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What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:38 am
by coretron22
So I bank fish...a lot. I live near Lk. Wa., so I fish it often. It took me a long time, but I have had regular success the last few years.
This last weekend I observed some changes in fish behavior, & I'm hoping to find some answers from those that know more than me...I fished Thurs., Fri., & Saturday & was really having good success - 4 species LMB, SMB, Rock Bass, & Perch (all C & R) caught in a few different spots - constant action. Sunday I got just a few bites, Monday barely a nibble. A front came through on Fri. & Sat., but I fished through the rain, consistently catching fish. Water temps are still really warm, sun came out pretty steadily yesterday. I stalked several spots using baits that typically do well plus some different things - dragged bottom, swam baitfish imitations/grubs, senkos - nothing could get the fish to show up. Someone told me Coulon was closed due to an algae bloom or something...but would that change the fish behavior like that? Where did they go? Is this a sign of seasonal behavior change?
I know fish can be there one day/gone the next, but this seems like a sudden mass exodus.
Thanks for any answers/input.

-Corey

Re: What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:01 am
by G-Man
We fished for cutts on Sunday and although we caught a few fish, the bite was a bit slow and sporadic. The main change was the water temperatures as the pressure didn't drop much at all over the weekend. We saw that the surface temps were around 71 degrees in the main part of the lake, down from 75 - 77 last weekend. It is possible that the temps closer to shore were even lower as the rain and air temps will have a greater effect on the shallower water.

Re: What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:43 am
by Amx
2 things;

water temp lowering for the fall.

sunshine stronger so the fish finds the shade, or deeper water.

I did just fine Monday, and Sunday, and Saterday.

Re: What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:19 am
by coretron22
Thanks guys. I thought I thoroughly covered the depths & cover options...but for whatever reason I was not as on top of my game as I had thought. The only way to figure it out any further is to fish more, so I'll be out there tonight hitting it again...which is just fine. I was perhaps getting too used to not getting skunked, so I suppose I was due.

Re: What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:25 am
by Amx
Take a rain coat or two.

I'm going to stay home and stay dry, Ive quit fishing for a long time, say 2 days. Just completed 39 days straight, fishing every day. Image

Re: What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:42 am
by Amx
There also could have been a school of minnows swim past, and the bass went out to eat them and follow the school for awhile. Or the bass could be suspending at say 10 feet deep over 60 foot depth of water waiting for another school to swim past. Image

Re: What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:30 pm
by coretron22
I went out...lightning started just as I started casting, so I quit. Went out last night...much better weather/much better fishing action. Plus my 4 year-old caught 3 different species on the Princess rod.

thanks again guys. I'm still not sure what happened. The minnow theory is totally possible, as I see predators busting the surface just a little further out than I can cast.

Re: What just happened to kill the fishing on Lake Wa.?

Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:42 pm
by Amx
Bass go where their pray is. Even follow them around and back-and-forth.