Boat Control

HAVE YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU REALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO GOING OUT FISHING ONLY TO HAVE THE LAKE YOU ARE FISHING BLOWING A GAIL? WELL, WHEN FISHING FROM A BOAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTROL THE BOAT BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT TIME TO FISH TOO. ONE OF YOUR WORST ENEMIES IS WIND, BUT THEN WIND IS ALSO AN ALLY WHEN FISHING. SO WHAT DO YOU DO? DEPENDING ON YOUR BOAT, IT COULD BE AFFECTED, MORE OR LESS, BY WIND. IN A LIGHTER BOAT THE WIND IS GOING TO BLOW YOU ALL OVER THE LAKE; IN A HEAVIER BOAT IT WILL SIT DEEPER AND DRIFT SLOWER. AT ANY RATE THERE ARE WAYS TO CONTROL YOUR BOAT. I HAVE USED WHAT IS CALLED A DRIFT SOCK. IT IS USUALLY A CONE SHAPED NYLON BAG WITH A LINE ATTACHED THAT YOU ATTACH TO THE BOAT. I USED IT MORE EFFECTIVELY BROADSIDE. THIS REALLY SLOWS THE BOAT DOWN TO A CONTROLABLE DRIFT SPEED AND IS GREAT FOR COVERING WATER AND FISHING. YOU CAN BUY ONE FROM CABELAS SHOPS at www.cabelas.com. GO INTO THE FISHING SECTION AND IN THE SEARCH BOX LOOK UP DRIFT SOCK.

A TROLLING MOTOR IS ALSO VERY EFFECTIVE AND THEY ARE HANDY TO HAVE IN CALM WATER AS WELL. TROLLING IS A VERY PRODUCTIVE FORM OF FISHING. YOU CAN ANCHOR YOUR BOAT, WHICH WILL ALLOW YOU SOME PEACE TOO. THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE ALWAYS HAD WITH ANCHORING IS THAT IT PROHIBITS YOUR ABILITY TO COVER A LOT OF WATER AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS THE KEY TO FISHING. BUT IF THE FISH ARE BITING THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO STAY IN THAT SPOT FOR A WHILE. THEN THERE IS YET ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE. LOOK FOR THOSE COVES THAT HAVE TREES THAT ARE BLOCKING THE WIND SOMEWHAT OR THOSE AREAS ON THE LAKE PROVIDING STRUCTURE SUCH AS SMALL ISLANDS, AND FISH THE OPPOSITE SIDE, BUT WIND SHOULD NOT DISCOURAGE YOU ANYTIME. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER FISHING IN A LITTLE WIND BECAUSE IT HELPS PROTECT YOU FROM THE SIGHT OF THE FISH AND MOST PARTICULARLY IN CLEAR BODIES OF WATER. CURRENTS ARE GOOD FOR FISHING AND WIND CREATES A CURRENT FOR YOU. CURRENT BRINGS IN THE FOOD THE FISH ARE HUNTING FOR.

The photos on this page have been posted with the permission of their source, Cabela's Online Store

LOOKING FOR THAT SPOT

FISHING IN ANY LAKE CAN BE CHALLENGING TO SAY THE LEAST. ANYWHERE WHERE THERE ARE VAST AMOUNTS OF WATER THE FISING WILL CHANGE FROM ONE SPOT TO ANOTHER. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MAY BE FISHING ON THE SOUTHERN END OF THE LAKE WITH THE SUN BLOCKED BY TREES GIVING YOU A FAIR AMOUNT OF SHADE AND BE HAVING A WONDERFUL DAY. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU DECIDE WELL THIS IS GREAT WHY NOT TRY THE OTHER END OF THE LAKE AND SEE IF IT IS THE SAME. CHANCES ARE, IT WON’T BE. PERHAPS THE FISHING ON THE SOUTHERN END OF THE LAKE WAS SO GOOD BECAUSE IT HAD A LOT OF SHADE AND BECAUSE IT PROVIDED GOOD COVER, OR STRUCTURE. THIS IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS PATTERN FISHING.

IF YOU PLAN ON MOVING FROM WHERE YOU HAVE HAD GOOD LUCK, TRY TO DUPLICATE BEST AS POSSIBLE THAT SCENARIO. IN A SHADED AREA WITH GOOD COVER AND STRUCTURE, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE THERE WAS A SLIGHT BREEZE, OR MAYBE THE WATER TEMPERATURE WAS BIT COOLER, WHICH IS VERY POSSIBLE BEING THAT IT WAS IN THE SHADE. FISH ACTIVITY IS BEST IN THE MID 60’S TO HIGH 70’S FOR MOST FISH, WHEN IT GETS MUCH HOTTER THEY BECOME A BIT LAZY SO TO SPEAK, AS A RULE.

MY FISHING ADVENTURE IN EL SALVADOR I FIND NOW TO HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE EXCITING THAN MY FISHING IN NICARAGUA. THE DIFFERENCE IS PRIMARILY COVER. IN ILOPANGO IN EL SALVADOR, THE LAKE HAD SHORELINE WEED BEDS EVERYWHERE, WITH GOOD ROCK STUCTURE AND DEEP WATER TO ESCAPE INTO. LAKE NICARAGUA, IS DIFFERENT IN THAT IT PROVIDES MOSTLY ROCK STRUCTURE AND LITTLE WEED BED COVERAGE. FISH LIKE WEEDS, BECAUSE THEY CAN LAY IN ALONG THE EDGE OF THEM WAITING TO ATTACK THE NEXT MEAL, AND THEN RETREAT BACK INTO THOSE WEEDS FOR PROTECTION. ROCK STRUCTURE OFFERS A DIFFERENT KIND OF COVER FOR FISH, WITH CREVECES AND CRACKS, BUT IT IS NOT NEARLY AS APPEALING TO FISH AS WEEDS.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY ON A LAKE, YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO MOVE AROUND A LOT. IF IT DOESN’T PRODUCE FISH IN ONE PLACE, YOU WILL NEED TO GO TO SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT IS NOT NECESSARILY YOUR BAIT EITHER, THAT IS NOT WORKING; IT CAN BE WHERE YOU ARE AND WHEN.

THAT BRINGS ME TO FISH ACTIVITY. MOST PROS I THINK WILL TELL YOU FISH ARE ACTIVE, (WHERE THEY WOULD STRIKE AT ANYTHING) ONLY ABOUT 10%-15% OF THE TIME. THE REST OF THE TIME IS BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND PRESENTING BAIT THAT WILL CAUSE THEM TO REACT TO IT.

I AM SURE YOU ALL HAVE HAD THOSE DAYS WHERE, IT WAS ONE FISH AFTER THE OTHER. NEARLY EVERY CAST PRODUCED A FISH AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STOPPED. THAT WAS THE TIME FISH WERE ACTIVE. THEY DIDN’T DISAPPEAR, OR GO AWAY, THEY JUST STOPPED BITING. SO CHANGE YOUR BAIT, TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND YOU MAY STILL DRAW A REACTION STRIKE AND CATCH FISH. IF THAT DOESN’T WORK, THEN IT IS TIME TO PUSH ON. AL AND RON LINDER FROM IN-FISHERMAN SAY, (F+L+P=S) “FISH+LOCATION+PRESENTATION=SUCCESS” AND ONE OF BASS FISHINGS MOST FAMOUS CHAMPIONS ROLAN MARTIN SAYS, WATER TEMP,WATER CLARITY,WATER DEPTH,SUNLIGHT & WIND ARE THE ELEMENTS OF BEING SUCCESFUL ON THE WATER,

GOOD LUCK,

GONE FISHN

A SLOW DAY!!

WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A GOOD DAY, BECAUSE ON MY 2ND CAST I CAUGHT A MOJARRA, TURNED OUT TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN A FLUKE. I VENTURED AWAY FROM THE MAIN GROUP OF ISLANDS OUT INTO THE LAKE ON SOME MORE REMOTE ISLANDS. THE WATER WAS NICE, NOT ROUGH AT ALL. THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID 90'S AND THE WATER TEMP ON THE SURFACE WAS 89º.

I USED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT BAITS, WITH SUCCESS ONLY WITH A ROOSTER TAIL SPINNER BAIT, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS IN-LINE SPINNERS. WHITE IN COLOR. THE WATER ON THIS LAKE IS CONSTANTLY STAINED, DARK BROWNISH/GREEN. COLOR WOULD PLAY A PRETTY BIG PART IN FISHING, OR FLASH FROM A SPINNER BLADE.

I USED THE DAY A LOT ALSO TO DO SOME MAPPING WITH MY G.P.S. (GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE). THIS IS A VERY USEFUL TOOL IN FINDING THOSE SPOTS WHERE FISH HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN CAUGHT. I ALSO VENTURED OUT TO THE SPOT FARTHEST FROM THE MAINLAND. THERE IS A GROUP OF 5 ROCK ISLANDS WITH LITTLE OR NO VEGETATION AND IT CREATES SOME CALM WATER COVES. THE WATER IS GENERALLY IN THE 20-30'. ALL THESE ISLANDS ARE A RESULT OF A MAJOR VOLCANIC EXPLOSION HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, WHICH LEFT THE GRANADA AREA OF THE LAKE SPOTTED WITH 364 SMALL ISLANDS, OF WHICH MOST ARE HABITABLE. THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL HOMES ON THESE ISLANDS. YOU CAN BUY AN ISLAND ANYWHERE FROM A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEY ARE QUITE BEAUTIFUL WITH NICE COLORFUL PLANTS AND SOME INGENIOUS LANDSCAPING.

THE LAKE IS A BIT DANGEROUS IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL, BECAUSE IT IS SPOTTED WITH ROCKS ALL OVER THE PLACE, NONE OF WHICH ARE FRIENDLY TO BOATS. I HAVE HAD A FEW MINOR RUN-INS MYSELF, RESULTING IN A CHIPPED PROP, OR LITTLE DINGS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT.

THE OVERALL FISHING IS ABOUT TO IMPROVE WITH THE RAINY SEASON QUICKLY APPROACHING AND ADDING NEEDED WATER TO THE SHORELINES OF THE LAKE AND BRINGING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER DOWN SOME 8-10º. IT IS JUST TOO DAMN HOT TO CATCH FISH SOME DAYS. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF DEAD FISH FLOATING ON THE TOP AS A RESULT OF THE HEAT.

WELL THAT IS ABOUT IT FOR THIS WEEK, FORGOT MY CAMERA SO I WILL ENCLOSE SOME PICTURES TAKEN ON PREVIOUS TRIPS AROUND THE ISLANDS.

GONE FISHIN’