Open lake vs. weeds , newbie looking for advice

[MichaelAngelo]

Hello everyone,

 

This past Monday morning my friend and I shore fished at the Sibbald Point Provincial Park boat launch. There was a rock outcropping. One side was open lake and the other was dock/weeds. We focused on the open water side... caught tiny perch then left.

 

Which side would YOU concentrate on with which baits/lures and why? I'm really trying to learn as much as possible from experienced anglers because I've never caught anything memorable in my life. (but when I do I'll celebrate here =P)

 

Thanks in advance!

[Rod Caster]

Definitly try cover (weeds and shade) or structure (rocks and points) if they are visible. Its tough to find structure in open water unless you have a depth finder, but open water structure can often produce a lot of fish.

[adolson]

Some people hate it, but I love it: trolling. This is basically all I do when I'm in my canoe right now, since I don't have a depth finder [yet] and I am unfamiliar with the lakes. I'd suggest, if you can, to troll around and get fish that way. If you find you get a fish in a particular spot, try anchoring and casting there for a while. Again, I'm still fairly newly-returning to fishing, but this is how I did it as a kid (mostly going for pike at the time) and how I do it now (got walleye and lots of bass this way in certain lakes). Once I get a depth finder and/or learn the lakes, my tactics will change slightly, but I think I'll always have a love for trolling.

[davey buoy]

Some people hate it, but I love it: trolling. This is basically all I do when I'm in my canoe right now, since I don't have a depth finder [yet] and I am unfamiliar with the lakes. I'd suggest, if you can, to troll around and get fish that way. If you find you get a fish in a particular spot, try anchoring and casting there for a while. Again, I'm still fairly newly-returning to fishing, but this is how I did it as a kid (mostly going for pike at the time) and how I do it now (got walleye and lots of bass this way in certain lakes). Once I get a depth finder and/or learn the lakes, my tactics will change slightly, but I think I'll always have a love for trolling.

when I start out for the day,I will try and cover shallows,rocky areas,drop offs,but always start covering water with a white 3/8oz spinner bait. I can not even try to tell you what this lure produces. You can catch any type of fish,just vary your speed returning if needed,and sometimes count to 3 when it hits the water:thumbsup_anim: and run it a little deeper on the way back. Good luck!

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

i might suggest fishing where these two areas meet. edges and transitions are key.

[cynmar]

Good suggestions but he was shorefishing and this makes a lot of the answers difficult to practice. How deep was the drop off, a sheer drop or gradual transition. If it was a drop off to deep water on the open side with a nice transition from the weedy side, I'd cast there from the shore first. I would probably then try a Senko or something like that in the holes in the weedy side. Try using a crankbait along the transition to the open lake side where the weeds seem to thin out.

 

Bill

[Sinker]

You were fishing the right area off sibbalds. The fish have moved deeper, so getting the big ones will be tough at this time of year there. The deep side is where I'd be. When he says shallow, he's talking like 2-3ft of water, choked with weeds, and probably 85 degrees LOL.

 

S.

[MichaelAngelo]

You were fishing the right area off sibbalds. The fish have moved deeper, so getting the big ones will be tough at this time of year there. The deep side is where I'd be. When he says shallow, he's talking like 2-3ft of water, choked with weeds, and probably 85 degrees LOL.

 

S.

 

Thank-you for clarifying, yes I am shorefishing. A lot of advice I'm getting is for boats and such. Yes I was talking about 3ft of weed-chocked water. Guys please don't assume I know a whole bunch about fishing, I've done it for years but I've gotta admit I haven't the faintest of clue where to find fish.

 

But I haven't lost hope, since one of my friends has a canoe.

 

So what depths should I be looking for this time of year?

 

EDIT: so that all said, the more details the better. =)

Edited August 4, 2011 by MichaelAngelo

[adolson]

Good suggestions but he was shorefishing

 

D'oh! Didn't read.. I guess I'm used to lakes around here where it seems there's really only one way to get to the other end, and that's by boat.

 

Sorry for the pointless reply, MichaelAngelo!

 

I would fish both sides, myself. One day try one, see what you get, then try the other. Of course, this is just what I would do, not knowing the depth.

 

Edit: just saw you have access to a canoe - bonus! I don't know much about fishing yet either, still learning all I can, but that makes my earlier suggestion of trolling relevant again! Depth really seems to depend on species you're after, time of day/year/temperature of the water, etc.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Dana

[Billy Bob]

Maybe I missed it but what species are you targeting...

[MichaelAngelo]

Maybe I missed it but what species are you targeting...

 

Well I'm not targeting anything, I don't know which or how to target anything. I know that bass bite things that move ....

 

I've had a real hard time finding water with fish in it... let alone to start targetting some fish over others...

[Governator]

Well I'm not targeting anything, I don't know which or how to target anything. I know that bass bite things that move ....

 

I've had a real hard time finding water with fish in it... let alone to start targetting some fish over others...

 

 

He's basically saying you were disappointed catching small perch. Did you want to catch bass? If you were catching small panfish odds are you were unknowingly targeting them. Were you using worms on a hook?

[MichaelAngelo]

He's basically saying you were disappointed catching small perch. Did you want to catch bass? If you were catching small panfish odds are you were unknowingly targeting them. Were you using worms on a hook?

 

Hahah yeah. Worms on hooks and the small fish usually eat the worms off . I'd like to catch anything other than small perch and panfish... so bass? Pike aren't common this time of year are they? What about musky?

[Governator]

Hahah yeah. Worms on hooks and the small fish usually eat the worms off . I'd like to catch anything other than small perch and panfish... so bass? Pike aren't common this time of year are they? What about musky?

 

 

I'd suggest going to canadian tire (or bass pro, walmart even) and pick yourself up a Rapala X-Rap Slashbait and a regular Spinnerbait.

 

Spinnerbait

Such as this: http://www.basspro.com/Booyah-Counter-Strike-Spinnerbaits-Tandem-Blade/product/71182/-1221858

 

Just get a 1/4oz or 3/8oz in white or green/white. This you just cast out and generally just retrieve slow or quick. This is probably the easiest lure to start off with when targeting other species than panfish. Cast retrieve and it won't get hooked up too often in weeds making it a good shore fishing option and also lets you cover a lot of water quickly in a boat.

 

X-Rap

http://www.basspro.com/Rapala-XRap-Xtreme-Action-Slashbait/product/57968/-1050837

 

If you want to have a bit more fun with fishing I'd suggest picking up an x-rap, just the silver coloured one 4" long. There are several techniques to fish it, of course you can just cast it out and slowly retrieve, or practice casting it out and give it a "jerk" than real in the slack, repeat, repeat, etc. This one will end up making you invest a lot of $ in to gear, careful lol.

 

 

Those will get you targeting bass quickly and the odd pike.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Governator