Thread: Fishing Trips: Fish vs. No (or few) Fish

IMO, go where the action is. Look, I've spent a lifetime learning what doesn't work. It's a much shorter road learning how to catch crappie when you go to where the bite is on and do what is working. Once you get the techniques down and learn, because your successful, how to catch fish, then you can apply that information on other lakes. However, lakes are just different, what is working "now" on one lake absolutely doesn't mean if you can match conditions on another lake it will work there. By being successful, and learning about why the crappie are biting where they are at a given time, and what method is working and why, then you can learn about the crappie's behavior, and learn more about the fish. Once you've learned about why crappie do what they do and when and why they do it, then you can apply "that" information to other lakes. But just trying to match the conditions, never worked for me. Again just my opinion.

Basically, what I was suggesting was that you should do some research about the lakes in your area and just go fishing. The trial and error of finding those hot bites on your own makes you a better fisherman, and makes the catches much more rewarding. And yes, once you figure out a bite on one lake, it can give you some insight as to what the fish may be doing on another lake, IF you put a little thought into what is causing the fish to behave that way. This doesn't mean that they will be at the same depth, same type of cover, same color, etc. It just means that if you know your lakes, you can connect the dots from one lake to another as it relates to seasonal patterns. I.e. If they are transitioning from a Fall pattern to a Winter pattern on Lake X, then Lake Y will soon follow. Water temps usually dictate these transitions on any lake, so keep that in mind.



Having said all that, fishing on a hot tip will teach you a lot about how to get them to bite, and can be a big confidence booster for the discouraged beginner.

I like to catch crappie. Because I live close to it, I primarily fish the Arkansas River at Toadsuck from the bank. I'll guess that, after 25+ years of fishing the area, I catch crappie on only 50% of my trips.

Fishing below the dam here is different almost every trip due to water flow conditions: they like to adjust the gates frequently. Also, you might be surprised by how much the currents change when barges are locking through. High water or fishing the current requires different lures or techniques than low-flow conditions.

Depending on the season, the time of day is as important as water flow. I prefer to fish as the sun comes up but year-round I think I catch more right at dark. I might fish at daylight for an hour. If I don't have any luck I leave and come back later, maybe in the morning or early afternoon, maybe in the evening maybe in a day or two. I just keep after them!

Like others have mentioned, keeping a calendar or log is helpful. After a couple of years, you'll be able to see when your fishing generally picks up and falls off. Those are indicators that (1) you need to learn new techniques or use a different bait for that time of year, (2) you need to find a different place to fish at that time of year, or (3) you need to stay home and put new line on your poles that time of year, etc.

PS- I don't get discouraged by only catching crappie on half of my trips, most of those other trips I've caught at least SOMETHING. When fishing the river, you NEVER know what you are going to catch next! I use a lot of 1/16 oz jigs. Besides crappie, I've caught a LOT of bass, white bass and hybrids, drum, skipjack, bream and misc. sunfish this year. I've also caught stripers, channel, blue, and flathead catfish, longnose and spotted gar, and a few sauger.

Keep learning and Good Luck!

Also, if you have a little extra cash, hiring a guide will drastically shorten the curve on learning a particular lake, or just Crappie fishing in general.

Before I retired 13 years ago, I felt compelled to just get out and relieve the stress and fishing took my mind off what was stressing me. Attitude has a lot to do with
your success on the water. The faster you can put the stress behind you, the quicker you become focused on what your doing on the water. If your determined to catch
a mess of crappies, you should be in a relaxed state of mind and allow the crappie to tell you what they want, the presentation they want and all you have to do is move
to crappie looking waters and begin the process. I found moving methodically along the shoreline picking places I would find compatible if I were a crappie helped me find crappie. The hardest part for me was to get the mindset that I would catch crappie as long as I found where they were and they told me what they wanted. Yes,
conditions do matter and the best time for me has always been ahead of a front coming from the west northwest and me being in one of those places I felt held crappie.
The worst place I could find myself when the time was right was anywhere but on the water. I do believe in my seasonal chart and pay particular attention when the spawn is near. I have found guides are very helpful if your approach to them is one of a respectful attitude. Guides are involved in a business and word of mouth is their
most productive method of advertising. Most guides are very helpful and can tell in a few minutes if your experienced or novice. Their attitude towards you is what you
have shown them in a short amount of time in their boat. I have found my best method with a guide is to speak little and listen a lot. I don't act like I have all the
answers but am there to learn. How I act in anyone else's boat or in my kayak is another story.

As someone who is also just starting down the path of learning how to (successfully) chase crappie, I gotta say this is an excellent thread. I too struggle with the "stick to your home lake and learn it" vs "chase the reports at Lake XYZ", especially given just how many excellent crappie hot spots and reports we have around here.

Much appreciation to everyone, beginner and expert alike, posting here. This really is a fantastic resource for those of us who want to learn to fish. Now, if I could just not get distracted by the fish that *are* biting when I'm chasing those crappie. The wife usually gives me funny looks when I tell her I'm going out crappie fishing and I return with a mess of catfish.

My advice is fish and if you catch nothing or dinks , move or change tactics . On my home lake it is rare for me to have what most call a bad day . I will move and try different depths till I find fish . But only time I perfer not to fish is in high water because they are usually here today and gone tomarrow .

Well in near 50 year of fishing....I have learned this much

Don't fish where they ain't

Don't fish with something they ain't wanting to bite

Don't present your bait or lure in a manner that they don't want

Don't think fish are not smart and sometimes picky almost beyond belief

Don't think that fish are ever uncatchable (even though sometimes they maybe)

Don't think that fish will always feed because they don't,most days they have a few specific feeding times and you need to be there then.When your lucky they bite all day

Don't fish randomly in the water...pick a type of structure or topography and focus on that..if that doesnt work try another type

Don't spend a lot of time without your bait in the water ..keep it out there

Don't think that you can catch as many as consistently as people who are very serious about it....if you aren't.

And a couple hundred more things

That's all I got to say about that