02-14-2022, 03:34 PM
I hadn't head many good reports from Rockport, wonder how I missed that.
I have learned on this site that a LOT of factors determine what fish do as far as bites. You probably know many of these, but.....
First thought is that sometimes every perch I catch is a female heavy with eggs, and as their eggs mature, they take up most of the poor fishes' body cavities, and they can barely eat. TD always says switch to tiny, tempting offerings.
I completely buy that human activity eventually pus them down, BUT..... I've also been up to, say, Mantua, after two dry trips in a row, and after the crowds have abandoned the swiss-cheesed landscape, and suddenly been yanking the bigger bluegills that had dodged me all winter up through the ice wholesale.
Third, is that sometimes the fishing turns out to be great, just not where I was, and not unless I do something different. Couple years ago when Hyrum was just on fire, I had two great trips, two "meh" trips in about the same spot and depth (about 26 feet along the NE shore between boat launch and swim-beach). EACH of those trips, I started out in deeper water, like 45' and worked my way in, when no fish showed up. My last trip I had the DARNDEST time talking myself into going back out into deeper water until I was desperate, but guess what?
Finally, I'm starting to believe more in stuff like moon phases, and whatever other basically magic or un-quantifiable factors exist in the universe. We, as fishermen seem especially prone to recency-effect, impact effect, and various memory flaws.
I have learned on this site that a LOT of factors determine what fish do as far as bites. You probably know many of these, but.....
First thought is that sometimes every perch I catch is a female heavy with eggs, and as their eggs mature, they take up most of the poor fishes' body cavities, and they can barely eat. TD always says switch to tiny, tempting offerings.
I completely buy that human activity eventually pus them down, BUT..... I've also been up to, say, Mantua, after two dry trips in a row, and after the crowds have abandoned the swiss-cheesed landscape, and suddenly been yanking the bigger bluegills that had dodged me all winter up through the ice wholesale.
Third, is that sometimes the fishing turns out to be great, just not where I was, and not unless I do something different. Couple years ago when Hyrum was just on fire, I had two great trips, two "meh" trips in about the same spot and depth (about 26 feet along the NE shore between boat launch and swim-beach). EACH of those trips, I started out in deeper water, like 45' and worked my way in, when no fish showed up. My last trip I had the DARNDEST time talking myself into going back out into deeper water until I was desperate, but guess what?
Finally, I'm starting to believe more in stuff like moon phases, and whatever other basically magic or un-quantifiable factors exist in the universe. We, as fishermen seem especially prone to recency-effect, impact effect, and various memory flaws.