Fish have very few responsibilities in life. They concentrate on three things. Where can we eat? Where can we go so we don't get eaten? And where is the weather nice?
The weather part is to keep them in their preferred temperature zone. They can either go deep, go shallow or migrate. Deeper water is less affected by the surface air temperature and is more stable. Shallow water (especially with a dark bottom) will heat up faster from the Sun's rays, and cool down faster from rain and God forbid snow. Many species migrate to stay in their preferred water temperature.
The other two points, eat or be eaten is the focus of this story.
Dawn and dusk are by far the best times of the day to fish. Fish are often most active at these times. As a fisherman you have the advantage that your hook and line are not as visible as during the day and your bait is a lot more visible than at night. So the edge between light and dark is huge.
The edge of a channel or stream bed offers game fish three advantages:
1. A quick escape route if fish spot a predator near by
2. A buffet line usually travels through the channel providing a dining selection
3. The varying depths offer temperature variations so they can warm up or cool down
River, stream and lake shorelines are another edge. These can be very productive especially if they are steep or have downed trees or rocky shorelines. Shoreline irregularities provide shelter to baby fish and food sources like crabs, crayfish and frogs. Also, these banks are where insects take bad hops and fall in the water, providing additional opportunities for a quick meal. Downed trees and rocks provide shelter from currents and places for the predator fish to hide.
Rips, or places where currents collide, often stack up debris along their edges. These provide food and shelter for the smallest forms of life. Predator fish know this and travel these edges in search of food.
Many large fish can be caught right at the ocean's edge. This is where the waves break up the clams and other shellfish which provide the food to game fish. I have seen eight foot bull sharks hooked in water that was not up to my knees. They weren't eating the clams, but they were eating the fish that were there to eat the clams. Rarely do I see surf fisherman casting just beyond their feet. Usually they cast as far as they can thinking the deeper the water the bigger the fish, but this is not always true.
The next time you go fishing, look for anything unusual and try a few casts there. It could be a color change in the water, a washout from the beach, a bulkhead or pier, a jetty, etc. They all provide shelter or food to the little guys and that brings the predators.
If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about inexpensive fishing, please visit my website: cheapfisherman.com.
HI,
My name is Greg Knox and I have a fishing website called cheapfisherman.com.
On my site I give advice for the novice to average fisherman who can't afford a guide or yacht but wants to catch more fish. Fishing is an adventure, not and investment!
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