Thread: How Do You Know?

What lake to go to? Where to start fishing? Jigs or shiner? etc?

Seems we have a few on here who ALWAYS seem to go the the right lake, fish in the right spot, use the right bait & that sort of thing! How do you put all this together BEFORE heading out?

I won't mention Cajun Dave's name :D but he always hits the right lake...when they are biting on TMB, he shows up there...when they are biting on Bisteneau, he shows up there...when they are biting on Caddo up in the river, he is there...when they are biting on another part of Caddo, he is there!

Meanwhile some of us head to a lake where very few are catching any fish, as I did on Cypress this weekend

How do you put it all together? Expertise? Luck (I doubt it!)? Help us rookies out here!

I cant speak for others,but i talk to friends who fish.It helps to know someone who is retired and lives on a lake.It also helps to fish a lake for many years and learn where the fish are this time of year.

Originally Posted by HEMPHILLCREEK-1

I cant speak for others,but i talk to friends who fish.It helps to know someone who is retired and lives on a lake.It also helps to fish a lake for many years and learn where the fish are this time of year.

I was gonna say "word of mouth". Usually hear from friends what, where, and how they are catching them.
And as for Cajun Dave, He is doing what he has to do to catch them fish. You have to be open to try anything to find them. I am sure Dave has had many times where he starts with shallow water and had to go to deeper to find them, and sometimes with shiners/minnows and if that don't work, then switch to jigs. Dave catches fish wherever he goes, because he tries everything til he finds something. There are others that seem to catch every time too, Slab Hunter, Fishin Magician, Mon'back, just to name a few. So basically, bring everything you got, and try everything you can...lol

1)For me the where to go is like Hemphill and Johnny said about word of mouth first. Second I go where I've caught fish at the same time of the year on different years. The last way for me to pick the water is where I WANT to fish.
2)I start by finding some deeper water and working from there. Find the channels or creek beds. I hunt underwater structure that's hidden. If it sticks up, then most of the time it's fished out.
3)This one is the easiest for me. Only jigs any time I go. I haven't bought a shinner in years and don't plan on ever buying another. I can take a jig and work from 1ft to 30ft in no time. All I have to do is drop it down deeper. With shinners, you have to slide your cork up and down. You can tightline shinners, but there's not any feel to it but the hit. You don't have the feel with corks that you do with jigging. I feel more structure than I find with the depth finder.
4)Look for a pattern. Deep, shallow, suspended around brush, following the baitfish, in open channels, biting soft or hard, the color they want at the time, and the presentation are all factors I look for. Once I can establish some kind of a pattern, then that's when I start catching fish in numbers.
5)I go alot and try to learn something everytime I go!!! This is probably the most important thing for me.
6) Find someone that illegally sells crappie and buy them by the boatloads! Just kidding!!

Thanks guys...keep the input coming!

I did purchase some fishing log software earrlier in the year that I have been recording my trips on...even though the trips are few here lately due to school!

Originally Posted by bassadict69

Thanks guys...keep the input coming!

I did purchase some fishing log software earrlier in the year that I have been recording my trips on...even though the trips are few here lately due to school!

i would suggest getting with some of the fellows that fish Saline Larto--you have several upcoming months of good perch jerking there now.I think the fellow that made the bait pump would be a big help to you in getting on some perch regularly.

With gas prices like they are now, Larto is too far of a drive. Larto is about 2 hours or so from me although with everything I hear, I would love to go out there!

I must warn you, this answer comes from someone crazy about crappie fishing:

Time on the water is the best way!

I think if you're just learning then fish the spots that people tell you. Most of the time they will put you on the fish. These spots will allow you to have confidence while trying a new presentation or jig color, but quality and/or quantity may lack. Try to figure out why these fish are in these spots (cover, water flow, ect.), it will help you to find your own spots.

The fishing spots that produce the slabs are usually found and KEPT by someone with many hours on the water. So don't think that the spots you are given will be honey holes.