Wildlife to Fish?

[RIPN LIPS]

Share you observations or theories of what the animals/critters are doing at a certain time of year that may or may not spark good fishing.

[CANOPY SAM]

What animals or critters are doing that may or may not spark good fishing?

I don't see the correlation.

Do you mean what land dwelling mammals are doing that might stimulate fish into feeding?

I think the weather, and moon phase have a lot more, almost everything, to do with how fish behave.

Do other mammals behave differently under these variables that might signal a change in fish activity? Certainly. But I'm not sure how one could make the correlation that a land dwelling mammal's behavior would "spark" a change in fish activity.

Not being a smart a_s. Just trying to see the connection.

[RIPN LIPS]

I understand all the weather stuff but what I'm looking for is what guys see the wildlife do at the time your out fishing. For instant, are annual Orr trip we have noticed over the years that when we see deer out on the dirt roads in the afternoon and there hides are pretty red, the sunnies seem to always be on spawn and the walleyes are out on the middle of the lake structure. Now keep in mind this probably means nothing but i am sure guys have some good theories.

[rundrave]

in the fall watch for the frogs jumping into the water, odds are likely there are a few walleye in there waiting for them up shallow.

[CANOPY SAM]

OIC!

I've heard that when the frogs (or maybe tree frogs? = peepers) start to chirp in the spring, that's when the catfish are showing up and are ready to feed.

Also, when you first start to see fireflies in the evening/night that signals something in the fishing world, but I can't remember what?

I've been told that when muskrats build really big mounds this means we're in for a long cold winter...but that has nothing to do with fishing.

Now you've got my interest piqued. I've gotta think about this for a little bit.

[mainbutter]

I've had good fishing seem to predict deer movement before.. seems on days when I get called home for dinner during a hot evening bite, I see surprising numbers of deer.

My three best fishing days up in Ontario where I've landed my first musky, PB musky, and PB lake trout have all been days where we've seen black bears swimming across the rather large lake. Weird. Also two of those days we saw lots of snapping turtles on shore (including the on in my avatar).

[B-man715]

If you think about it there are thousands of combinations of correlations. Many of which have nothing more in common than the time of year.

Many are related to the weather, more are related changes in the amount of daylight (which is essentially the cause of weather).

The moon phase and the immediate change of weather of course have an effect too, but the duration is short lived.

An example of a larger window of correlation related to seasonal change would be: When the lilacs are blooming, the fish are running. Another general rule is when the bucks are rutting the fish are eating the biggest forage (of the year). Another, when the lilacs are blooming, the morels are popping. Etc etc

The small window changes are the fun ones

Mainebutter brought a great example.

When one type of animal is moving more than normal, it is likely that many other types are as well. Sometimes it could be a coincidence......... but like my Grandpa said, "There is no such thing as a coincidence.........except when it is........"

If you see an abnormal amount of deer in the fields earlier than normal, you can bet your sweet azz the fish are biting like crazy

[CapnJack]

Can't believe no one has mentioned the standing cow theory!

[hydro]

When the worms crawl out of the ground at night, fish with worms.

[Wanderer]

Can't believe no one has mentioned the standing cow theory!

That's the one I went by during my years of hawg bass hunting.

[TruthWalleyes]

Share you observations or theories of what the animals/critters are doing at a certain time of year that may or may not spark good fishing.

Saw two squirrels going at it yesterday...That means it's late ice Good fishing.

[magnum mike]

When the pussywillow buds are the size of a mouse's ear, the suckers start to run in the creeks.

This one is almost always dead on.

[ccarlson]

Humans, particularly young kids, are a great indicator of animal and fish behavior. If the kids are bouncing off the walls, get out fishing or hunting. They will be moving and eating. If kids are lazy and bored, don't bother going fishing or hunting in my experience.

If my wife says her 4th graders were more 'active' than normal on a given day, I try to go fishing.

This probably has the most to do with the barometer. I've also seen a real correlation between kids and teens activity level with full moon phases which reinforces what most of us experience with fishing and hunting at these times as well.

ccarlson

[CANOPY SAM]

What's the standing cow theory? I've never heard this before.

Gonna have to put that pussywillow theory to the test this spring!

Hate to say it, but I'm pretty sure deer activity is directly tied to moon phase and barometric pressure changes, hence signaling an on-coming storm or fairly dramatic change in weather. I suppose one can say this is a good indicator of better fishing in the absence of an actual barometer.

That connection of the swimming bears to big fish being caught, that's a cool one! And the big snappers on shore! Another cool one!

We have low river bottom property, and invariably we have the big female snappers coming up into our gardens to lay eggs in early summer. Actually gotta be a little careful when out in the gardens cause those big ugly, foul-tempered critters will take a pretty good bite outta you if you're not paying attention! Surprising how well they blend into potatoes and strawberry plants!

Wonder if we could find something tied to bird activity? It's always fun to watch what the birds are doing while one is fishing. Anything they do that might show us a better fishing time?

As I ponder this last question I recall that on quiet summer evenings the songbirds will be really singing up a storm when the smallmouth bass are hitting hot and heavy on topwater baits.

[Nhamm]

Had an awesome catfishing spot on the river this late winter up until the otters and beavers started showing up in the spring. Pretty sure it had more to do with the water flow but I will scapegoat on those lil jerks.

Every time I have seen deer out and about along the highways that night seems to be good fishing.

[TruthWalleyes]

you should have tried running a boom box with si's bubble bath music playing...that will attract dem bevers

[Nhamm]

well the beavers aren't that bad to get rid of em I just let them know I'm in between jobs and live in my parents basement, wait, what are we talking about

[sevenmmm]

There is a small shed just to the NW of Chilton WI that is used as protection for horses (think there are donkeys too). Years and years ago there were sheep and goats. Anyway, on the way to icefish Lake Winnebago, if the animals are out in the open, it means good fishing. If they are huddled up in the shed, it is bad fishing.

[davidbigreelz]

Ive always thought if there are birds eating in an area its for a reason. The big fish should be following whatever baitfish the birds are eating, especially loons or gulls but it just my hypothesis.

Also on the moon phase, in psych we studied all about the crime stats and full/new moon cycles.

[UKCM]

We have been fishing the weekend after opener on Ottertail for about 20 years. My brother swears the fishing is always better if the lilac's are blooming.

[CANOPY SAM]

The biting gnats are way more prevalent when the lilacs are blooming as well!

Sooooo...what's the standing cow theory???? Does this have something to do with rain?

[Slabasaurus]

Sooooo...what's the standing cow theory???? Does this have something to do with rain?

Growing up in VA we had a cow pasture behind the house... interesting observation I noticed was when the cows were huddling up it usually meant rain within a few hours.

As for bird activity - when I was a bait fisher I would notice that the more active the songbirds were, the more likely the bite would pick up.

It is interesting to look back at my fishing journal and then use wunderground history data to see what was happening on a given day with the weather relative to animal or insect activity.

[paceman]

I have always felt that if I saw critters (deer, turkeys...) on the way to a lake then I would have good fishing. Coincidence? Perhaps.

[Craigums]

When the Lilacs start blooming the bass spawn is in full swing

[kfk]

I've always noticed that if the deer are out feeding, so are the fish.