Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If you want access to members only forums on HSO, you will gain access only when you Sign-in or Sign-Up .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member. ?

Deep Already??


Recommended Posts

I was on WB last weekend fishing for eyes (and even finding a few) and on Sunday the water was quite calm and I could see little schools of panfish and baitfish boiling on the surface here and there over 20+ feet of water. Three different times I saw the backs and tail fins of big fish kind of porpoising over the same deep water. I was able to confirm one was a musky. The water is still in the low 60's so this surprised me a bit. Are these fish that quick to get to summer haunts or is it simply a deal of them following the food out off the weedlines? Or maybe they're just drunk! smile

Until I saw that I didn't figure fish would be deep at all this time of the year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hugobox,

Big difference between being deep and being shallow over deep water, which sounds like the case. Water temp on WBL is low 60s at best, so it doesn't surprise me that you saw that. Listen to the Podcast and RK addresses the very topic of taking a look for fish suspending over deep water.

Baitfish will equal fish!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I gotta listen to the podcast. Being shallow over deep water makes sense. No structure out there - not a weed even, just a change from gravel/sand to mud at the bottom. I caught some muskies in the general area last year over the deep water, but not until September which is why I was a bit surprised this weekend. Opening the season up with a Reef Hawg over 30 FOW would sure be a change...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't heard RK's podcast (I'll do that tomorrow now that I'm aware of it), so sorry if this is redundant info.

A significant portion of sklunges will move shallow to spawn, then boogy outta there right after they dump their eggs. Some will hang around, then go to open water... some go right away. Some people, who know a lot more than me, suggest that a significant proportion of the muskie population head to open water after spawn and don't return at all, or at least not until late Fall. I know a couple people who prefer to open their season open water trolling...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hiya -

Scoot pretty well echoes my take on it. It really seems like some of the fish just bail out of the shallows and head right out to sea. Others will slide out to open water from time to time as foraging opportunities present themselves. Early season is one of the best times, I think, for open water fish because they tend to be higher in the water column - usually in the top 10 feet. If you're on a lake with a cisco forage base, the water's still fairly cool and often no thermocline has set up yet, so the ciscoes can move up and down in the water column at will - they aren't temperature stressed. Plus you often see swarms of last year's perch and bluegills over open water as well. (Ever notice when you go up in the shallows, the panfish you see are mostly mature adults?).

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My guess is there will always be a few old fish that know mayfly season is getting close. Crappies and sunnies eat the mayflies right at the surface, and all sizes. It's like a muskie buffet: lots of concentrated fish with nowhere to hide. Just throw a small jerkbait into the surfacing panfish and see what happens. Used to be a key to catching walleye near mayfly time, a floating rapala near surfacing fish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright now - everyone posting here is committed to fishing open water for at least 3 hours this weekend and posting their results, we've waiting long enough, time to GET IT ON!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll be lucky to get 3 hours to fish period this weekend. Wisconsin opener was May 3rd and I've managed a whole 12 hours of fishing this year (haven't even tried for skis). Tells you how busy I've been, and my younger brother's graduation party is Saturday so things aren't looking good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I to will be heading out on Friday night. I have to work at 2 pm on Saturday and the only way I can spend time on the water is to fish all night. Plus I want to be the fist one to put a bait in front of there faces this year. By Sunday night they will have seen every new bait made this winter. lol

Duck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plus I want to be the fist one to put a bait in front of there faces this year.

Good luck with that, from what i've seen out fishin for other stuff, they've already seen it all....<lame>.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.