RE: fish and game forecasts
2007/08/18 09:09:34
(permalink)
The phase of the moon, tides, high and low pressure, etc... all play a role in the movement and feeding activity of animals. The question is can you accurately used this information to successfully harvest the animals?
In the area of steelhead fishing the most important variables for me are water temperature, water level (high or low) and water clarity (muddy vs clear). Another major consideration is the location on the stream. For some reason steelies and I would suspect other fish as well, tend to hold in certain spots. I can hear the big "DUH" coming, but let me explain. There are sections of the creeks that I see as having all of the right requirements to hold fish, water depth, flow, cover, gravel bottom, etc..., but rarely do I find fish there. Other areas, which also generally have all the right requirements almost always hold fish. I believe there is some other variable I am not accounting for that is responsible for this. Perhaps a spring enters the creek at that spot, or there is a higher level of forage there, or who knows. Knowing where I will usually find fish has greatly increased my success rate over the years.
The bottom line here is, to predict success in fishing, especially steelhead fishing, or hunting not only knowing the phase of the moon can help, but also having an intimate knowledge of the locations where the fish or game will most likely be and their migration and movement habits will greatly increase your likelihood of landing some fish or bagging your buck.