I know it already you don’t even have to say it! “What are you trying to do to my fishing?!'” … Science belongs in a lab not out trolling Lake Erie for Walleye, but that is where most people are wrong!
To this day I still pick lures and lines and locations based on a simple question, “If you were a fish would you eat this?” or “swim here?” And we have always been very successful with that approach, but I want you to consider a simple question that will lead us into the next few months of posts and information.
And the Question is………..
Right now I write this as I am in Michigan and it about –13 outside and covered in snow! However if you had the choice between being comfortable in the temperature or being able to breathe – which would you pick?
breathing … EXACTLY! Now apply that to fish – we all know that fish like certain temperature zones when they are the most active. When the Walleye are schooled up in the summer in the great lakes most fisherman are looking for the temperature break or thermocline and then fish above it in the warmer water – it’s a good plan, but what happens when you troll around and catching nothing or very little?
Well Walleye, like all fish, have a set oxygen saturation level in the water that they need to survive. all parts of a water column does not contain the same amount of oxygen – especially if the lake has just rolled over!
So are the fish going to be where their favorite temp zone is or where they can breathe? Well based on the lack of dead walleye all over the surface I would say they pick breathing every time! …. hmmmmm now that is science!
There are many, many, more applications of scientific items to Walleye fishing and all other fishing you just have to stay tuned to find out more about them, but I will give you a hint – the color red disappears around 20 feet deep so what do your lures actually look like based on the lack of colors in the spectrum? How about water clarity? If the top is muddy is the entire lake muddy thus decreasing the fishes visibility? hmmm
These and other issues will be considered soon and when they all come together you find the fish you are after, if you don’t then you will be out there losing out to the people who do find them!
Tight Lines!
John
