| WHY IS T.H.E. JIG TOTALLY HOT EVERYDAY? |
| Written by Keith "CrappieKeith" Nelson - www.CKOutdoors.com |
Let's take a good look at the fishes behavior. A fish's set of senses are very acute. The lateral line
is it's ears. It can smell & it can see very well even in stained water. A fish can see 10 feet away.
It can pick up vibration. It uses these senses to target it's prey when eating.
There are different moods that fish will be in throughout any given day. The barometric pressure,
moon phase and the amount of sunlight or lack of all play a part in what the feeding mood is. You
can identify the moods with a locator. Some days you will see the fish run up to meet your bait &
swallow it before you can set your bail on your reel. This would be an aggressive day. I've noticed
that when a crappie, gill, perch or walleye comes into my sonar cone, I'll lift my presentation away
from the fish & it will run it down very quickly and inhale it. I can lift the fish 4-6 feet up quickly.
The hook is most likely halfway down it's throat. I've noticed that the barometer is at or below
29.8 & the moon is close to being full. There are other indicators of the pressure being low. The
birds are all over the bird feeder. I'll have to dodge deer on the way out as they are really moving.
is it's ears. It can smell & it can see very well even in stained water. A fish can see 10 feet away.
It can pick up vibration. It uses these senses to target it's prey when eating.
There are different moods that fish will be in throughout any given day. The barometric pressure,
moon phase and the amount of sunlight or lack of all play a part in what the feeding mood is. You
can identify the moods with a locator. Some days you will see the fish run up to meet your bait &
swallow it before you can set your bail on your reel. This would be an aggressive day. I've noticed
that when a crappie, gill, perch or walleye comes into my sonar cone, I'll lift my presentation away
from the fish & it will run it down very quickly and inhale it. I can lift the fish 4-6 feet up quickly.
The hook is most likely halfway down it's throat. I've noticed that the barometer is at or below
29.8 & the moon is close to being full. There are other indicators of the pressure being low. The
birds are all over the bird feeder. I'll have to dodge deer on the way out as they are really moving.
On the other side of the spectrum is the finicky day. The pressure is high, over 30 and steady.
Nothing is moving! No birds, deer or any other animal for that matter. On these days I'll watch
the fish moving through my sonar and if they do lift it may be 1-2 feet only. These types of days
are the toughest when fishing. When I do get a fish the hook is most likely right up front lodged
in behind it's front lip.
So how do you get fish every day? First you need to recognise the mood then size up or down. Up
for the aggressive days and down size for the finicky days. I think about how I eat. When I'm in
my comfort range ie.. not too hot & tons of energy I eat a big meal. When I'm too hot or tired I
want a small meal say a BLT instead of a 7 course dinner with dessert.
Nothing is moving! No birds, deer or any other animal for that matter. On these days I'll watch
the fish moving through my sonar and if they do lift it may be 1-2 feet only. These types of days
are the toughest when fishing. When I do get a fish the hook is most likely right up front lodged
in behind it's front lip.
So how do you get fish every day? First you need to recognise the mood then size up or down. Up
for the aggressive days and down size for the finicky days. I think about how I eat. When I'm in
my comfort range ie.. not too hot & tons of energy I eat a big meal. When I'm too hot or tired I
want a small meal say a BLT instead of a 7 course dinner with dessert.
The pressure and oxygen level will make the fish respond the same way, water temp too. Early
spring is when I notice the water temp a lot. Waiting for sun to hit the water all day then during
the late afternoon I'll go get the slabs as they move in for their feed. Earlier in the day they will be
deeper and out from shore below the thermocline where the warmer water is. As the sun hits the
water warming it up over the course of a week or so the fish will move in and stay there until the
spawn occurs. Then the females will be gone, leaving the males to guard the hatch. When the fry
have grown enough, the males will lead the fry out to deep water with the rest of the school.
Anyway getting back to ice fishing. Very few fishing trips will be on aggressive days once you get
past Christmas as the ice is thicker and covered with snow cutting out the light that plants need to
grow, emitting oxygen as a by product of photosynthesis. The fish tend to slow down in the bite as
we would say. Using larger baits will result in getting skunked more often then not. You've heard
the guy's "I had to get the smallest minnow for them to bite" or "I just used the head of the
minnow".
spring is when I notice the water temp a lot. Waiting for sun to hit the water all day then during
the late afternoon I'll go get the slabs as they move in for their feed. Earlier in the day they will be
deeper and out from shore below the thermocline where the warmer water is. As the sun hits the
water warming it up over the course of a week or so the fish will move in and stay there until the
spawn occurs. Then the females will be gone, leaving the males to guard the hatch. When the fry
have grown enough, the males will lead the fry out to deep water with the rest of the school.
Anyway getting back to ice fishing. Very few fishing trips will be on aggressive days once you get
past Christmas as the ice is thicker and covered with snow cutting out the light that plants need to
grow, emitting oxygen as a by product of photosynthesis. The fish tend to slow down in the bite as
we would say. Using larger baits will result in getting skunked more often then not. You've heard
the guy's "I had to get the smallest minnow for them to bite" or "I just used the head of the
minnow".
Well now forget the bait shop. T.H.E. Jig works every day. When you can choose between a 32nd
oz., 64th oz., 80th oz. or a 100th oz. you can have the right size minnow every time. Try other baits
that are tiny and you will have some measure of success on those tight lipped days. Remember the
fish eats every day as humans do. They all need to eat, but their moods as our do change.
Recognise the mood and size the bait or presentation accordingly and you will see more fish landed.
oz., 64th oz., 80th oz. or a 100th oz. you can have the right size minnow every time. Try other baits
that are tiny and you will have some measure of success on those tight lipped days. Remember the
fish eats every day as humans do. They all need to eat, but their moods as our do change.
Recognise the mood and size the bait or presentation accordingly and you will see more fish landed.