log, waiting for me?"

If you were under a bombing attack, would you be upstairs watching from a window, or would you be in the basement trying to get all the protection you can? Think about it.

✅ On a lot of structure*, you will seldom be able to take fish.
You're watching your electronic screen and its pre-programmed contour map, and it shows a good break, and maybe you grasp what that indicates...BUT...this break does not fall off into deep water.
Do you still spend time there? Not if you're knowledgeable.
Instead you look for structure* that has immediate access to deep water, that leads right to deeper water in the area.

Don Woodruff, Fishing Facts, 1972

* Structure is not cover. 
When we say "structure," we mean features of the lake BOTTOM that extend from shallow water (10' or less) all the way to deep water. This will include some sort of unusual feature that distinguishes it from the surrounding bottom in an area.
This means things like a point or an old creek channel. Maybe its an old road bed, or a submerged hump in the middle of the lake. It can be anything of this sort. But - it will be adjacent to, and lead directly from, the deeper water in an area to the shallow water.
It is not the same as docks, rocks or weeds around the shore....things you can typically see and which invite your casts.
That's, "cover," and it where the fish might end up after leaving their deeper water home.