Caspian

[Vrmontrout]

Thanks!  Giving it hell one more time!

[lowaccord66]

They will bite as the storm approaches and the barometer starts to tank ! Good Luck !

They prefer bright days and stable pressure.  Site feeders so overcast days are less desirable.

[Vrmontrout]

Fishing app said 4 fish day, major storm coming in, 0 flags, one 16" trout caught by my buddy jigging and I lost one jigging.  So much for trout season 2017!  Cheers everyone!

[TRT]

Yeah we had no activity on 14 tip ups - nothing shiners and crawlers mixed on Willy.
I did get a lot of fish looking at the various jigs and landed one modest laker. The
 lookers were  fish way to big/fast to be perch on the Marcum.  Nice morning...

[fishingidjit]

My best day for activity  on Willo ever in over 30 years was during a squall. It snowed so hard that we couldn't see 10 feet in front of us. As we wandered around checking flags we had 10 up out of 16.We had only had 3 flags previously all morning, this resulted in 4 healthy lakers/salmon going home.   

[pokholes]

Couldn't be more wrong
[/quoteAgree Bluebird days are rarely productive for me.

[lowaccord66]

Last Sunday... bluebird conditions...high pressure nearly maxed and look at the Lakers!  I didn't happen to see you post any this season???  So who is wrong?  Me holding the Lakers or you just telling someone they are wrong...lets have a look:

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=346355.0

Soooo...what did we learn...you can listen to Tundra and stay home and knit when it's bright out or you can go smash Lakers....

PS.. even my pb 14lbs 36" was a super bluebird day in open water:



...I think I will keep doing what I am doing...because thankfully Tundra I know what I am doing!

[VTMatt]

Lol you goofs and your pressure theories. Sunlight may have to do wirh it sometimes, but when there is 20" of snow on the ice, do the lakers 30-100' down really notice a difference?  The best day to fish for them is whenever you want.

[Light liner]

When the fish want to feed, they'll feed under any conditions. I mostly walleye fish during the soft water season and I still catch them on sunny days.

[VTMatt]

When the fish want to feed, they'll feed under any conditions. I mostly walleye fish during the soft water season and I still catch them on sunny days.

Exactly

[Vrmontrout]

The only way to know is to get out and fish, you can't catch em from the couch.

[lowaccord66]

I don't subscribe to any pressure theories but am very aware that Lakers feed primarily by site.  Catch rates for me at least seem to always be better when it's bright. There have been only 2 trips where I did well this season with overcast conditions...

[VTMatt]

I don't subscribe to any pressure theories but am very aware that Lakers feed primarily by site.  Catch rates for me at least seem to always be better when it's bright. There have been only 2 trips where I did well this season with overcast conditions...

Peoole catch lakers at night very regularly, and like I said befote...how much light do you think is penetrating ice and 1-3' of snow on top of it?  Lakers don't care how bright it is....they're a deep water fish that has adapted to low-light conditions.

[lowaccord66]

Peoole catch lakers at night very regularly, and like I said befote...how much light do you think is penetrating ice and 1-3' of snow on top of it?  Lakers don't care how bright it is....they're a deep water fish that has adapted to low-light conditions.

Show me some night Lakers pics  that YOU caught.  Matt, it is like you to discuss the antithesis and I am using great restraint in not posting the boring science of the fish you apparently ignore.  Sadly you will never know a 20 plus Laker day on the ice because you're convinced it doesn't make a difference...more for me! 

[Light liner]

Go back to the NH board, bug them. Leave us alone.

[lowaccord66]

Go back to the my board, bug them. Leave us alone.

The my board?   . I think I'll stick around.. At least I back my opinions with actual fish and time spent...who knows it may help people catch 1 or 2 more lakers... 

[VTMatt]

Show me some night Lakers pics  Matt it is like you to discuss the antithesis and I am using great restraint in not posting the boring science of the fish you apparently ignore.  Sadly you will never know a 20 plus Laker day on the ice because your convinced it doesn't make a difference...more for me!

I like how you respond before actually reading up on lake trout at night...sadly I will never care if I ice 20 lakers in a day. I have friends that do it without a problem in the NEK, but the average size is small. The best hardwater fishing for lakers closest to me rarely freezes and I'm too lazy to drive out and fish the smaller lakes to catch 200 dinks for every 1 decent fish. I care more about rivers and streams than I do hardwater. Hardwater for me is "filler" fishing    I caught a ton of lakers on flies this Fall and my best day was over a dozen fish over 25"...it was cold, windy and rainy that day. Go figure.

[Light liner]

NH

DARN SPELL CHECK.

[bigredonice]

Peoole catch lakers at night very regularly, and like I said befote...how much light do you think is penetrating ice and 1-3' of snow on top of it?  Lakers don't care how bright it is....they're a deep water fish that has adapted to low-light conditions.

While they may occasionally feed at night simply because they don't sleep, its not when they do their business.  I can see taking maybe the odd fish that happens to pass directly near a lure, but all lake trout are visual feeders, even siscowet Lakers that feed way down 300+ feet in Lake Superior.  Those fish are found to have feed primarily during daylight hours, simply because there was more light for them to see.     I'm an early morning type fisherman, and I've fished enough enough of the dark early morning hours to clearly see the difference in lake trout activity as the light increases.   Ironically enough, our Lake Trout bites in the winter consistently get much tougher as soon as there is any significant snow cover...a reduction of light.

[Crayfish2]

Jon ... You're probably having too much fun bickering with Matt, but I thought I'd share this.  I watched FishingDJ and JMailbox8 catch lakers before light on Caspian while Perchbait and I were still getting set up.  They definitely do bite in the dark.

[lowaccord66]

Jon ... You're probably having too much fun bickering with Matt, but I thought I'd share this.  I watched FishingDJ and JMailbox8 catch lakers before light on Caspian while Perchbait and I were still getting set up.  They definitely do bite in the dark.

Hey good to hear from you.  You called my number for sure...I prefer debating vs bickering but that's just me.  I know they bite in the dark but again my point is they are visual feeders and that a bright day with nice black ice is most condusive to nailing them.

[perch bait]

Jon ... You're probably having too much fun bickering with Matt, but I thought I'd share this.  I watched FishingDJ and JMailbox8 catch lakers before light on Caspian while Perchbait and I were still getting set up.  They definitely do bite in the dark.

That was actually Fishhardwater2 and JMailbox8.

[Crayfish2]

Ooops ... my bad.  Thanks, PB, for keeping me in line.

I'm sure you're right, Jon, on some bodies of water.  Caspian (just as an example) is famous for having the bite shut off by 8:30am.  It doesn't seem to matter how much traffic there is, either, so it doesn't seem to be pressure-related. 

[keithm87]

My best day laker ice fishing was opening of 2014 season on seymour. we landed I believe 30 fish between 2 people the majority of them were landed by 10 am opening day. Including this one that hit at 12:04am as I was setting my second tip up. If i recall correct we had 5 fish before bed (like 2am) and woke up pre dawn (4am) to 4 more flags. There was fresh snow on the ice, and the weather was overcast that weekend. That said my best open water day was May 20th of last year on champlain, we were on them all day from 630-4pm landed over 30 fish on a BLUEBIRD day. Next day went back out with thunderstorms skirting the area and mix of clouds and sun and landed another 20 fish.

[perch bait]

All this talk of open water laker fishing is making me a little bit anxious. I know, I know, It's not spring yet, but it's right around the corner! Right now I just need to focus on icing some bluegills and seeds this weekend. Looks like it's going to be beautiful! Hopefully panfish bite on bluebird skies.     I haven't been on hardwater for four weekends now and I really miss the feel of the cool breeze on my face and the thump of a fish striking my lure, you know how it is. Hopefully I'll have something to report to you guys.    Tight Lines to everyone heading out this weekend and enjoy the ice while it lasts!   

[fishingidjit]

All this talk of open water laker fishing is making me a little bit anxious. I know, I know, It's not spring yet, but it's right around the corner! Right now I just need to focus on icing some bluegills and seeds this weekend. Looks like it's going to be beautiful! Hopefully panfish bite on bluebird skies.     I haven't been on hardwater for four weekends now and I really miss the feel of the cool breeze on my face and the thump of a fish striking my lure, you know how it is. Hopefully I'll have something to report to you guys.    Tight Lines to everyone heading out this weekend and enjoy the ice while it lasts!   

PB, Thanks for  getting us back to a pleasant/positive post -good luck to you and your Dad this weekend !

[lowaccord66]

All this talk of open water laker fishing is making me a little bit anxious. I know, I know, It's not spring yet, but it's right around the corner! Right now I just need to focus on icing some bluegills and seeds this weekend. Looks like it's going to be beautiful! Hopefully panfish bite on bluebird skies.     I haven't been on hardwater for four weekends now and I really miss the feel of the cool breeze on my face and the thump of a fish striking my lure, you know how it is. Hopefully I'll have something to report to you guys.    Tight Lines to everyone heading out this weekend and enjoy the ice while it lasts!   

If I had already landed the Laker you did in open water this season is be anxious too. 

[Ice-n-Snow]

My theory based on what I have observed fishing over the last 40-plus years:

1.  Light is just part of a multi-variable feeding and activity equation.   

2.  Light levels correspond with predator fish activity.  For some species (e.g. walleye), the correlation is stronger than for other others (e.g. landlocked salmon).     

3.  All predator fish, including lake trout, can feed in the dark or under full sun, but have a preferred light level that is neither full darkness or full daylight. 

4.  This preferred light level typically corresponds with early morning and late afternoon/evening, but can also occur in other parts of the day if the sky is cloudy and overcast. 

5.  Regardless, early morning is typically the best time to catch fish because they are most active and have endured a longer period of less than optimal feeding conditions (i.e. night).     

6.  Falling or low barometric pressure corresponds with cloudy skies, lower light levels, and more optimal feeding conditions, but does not cause increased fish activity or make the fish bite better.   

7.  Perhaps if the ice is particularly thick or there is snow cover, bright sun might create a preferred light level under the ice, but this is the exception rather than the rule. 

8.  Perchbait should be the outdoor writer at the Burlington Free Press.   

9.  The best time to go fishing is anytime you can.

10.  Walleye are more interesting than trout and should be stocked in Moore Reservoir.

           


   

[thefishingweatherman]

I fish for lakers all year round, and have not noticed any difference in their activity with cloudy vs sunny. I have had epic and lousy days under both conditions, through all seasons. I do think they prefer to feed during the day, especially during the morning and evening, but I do know people catch them during the night, sometimes in good numbers. I think they just feed when they're hungry, and aren't above going for a midnight snack. Sometimes I see a lot of people heading off the ice by mid-morning because they are convinced the lakers "turn off" once the sun gets high. I usually fish all day and can tell you that they still hit midday, no matter what the weather. I have noticed with the aid of a finder though that the fish get lazier in their chases midday some days, but you can usually still pick off fish. Other days, like in the spring when there are clouds of smelt around me, they don't seem to get that way at all midday. So it really comes down to putting in your time, having the right gear, changing up your presentation till you find something that works, and not being afraid to get up and move that will determine your success.

As for atmospheric pressure changes having an effect on fish, I don't buy that at all. Pressure changes due to the air on the water are minuscule in comparison to the pressure changes the fish feels by going up and down the water column, and typically air pressure changes play out very slowly as storms move in. I did a lengthy post on this last year:

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=316456.0

From the post:

Let's do some math here.

The average sea-level pressure for the US is:
1013 mb, or 14.7 pounds per square inch.

The lowest pressure ever recorded at sea level was on 10/12/79, during Typhoon Tip in the western Pacific Ocean:
870 mb, or 12.6 psi

So, if Vermont got hit by this storm, the maximum pressure drop would be around (14.7 - 12.6) = 2.1 psi... Not very drastic change in the scheme of things, especially when you consider it would likely take a day or two for this drop to occur as the storm moved in.

Now, let's say you're a monster lake trout, hanging out on bottom at 100 feet of water.

You have a substantial 43.4 psi of water pressure on you, plus that of the air, which is applied to the water. So, let's say it's a sunny day with high pressure around. So you have 43.4 + 14.7 = 58.1 total psi on you.

Now, let's say you're hungry, so you come up to 10 feet of water to hunt smelt.
The water gives you 4.4 psi at that depth, and the air 14.7. That's 19.1 psi total.

In a matter of minutes, the fish underwent a change of (58.1 - 19.1) = 39 psi... Think the fish is still in the mood to feed then? If pressure truly affects a fish's mood to eat, then surely this fast dramatic change would affect it far more than the 2.1 psi change that happened over two days as a monster storm came in...

Get my point?

[Honest_John]

^^^ Science.