is it possible to have a fishing strategy?

[justacanoe]

In another thread, I was going to place this response to ComeonFish who has been catching healthy Anna Striper this winter:

your enthusiasm, physical vitality, gear etc. are clearly no limit to your fishing accomplishments. If you can do Anna by kayak in middle Winter, you pass! well done.

you also have winning tactics - lures/presentation/details

last items are fishing strategy and luck.

**
So is it possible to have fishing strategy?

I grew up wargaming and WWII history and tactics were battlefield fire/movement/equipment/decision making. operational level stuff was logistics, supplies, unit organization, strategy was the theater-wide level of similar

In fishing if tactics are lures/presentation

Operational stuff is ? your boat rigging and outfitting, supplies, first-aid, spare equipment, etc. Maybe seasonal calendar and moonphase stuff or does this go to strategic-level?

Strategy is kayak vs.skiff vs. canoe, stuff like learning left-hand casting to avoid tendonitits, getting physically healthy, getting paid enough to feed the tackle monkey, enough time off to chase our dreams at the local mudhole, getting the right spouse. (don't say no spouse. the right spouse is one who works while you're fishing)

Just some rambling ideas. Good for Feb. smaktalk (trolls only plz)

[Mark]

Luck has certainly led to many of my catches. But I’d like to believe that strategy placed me in the right place at the right time.

[J.A. Veil]

I find that I am more successful if I have done some homework the night before and plan my trolling route or casting/jigging destinations. For example, I check the following:

1) Wind forecast. I want to know wind speed and direction and how it is likely to change throughout the day. If wind is high at 8:00 am but will drop by noon, I may wait and start out at noon. The direction of the wind will determine which areas are sheltered by shorelines and which are fully exposed.

2) Tides. I want to know high and low tides and also how extreme those tides are. During some times of the months, the highs are particularly high and the lows are quite low. This give stronger tidal currents as the tidal cycle progresses.

3) Estimate of water level. I often troll in shallow water. If I anticipate low water while I am out, I may skip some sections of my trolling route and focus on other areas.

4) Sun vs. shade. When perch fishing in the summer, I catch better in shady areas. When pickerel fishing in the winter, I often catch better in sunny locations. It helps to think about those factors too when planning a trip.

5) Review of marine charts. I often pull up the Navionics website and look at the area where I plan to fish the next day. I look for structural features and depth contours to find spots that might hold fish. I also look at areas adjacent to where I plan to fish as alternate spots.

I also try to determine what lures I want to use, based on my own recent success and what I have heard from others or read about. I usually have my rods rigged the night before with a selection of soft plastic tails. Once on the water I observe which of the lures are catching and which are not.

I start out each trip with a plan. I stick with the plan unless I am not catching or I observe something else unanticipated that causes me to modify my plan to fish elsewhere. For example, during the fall the leaves drop and cover parts of the water. Depending on how the wind is blowing, leaves may congregate in some areas and remain mostly absent in other areas. I modify my trolling routes to avoid the leaf-covered areas.

[Mark]

I start out each trip with a plan. I stick with the plan unless I am not catching or I observe something else unanticipated that causes me to modify my plan to fish elsewhere.

That's really important and John does a great job making on-water adjustments.

[Pat Smith]

JA knows is stuff pretty well. I use a slightly different strategy.

I too look at the wind, that tells me where I MIGHT fish. I then like to find a group going out of some place is wind compatible and go with them. I also look at maps and forcasts and tide.. all of that is very important... but mostly I like to go out with people, for me catching fish is secondary to meeting other kayak fishermen/women.


When I don't go with a group I have found a few places that I hit by myself, I am familiar with them, know where I have caught fish before and most of all.. they are not far from shore. If I get in trouble alone, I am not more than 100 yards from shore, not 1 mile like I frequently am when with larger groups.

[EMSer]

A plan is often only as good as the detail that you invest into putting it together. I love the level of detail that John approaches each day of fishing with. I often take a similar approach, researching variables and weighing options.

That being said, I also sometimes enjoy "just winging it." It may not lead to catching as many fish, but serendipitous adventure can offer some surprising and rewarding experiences, both on and off the water.

[Hemingway]

I always start with a target species many times several days in advance. Sometimes I am researching weeks ahead, following migration patterns in other states, checking their local reports and water temps. Researching the state citation records for the timing of the migration from previous years, and then choosing from two or three locations based on local intel, tides, and wind direction, finally looking at the nautical charts for my go to spot. Then the work of selecting and rigging the equipment, planning and acquiring natural bait, or artificial selections and pre rigging. I just don't go fishing anymore in a random manner for what every happens to be there, not that there is anything wrong with that. I just really enjoy the anticipation and excitement the planning brings, and it is even better when a few of your fishing buddies are doing the same thing and everyone is getting fired up for the trip. Man I am itching to get back after 'em!

[buzz]

At the very least... always have a Plan B.


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[Hemingway]

[QUOTE=buzz;126131]At the very least... always have a Plan B.

I hear ya, and I fished for a lot of years with a plan B. However, I am not a big "must bring home some meat type of guy" (mostly catch and release), and I found that a plan B became a distraction. I would give up too soon, instead of waiting for the bite, or working a little harder to figure out the patterns. I would bring twice as much gear, and that became an issue as the miles I cover a day have increased to 10-17 and 8 plus hours. It is ok if I get skunked, just part of it, and just being out there after them is rewarding enough at my age. I guess the closest I get to a plan B at this point, is a flounder rig if the pups and speckled are being shy. Obviously, if I am after bulls and the man in the brown suit, I really don't have an interest in croaker, plus the sharks and rays have usually already supplied my pullage fix lol.