Difference in Lakes

The differences in feeding patterns of fish in different lakes never ceases to amaze me. I only fish Ross Barnett and Okatibee so that is the only lakes I can talk about patterns, but my cousin went to one of the Big 3 yesterday and killed the big fish in 3-5' of water. He found them there by accident retying a broke off jig. He had been fishing the ledges with no luck and then bam he is in the fish.

On Ross Barnett the only place I have ever caught fish is on the ledges whether the main river ledges or different changes around lakes and such. NEVER have I caught a fish in a flat on Barnett.... really don't know if there is any consistent flat besides the 9-10' of water that surround deep lakes like 3 Prong and out from the islands.

Now Okatibee is a different story. My entire life I have found fish in the 8-10' flats all over the lake. Yes they are also on ledges most of the year, but never have I stumbled up on them in the Fall or Winter in 4 foot of water.

I know its just a bunch of beating around the bush but interesting to me none the less.

Since moving to New Albany I travel about the same distance to fish Sardis or Bay Springs . Two different worlds . . Almost stopped fishing Bay Springs till I figured out there is a 15 ft. learning curve due to clear water . I only cast to fish in water less than 10 ft . Small jigs are to large on bay springs ,tiny are preferred . lol Fishing slower on Sardis is speed fishing on Bay Springs . Slow means dead sticking on Bay Springs . :biggrin

It's a never ending chess match given the time of year or different bodies of water. Fish all stick to the same pattern and that's following the food source. I rarely ever fish deep water, and I call deep 15' or more. In my personal experience on the lakes I primarily fish I can find them deep or shallow most times of the year. I personally have an easier time making shallower feeding fish bite as opposed to the ones hanging out in deeper water. Again, sometimes this is actually the exact opposite. Barnett is for the most part a stable lake as far as fluctuating water levels. I would think the pattern over a number of year's of fishing them would result in an easier time of figuring them out. The big 4 or 3 as you state we never have any clue as to what one year to bring as opposed to the next. The fish aren't necessarily changing patterns, but adapting to the environment. Your buddy did luck up and stumble on them shallow, but that may have been a fluke and a good one at that, I rather be lucky then good anytime. There is a possibility though during a certain time the water depth he was fishing would be very unproductive. It may have been a couple of days or a couple of hours difference. I fished reelfoot in NW Tennessee a couple of weeks ago and those fish play by totally different rules then I'm used to, then again it's a stable lake. And as far as eagle1's comment, I wouldn't know where to begin on crystal clear water. It's a matter of adapting and that's the fun of it in my opinion. Good thread though, thanks!

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Wonder how much livescope will make everybody think differently about patterns on their home waters?

Some of your best techniques are found by accident I think. Like when somebody catches them like crazy on your home water and you've never even thought about fishing that way.

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Originally Posted by 1187mg

Wonder how much livescope will make everybody think differently about patterns on their home waters?

Some of your best techniques are found by accident I think. Like when somebody catches them like crazy on your home water and you've never even thought about fishing that way.

Sent from my XT1650 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

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It already has changed the way people are fishing their home lakes.
Everytime me and will went pulling cranks this summer, we ended up rolling up the poles and single pole’n.
It’s just more fun.


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Livescope has changed the way I fish these small state lakes for sure. Makes you realize just how many crappie these smaller lakes hold. Because it makes us more efficient though I do think it's going to make creel limits and size limits all the more important to enforce though. Especially the big four I'd think given the pounding they take every year

I just didn't realize Livescope was that efficient.....granted I have never seen it in action.

It's made me way more efficient though that's not saying much :)

Same here- jmbrewer

I THINK CRAPPIE FISHING IS A NEW GAME EVERY TIME I GO . THAT IS WHAT MAKES US BETTER . LIVE SCOPE IS GREAT BUT IT CAN MAKE YOU CRAZY TOO . :crazy: