Science & Great Lakes Walleye Fishing–The Ultimate Marriage! Part 1–O2 Levels

 

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

“Live Decoys Swim In”–Outdoor Art

If you have a dedicated outdoorsman in your life then you know how much they love being surrounded by the places they love - now you can bring that feeling to them year-round with our beautifully developed art pieces.

From photos to ink and pencil sketches and oil paintings each piece can be printed in one of three ways:

1. A print on high-quality semi-gloss paper for a frame and matting piece.

2. The same high-quality print mounted on a 1/8” PVC backing that is ready to hang indoor or outdoors.

3. Presented on artist canvas, stretched to size with a gallery wrap for the optimal look.

 

Photograph

 

Type/Size

11 x 17 Print $32.50 USD 18x24 Print $40.00 USD 27 x 40 Print $60.00 USD 16 x 20 Mounted Print $75.00 USD 20 x 30 Mounted Print $90.00 USD 24 x 36 Mounted Print $125.00 USD 8 x 10 Canvas Print $45.00 USD 16 x 20 Canvas Print $65.00 USD 24 x 20 Canvas Print $75.00 USD 40 x 60 Canvas Print $200.00 USD

 

Ink Sketch

 

Type/Size

11 x 17 Print $32.50 USD 18x24 Print $40.00 USD 27 x 40 Print $60.00 USD 16 x 20 Mounted Print $75.00 USD 20 x 30 Mounted Print $90.00 USD 24 x 36 Mounted Print $125.00 USD 8 x 10 Canvas Print $45.00 USD 16 x 20 Canvas Print $65.00 USD 24 x 20 Canvas Print $75.00 USD 40 x 60 Canvas Print $200.00 USD

 

Oil Painting

 

Type/Size

11 x 17 Print $32.50 USD 18x24 Print $40.00 USD 27 x 40 Print $60.00 USD 16 x 20 Mounted Print $75.00 USD 20 x 30 Mounted Print $90.00 USD 24 x 36 Mounted Print $125.00 USD 8 x 10 Canvas Print $45.00 USD 16 x 20 Canvas Print $65.00 USD 24 x 20 Canvas Print $75.00 USD 40 x 60 Canvas Print $200.00 USD

 

Pencil Sketch

 

Type/Size

11 x 17 Print $32.50 USD 18x24 Print $40.00 USD 27 x 40 Print $60.00 USD 16 x 20 Mounted Print $75.00 USD 20 x 30 Mounted Print $90.00 USD 24 x 36 Mounted Print $125.00 USD 8 x 10 Canvas Print $45.00 USD 16 x 20 Canvas Print $65.00 USD 24 x 20 Canvas Print $75.00 USD 40 x 60 Canvas Print $200.00 USD

Treatment of Snagged Fish in Streams

 

If you have spent more than one day on a salmon or steelhead river chances are that you have illegally hooked a fish. I know that I have done it numerous times, but watching a person on the Rogue River in Rockford, Mi catch, fight, and land a snagged king salmon brought several questions to mind about the treatment of snagged fish.

Most states DNR indicate a fish not hooked in the mouth must be returned to the stream immediately and can not be kept under any circumstances.

Now some river are easier to tell if you have snagged a fish than others, but my question is “Should you play out a knowingly snagged fish?”

When fish are hooked they begin excreting hormones that allow them to try to get away from their capturer. To avoid making this post overly scientific I will avoid the big terms that really have no place in general reading. As these hormones build up in the fish they require a longer time to recover. Consider it similar to a human sprinting and jumping for a few minutes! After that we are tired and sore and need sometime to recover.

Now fish are built to run and jump for long distances, especially during their spawning time, so compare them to professional athletes, but even they need a break once in a while!

So once you know that you have a fouled hooked fish on your line should you play them out and land them knowing that you are placing the fish in an unnecessary position where they could end up dying and no one is legally allowed to keep them? Or should you break off the line to prevent them from the added stress and tie on an new set-up and go on your way?

This is something I have struggled with for a long time and I have come to the following conclusion:

If you snag a fish when it would be easy to land them and remove the look without added stress on the fish I beliece that you should, especially in shallow streams that receive a lot of fishing pressure. The last thign that we want is another angler catching the same fish and getting your hook in their hand!

However, if the stream is large and it will take a significant amount of time to land the fish and the angling pressure is not too bad – or the stream is large enough to where the chances of another angler catching the same fish is minor – I believe that it should be broken off and ensure the fish will live to fight again.

Please leave your comments as this is a topic that comes up quite frequently in DNR meetings, fish biology research, and other applicable platforms and I would like different anglers points of view on this extremely important topic.

Thank you in advance!

J.Crane Flies & Tackle Staff

Steelhead Alley Fishing Report - Walnut & Elk Creek Erie, PA

This week saw a medium-sized push of fresh fish into the tributaries around Erie, PA. Listed below are pictures from elk and walnut creek. These pictures were taken early this week and documents just how low the creek levels are and the extreme clarity of the water.

Fish were being taken from the pier along the east bank of the Walnut Creek channel by people using spinners , power bait, and spawned sacks. 

Fish in the streams were available for the taking, however it was imperative that you found a time when the fish were not completely spooked . at some points during this week even fish in larger holes would spook with the drop of a split shot into the water .

Anglers were hooking into fish with both live bait , spawn , and flies. minnows seem to be the bait of choice for live bait anglers , while small spawn sacks with a single BB split shot under a float seem to do the trick. fly fishermen were utilizing a combination of streamers, nymphs, and egg/spawn imitations.

From talking with a number of successful anglers it is clear that the following patterns for flies emerged over and over. (pictures listed below)

The rain this week may bring the creek levels up , however I do not expect a significant change in fishing conditions until the water level increases and a new run of fish enter the stream.



Tight Lines - Until Next Time,



J.Crane Flies & Tackle


REMEMBER: always respect land owner property and signs. pick up any garbage that others left behind and leave only footprints behind.








Elk Creek Just Up From Mouth - Week of 10-14-13
 



Mouth of Walnut Creek - Week of 10-14-13

Just Above Stop Sign Hole at Walnut Creek

Stop Sign Hole







 

NOTE ON PICTURE USE:
You may use these pictures that were taken by J.Crane Fly & Tackle Staff for any non-commercial work. We own the right to all pictures placed on this blog and allow their use for educational, news, or other work that is for the greater good of the public AS LONG AS J.Crane Flies & Tackle receives credit for the photos.