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rizzo · 10-27-2010, 06:30 AM

I agree with Mike about the cold incoming water. Everything little thing can make a difference. I have one spot that is only good at the top of the flood during the big tide phases. Once the tides weaken, the fish don't get close enough to shore and theres not enough water in that spot. Some points fish good at 2 hours before and after slack, others only fish 2 hours before low. Some turn on 3 hours down.

The best thing you can do is focus on what is happening NOW, not follow rules of thumb that guys used 15 years ago (although keep it in the back of your mind if they're legit). Pick a few areas and fish them hard at different stages of wind and tides. Pay attention to the weather 3-4 days before. Don't stresss if you're striking out at a spot, just jump around a bit. For whatever reason, a spot could turn on late in the year, while all summer it sucked. Usually every area has a prime time and unique conditions turn them on. A spot may produce low to mid 40 pound fish for 9 nine years, then the fish have a good year for some better forage and theres your 50.

I fished a new area this year and used those same rules of thumb. Did horrible for big fish up until mid-july. Was getting pretty down about strking out again and again. Had no one to show me anything or network with. Each time out you learn stuff though, and eventually piece alot together. By spending all the time out there, I knew the areas I was fishing once things turned on and could "pattern" fish that thole stretch of shoreline and it worked well. The quicker you learn to figure things out on your own the better as its always changing. None of the best guys on here will give up the areas and windows they fish because they did the same thing to find theirs. Maybe 20 years from now they'll burn those spots, but by then it could be completely different.

10-27-2010, 06:30 AM	#5
rizzo Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: massachusetts Posts: 512	I agree with Mike about the cold incoming water. Everything little thing can make a difference. I have one spot that is only good at the top of the flood during the big tide phases. Once the tides weaken, the fish don't get close enough to shore and theres not enough water in that spot. Some points fish good at 2 hours before and after slack, others only fish 2 hours before low. Some turn on 3 hours down. The best thing you can do is focus on what is happening NOW, not follow rules of thumb that guys used 15 years ago (although keep it in the back of your mind if they're legit). Pick a few areas and fish them hard at different stages of wind and tides. Pay attention to the weather 3-4 days before. Don't stresss if you're striking out at a spot, just jump around a bit. For whatever reason, a spot could turn on late in the year, while all summer it sucked. Usually every area has a prime time and unique conditions turn them on. A spot may produce low to mid 40 pound fish for 9 nine years, then the fish have a good year for some better forage and theres your 50. I fished a new area this year and used those same rules of thumb. Did horrible for big fish up until mid-july. Was getting pretty down about strking out again and again. Had no one to show me anything or network with. Each time out you learn stuff though, and eventually piece alot together. By spending all the time out there, I knew the areas I was fishing once things turned on and could "pattern" fish that thole stretch of shoreline and it worked well. The quicker you learn to figure things out on your own the better as its always changing. None of the best guys on here will give up the areas and windows they fish because they did the same thing to find theirs. Maybe 20 years from now they'll burn those spots, but by then it could be completely different.