FISHING STRATEGIES

I. Fish Seek Food & Safety

For consistent fishing success, we must find these two conditions in or lake and present our lures or bait in these areas. Our fishing strategy consists of three key steps, next.

II. Fishing Strategy - Three Steps to finding fish:

1. Find the Food Sources
2. Find the Deeper Water (Safety) & other safety features for the fish.
3. Find the structure connecting the food with the deeper water

III. Types of Food Sources:

1. Running water inlet
2. Weeds Beds
3. Rock Reef
4. Large areas of shallow water where light can penetrate to the bottom of the lake.
5. Areas of submerged Timber & Brush in shallow water (less than 15' deep)

IV. Deeper Water - Why Important?

1. Provides safety from surface predators.
2. Provides water temperature stability - no rapidly fluctuating temperatures.
3. Provides stable light conditions for the fish.

V. Other safety features the fish use:

1. Weed Beds - Provide cover for the fish in shallow water.
2. Submerged Brush & Trees - Provide cover fot the fish in shallow water.
3. Rock Reefs - Provide cover for the fish in shallow water if spaces between rockes are large enough.

VI. Identify the Structure connnecting the deeper water (safety) to the food source:

1. Point Bar
2. Channels, Feeder Creeks, & Washes.
3. Underwater Hump (Submerged Island)
4. Rock Reef
5. Man-Made Structure (Submerged Roadbeds; Dams, etc.)