08-18-2006, 04:56 PM
Christine-
I think it's really cool that you guys are trying to learn the ropes of fishing all on your own. Most people have to be introduced/forced into seeing the joys of fishing. It's great that you have seen it through your own accord. This will result in a greater appreciation of the skills you are acquiring. I too feel like I am a self taught fishermen, and it gives me a sense of pride, and a challenge each time I fish a new place/species. To find out where the fish are, how they act, how to catch them, etc. You will find that many times, the same species will act totally different in lakes that are right by each other. I have especially found that planter fish are a lot different than their wild and natural half brothers. What worked for a certain species in one lake, might be worthless for the same species in another lake. As far as bluegill, perch, catfish, carp, that might not be as true (in my experience). But for fish like: trout, bass, pike, musky, walleye, I have found that to be especially true.
So it helps me to think that I'm fishing the lake, for the specific species, and not just the species that happens to be in that lake,,, if you know what I mean. Each lake has different components of temperature, structure, other species, pressure, food, that all determine how you can catch your targeted species.
Check out this link on my last trip to Silver Lake:
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=274250;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/...;;page=unread#unread[/url]
I found that Silver Lake is REALLY deep, as you might have seen how it drops off. The fish I caught, where always when I was fishing as deep as I could. Also, Silver Lake seems to be FULL of food for those brookies, hence they wouldn't be too enticed by such a foreign substance to them as Power Bait. Those high mountain trout mostly eat terrestrials, i.e. ants, beetles, and other bugs. Especially at Silver Lake where there are big cliffs/hills on the sides of the lake. The wind is known to blow up these hills, rip the bugs from their perches and slam them back down on the lake, bringing a nice meal for the waiting fish. Because those high mountain guys are so used to the typical food sources, I don't think they know quite how to react to other foreign tactics. If you fish for them matching their natural feeding habits, you will have great success.
Good luck to you in your efforts. Don't give up. I am only 24, but I would guess that most of the guys whose BFT posts you are reading have been fishing longer than I have been alive. Therefore, don't be intitmated by a lack of success. Whether we admit it or not, we all have gone through a learning curve where we had to think differently to catch fish. Heck, most people just throw out a bobber and a hook, and hope to catch a "big one". I have spent a big chunk of my life fishing lakes, rivers, and ocean all across Western Wahington and the Canadian Rockies. Being that you just started, I would say you are definitely on the right track.
What's beautiful about fishing, is there is ALWAYS more to learn. Once a fishermen becomes complacent or satisfied with his skills/knowledge, he will never progress.
Just my two cents...[
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[signature]
I think it's really cool that you guys are trying to learn the ropes of fishing all on your own. Most people have to be introduced/forced into seeing the joys of fishing. It's great that you have seen it through your own accord. This will result in a greater appreciation of the skills you are acquiring. I too feel like I am a self taught fishermen, and it gives me a sense of pride, and a challenge each time I fish a new place/species. To find out where the fish are, how they act, how to catch them, etc. You will find that many times, the same species will act totally different in lakes that are right by each other. I have especially found that planter fish are a lot different than their wild and natural half brothers. What worked for a certain species in one lake, might be worthless for the same species in another lake. As far as bluegill, perch, catfish, carp, that might not be as true (in my experience). But for fish like: trout, bass, pike, musky, walleye, I have found that to be especially true.
So it helps me to think that I'm fishing the lake, for the specific species, and not just the species that happens to be in that lake,,, if you know what I mean. Each lake has different components of temperature, structure, other species, pressure, food, that all determine how you can catch your targeted species.
Check out this link on my last trip to Silver Lake:
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=274250;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/...;;page=unread#unread[/url]
I found that Silver Lake is REALLY deep, as you might have seen how it drops off. The fish I caught, where always when I was fishing as deep as I could. Also, Silver Lake seems to be FULL of food for those brookies, hence they wouldn't be too enticed by such a foreign substance to them as Power Bait. Those high mountain trout mostly eat terrestrials, i.e. ants, beetles, and other bugs. Especially at Silver Lake where there are big cliffs/hills on the sides of the lake. The wind is known to blow up these hills, rip the bugs from their perches and slam them back down on the lake, bringing a nice meal for the waiting fish. Because those high mountain guys are so used to the typical food sources, I don't think they know quite how to react to other foreign tactics. If you fish for them matching their natural feeding habits, you will have great success.
Good luck to you in your efforts. Don't give up. I am only 24, but I would guess that most of the guys whose BFT posts you are reading have been fishing longer than I have been alive. Therefore, don't be intitmated by a lack of success. Whether we admit it or not, we all have gone through a learning curve where we had to think differently to catch fish. Heck, most people just throw out a bobber and a hook, and hope to catch a "big one". I have spent a big chunk of my life fishing lakes, rivers, and ocean all across Western Wahington and the Canadian Rockies. Being that you just started, I would say you are definitely on the right track.
What's beautiful about fishing, is there is ALWAYS more to learn. Once a fishermen becomes complacent or satisfied with his skills/knowledge, he will never progress.
Just my two cents...[
][signature]