CJ WATER TEMPS AND FISHING THREAD!

[phantombassboater]

March...Lion or Lamb! Sign of the DUAL FISH!

Fishing is fluid, things change, you must adapt, you can have different weather and patterns in the same day!

This is something that was a struggle for me early on. I always wanted to go back to the same spot and throw the same thing. I would get frustrated because the results were not the same. This is without a doubt the best thing any one fishing can remember.

When I finally got so caught up in fishing tournaments all the guys who were out pre-fishing and figuring them out would come to the weigh in and be cursing up a storm because they went back and could not get the same results. I would be out on the water the same days these guys were out pre-fishing and they were tearing them up. Go out on Sunday and bring zero to weigh-in and just be livid. They would talk about what they found them during their practice times and come back saying well that did not work and talk about how much the lake sucks.

So here they are upset and frustrated because the baits they used did not work. Here is what I would see from these same guys pissed off who went out and practiced, read other peoples posts, got the same baits that were on fire a week before. The tourney time is from 7AM until 3PM. They were out on the water at 5PM. I'm thinking these guys were out practicing for a TNT type tournament. Low and behold they are at the ramp at 7AM all geared up and ready based on what they learned from 5PM on. Looking back at that situation you are fishing at a totally different time of day. Again most of us can understand this while some get so caught up in whats working now must work again later. Everything changes constantly in fishing.

Now nothing against reading posts and fishing reports because if they are done up right they are very beneficial. I am proud to say that this forum for CJ is by far the best forum you can read for a true fishing report for CJ. No one here is keeping it a secret we all love to catch fish and we love sharing the info with others in hopes to keep our fishery alive and to show people that CJ is not the dead sea. What is the number 1 reposted comment or question in this board during open water?........ Not where were you fishing, but what was the water temp and the color of the water. This is where we all learn to build our techniques and learn where to fish by looking for the similarities in those two components. These guys see posts and jump all over the bait that was used and expect it to work like a charm. Not the case, where was it being fished is important but how about temps and water clarity. That's why your 25 dollar bait did not work on tournament day.

My practice consists of learning the lake looking at the temps and looking for structure that are holding fishing. I can go out the to the same spot and find zero fish the next day. I will blow through a whole tank of gas just idling around the lake not even lifting a pole. You can watch a spot change in 15 min and go from hot to cold even faster.

I cannot stress enough to all the newcomers we get to CJ and to all of those who are as addicted to fishing as I am. You do not need to have the multi-million dollar setup, the mountains and mountains of baits (Sorry I still do this but I am in rehab, my sponsor and chip/fake bait holder is Brent who has listened to me and let me shed a tear when I told him I was ready to downsize), all you have to do is remember things change constantly and so does the bait. You have to be willing to just let everything go and explore or better yet have fun. I have won some tournaments when I finally said what in the heck am I doing going through my bait box 900 times. What are the conditions telling me and what are the fish telling me.

10 years ago this spring I started fishing CJ for bass and the one thing that I learned before I got to CJ was to have patience and keep and eye on temp, location, water clarity, and bottom/structure. This solved 90% of my problems learning new lakes. It's always changing and that is why I love this sport so much. You can game plan but know things can change in a blink of an eye.

Enjoy Fishing everyone, Lets all have the best season yet, Fishing is fun whether your out with your family and kiddos, or out fishing some tournaments.

[phantombassboater]

The March 7th "Fishermen's Breakfast" at the Springfield Cracker Barrel at 8am, will feature Comedy and lies from;
Intimidator (Brent), Doc (Tim), DanVan (Daniel), JAB/SocDad (Jeff), Downtime (Paul), FlatheadKing (Jeremiah), Cajun Willie (Bill), PhantomBassBoater (Jesse), Shaggi/y (Rick), SSouthard (Steve), and Lowell (Lowell).....so far! Plus the Main entertainment will be provided by the PoleCat himself (Fritz)!

ANYONE is more than Welcome to join in the festivities!
Oh, almost forgot....BRING PRESENTS, my birthday is March 5th!

White elephant gift time!!! Get ready!!! HA HA

[INTIMIDATOR]

Nice Post Jesse...
Another things we tend to forget as fishermen, is that fish have inbred natural reactions and tendencies, based on weather and water temps!
Get to know this and when someone tells you what the water temp, clarity, or weather pattern is, you have an immediate idea where to go first....then you can adjust from there.
Some people just go to the wrong place like Jesse said, then get frustrated, and are lost....normally because they don't want to take the time to learn a species or patterns.
I will never tell someone where to fish, show pics of my spots, or give out vital info...but I will show you how to find fish and think for yourself...then when we give water temps, etc, you will know where to start!

[phantombassboater]

Nice Post Jesse...
Another things we tend to forget as fishermen, is that fish have inbred natural reactions and tendencies, based on weather and water temps!
Get to know this and when someone tells you what the water temp, clarity, or weather pattern is, you have an immediate idea where to go first....then you can adjust from there.
Some people just go to the wrong place like Jesse said, then get frustrated, and are lost....normally because they don't want to take the time to learn a species or patterns.
I will never tell someone where to fish, show pics of my spots, or give out vital info...but I will show you how to find fish and think for yourself...then when we give water temps, etc, you will know where to start!

SPOT ON BRENT!!!!!!!

[downtime]

(Another things we tend to forget as fishermen, is that fish have inbred natural reactions and tendencies, based on weather and water temps!)
If we watch I feel a lot fishermen have a tendency to do the same thing that is fishermen ( have inbred natural reactions and tendencies, based on weather and water temps!) now THAT is scarey!!!!!!!

[cjpolecat]

(Another things we tend to forget as fishermen, is that fish have inbred natural reactions and tendencies, based on weather and water temps!)
If we watch I feel a lot fishermen have a tendency to do the same thing that is fishermen ( have inbred natural reactions and tendencies, based on weather and water temps!) now THAT is scarey!!!!!!!

Speaking of inbred (fish)They will have a very weak latural line also, not seen by the naked eye. I read that somewhere..
CJP
Life is like roll of tolilt paper, closer to the end, the faster it goes..

[fished-out]

Are you saying the fish and fishermen at CJ are inbred?

I've only been there a few times, but it didn't seem nearly that bad....

[INTIMIDATOR]

Talked to Guppy...about 9 inches of ice on CJ...this looks to be a repeat of last year!
We will be getting on the lake VERY Late again...we will be lucky to get soft water by the end of March...that normally means, that the water will warm quickly to 50 degrees and with the normal fronts, hang around from 40-55 degrees...then later in April and May it will stay 80 degrees, the water will go from 55 to 75, and screw the spawns up again!
Hold on Boys, looks like another Wild Ride like last year!

[cjpolecat]

Are you saying the fish and fishermen at CJ are inbred?

I've only been there a few times, but it didn't seem nearly that bad....

ou havet look close... cjp

[ssouthard]

Well we will just have to zero in on these inbred walleye and crappies.