By Steve Weisman
I’ve always believed that we are never too old to learn! No matter what we do in life, there are always lessons for each of us. This most certainly holds true in athletics. No matter the age of the athlete or the coach/manager, events occur that are new learning experiences. If we don’t learn from these lessons, we are left behind.
As a former athlete and coach, I experienced that so many times! Now as an old man, I continue to learn as I watch the various games/matches unfold. I truly relish continuing to learn.
I find the same holds true for me in the fishing world. New technologies such as Forward-Facing Sonar, whether we are fans of the sonar or not, are true game changers.
Most of you know that I am a true bluegill fishing fanatic. I’ve been chasing them here in the Iowa Great Lakes for nearly 50 years. I firmly believe that each time out on the water/ice, I learn something new or re-learn something I have forgotten!
Case in point
Just a couple of weeks ago this happened when I was fishing bluegills on West Okoboji. Over the years, I have marked 160 bluegill waypoints on my locator. Now, they are from different times of the year. For years, I have worked depths at least 30’ of water and have those spots marked. However, the last time I was out (just 3 days later), I went to the very spot I had previously been. Right on the mark – spot locked between 28-30’. I fished that spot for over an hour and nothing! A friend was about 50 yards away, and he had not done much better.
Then I looked to the west and saw the point on the shore, and I headed toward the dropoffs that I had caught fish previously but never around the first of September.
A re-learning experience
I had five waypoints along the point, anywhere from 18’ all the way to 40’ as the bottom dropped off into 60-70’. As I moved along, schools of fish appeared on my Humminbird in 18’ to 25’ dropping off the shallow 14’ shelf. The problem is they were moving up and down the dropoff. I felt trying to follow them would be fruitless. They’d be there and gone so fast that I’d never catch up.
So, I chose to set up in 18’, knowing my I-Pilot would drift a few feet in and out. I was using my go-to jig, the green/gold Shucks Jigger Minnow tipped with either a Belgian worm or a wax worm. To begin with, I would use my regular presentation over the side of the pontoon, putting the bait on the bottom, then jiggling it up a few inches and then back down.
However, there were several lulls, and I noticed on my locator that there were schools of bluegills moving through at different depths, anywhere from the bottom to five feet off the bottom in all depths.
To address this, I kept anchored and cast the Jigger Minnow away from the boat and as it sank, I would keep the line tight and make subtle jigs back to the pontoon. Many of the bigger bluegills were suspended anywhere from a few feet below the surface all the way to the bottom. Wow, would they ever nail the bait as it fell toward the bottom! I did lose a lot of Belgian worms as the bluegills snapped them off the hook.
That’s when I turned to tipping the Jigger Minnow with a wax worm. The bluegills were easier to catch with no Belgians dangling off the hook.
Over the course of two hours, I caught 40 and kept 18 that were between 8.25” and 9.25”. That gave me enough for a good meal and the rest for friends that appreciate it when I give them some. It was a great feeling making adjustments and putting everything together!
Next time out? Who knows? Most likely another lesson! That’s what makes fishing so much fun!
The author holds a nice 9” bluegill. Note the electronics showing fish coming through on the bottom.
A nice bucket of bluegills.
