Every month I will be presenting new fishing articles in this section. Feel free to come back often to check out this month's current goodie!
Consistent fishing success depends on systems and patterns, and your ability to recognize and utilize them. If you can recognize a pattern that is being used by a certain species of fish, and then apply the right system of fishing to that pattern, you will be amazed at your increased fishing success. You will increase your catch of any species by learning their patterns and applying a working system.
In my case where the allusive walleye is my favorite and primary game fish I depend on these patterns and systems each and every day. I save a tremendous amount of time by applying the experience I have gained over the past few years, or the systems I know, to the patterns that these walleye are in on any given day.
To be a little more specific, if I am fishing a flowage in the middle of May, catching walleyes on a Slow Fall Snagless Jig and minnow in six feet of water and heavy wood, I will spend most of the day fishing the same pattern, with the same system using my Slow Fall Jig and redtail minnow. I will not be fishing a rock bar in thirty feet of water using a crawler rig.
Another result of learning your systems and patterns is that you will move more quickly from spot to spot without spending as much time stopping to fish water that is going to be unproductive. What this really amounts to is locating walleyes and presenting the lure or bait that they want.
To be successful fishing different systems and patterns you must be familiar or at least understand the body of water you are fishing. You need to know what types of habitat you will be working with. Knowing the different types of habitat will help you figure out the various patterns available to these fish.
What do I do when I get on the water? What systems and patterns do I use? Everyday as I am preparing for that days fishing, I am looking at several things. The weather is it going to be windy or calm, is it going to be sunny or cloudy, is it going to rain, and what is the temperature going to be? I look at which body of water I will be fishing and what time of the year it is. Is it springtime with cold water temperatures and very little weed growth or is it summertime, with warm water temperatures and a lot of weeds. from this information you can plan two or three methods or presentations that you want to use, and to figure out in which types of habitat you want to use them. By planning and preparing to fish more than one system, you will be ready to change patterns as the fish do, and find them wherever they are. I also take a close look at my own experiences. Were there walleyes in this pattern yesterday, or last year under the same circumstances? I use any and all knowledge available to me to decide what systems and patterns I will need to use to be successful.
Pattern fishing can be very simple on certain days, on other days it may have to be more precise. Any pattern will include depth, cover and structure. The tougher the day seems and the more it seems like the fish are not active, the more precise you will have to be. One day walleyes may be found in shallow wood, and in the weeds that are nearby, or what seems to be a large area. The next day you may only find them in exactly five feet of water in stumps. They will be in a very small area, and every area you find them will be the same. One day shallow is the key; the next day five foot water and stumps is the key. Refining your patterns on tough days is a necessity.
One day any size, color or type of jig, with any kind of minnow will catch all kinds of fish. The very next day it may take a 1/16th ounce Slow Fall jig with a medium redtail to get any kind of response. As a pattern and method start to develop for you it is time to get more precise, play around with different sizes, colors and presentations as well as the area. Learn to refine what you are doing successfully already.
Experience is the best teacher, and it means a lot when trying to put together systems and patterns. The best way to get experience is to spend time on the water. If you don’t have the time required to learn what you would like to, the next best way is to draw from someone else. Talk to other fishermen, read and listen to the experienced; hire a good, experienced, knowledgeable guide. The rewards will be great and your catch will be better... GOOD FISHING
darrell.mitt@verizon.net
