Casting to the other Side

[PennypackFlyer]

There is an old Bible verse where Jesus tells the boaters to drop the net on the other side. After they did this their net was so full of fish that they almost sank the boat. Fact or fiction? Are you in doubt that this happened. Maybe I can change your mind.

If this only happened once I would not write about it. For me it has happend at least 4 times at Lake Noximixon. These times I was fishing one side of the lake with no results. I decided to switch sides and sure enough I was catching fish. I don't have any answer as to why this happens. Maybe it's current flows, maybe its the direction of the sun. So if your out on a lake or even a river and the fish are not biting, try casting to the other side, it may turn out to be "Fish on".

 

[dryflyguy]

I don't know about in lakes.
But in the larger streams I fish, it's pretty much a given that most of the fish will be rising on the opposite side of where I happen to be. And I have to try to figure out a way to cross over to reach them. And often I can't

 

[ratgunner]

The side the wind blows towards on lakes and ponds is usually best.

 

[Maurice]

ratgunner wrote:
The side the wind blows towards on lakes and ponds is usually best.

^ This.

Wind moves water, water moves bottom of the food chain. Food chain follows.

 

[afishinado]

the alternative explanation......

 

[jdaddy]

afishinado wrote:
the alternative explanation......

I think JC would recommend hoppers on that meadow.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I don't know if I should be offended...but I'm trying desperately not to laugh!

 

[wsender]

also, afish. i'm stealing that for my new avatar.

 

[bam]

If you're in a boat, keep the wind to your back and cast to shore. Baitfish get pushed to shore and the fish feast. Before I FFed, some of my wildest days have been in strong wind. Enough bait will bring walleye into the shallows, even in midday sun. Even ambush fish like pike and bass will take advantage. Strong current or current breaks can do the same thing in a lake. Anything that will concentrate food in one area.

 

[pcray1231]

I don't disagree, but just to throw a wrench into this:

1. On the side the wind is blowing FROM, the surface waters are blown off and the deep water upwells to replace it. Especially in mid-summer, that deep water is colder. For fish that like it colder than the rest of the lake, they can turn on there!

2. Sun often plays a roll. Regardless of wind, if one side of the lake is sunny and the other shady, that can have as large an effect.

3. Obviously, structure. A lot of lakes, especially those which are impoundments, have a deep channel side with a steep depth gradient, and a shallow side with a slow gradient.

i.e. the wind stuff above is correct. As always, there's just more than one variable. But yes, I think it's pretty obvious that it's actually fairly rare for both sides of a lake or river to fish equally.

 

[osprey]

Wind , WIND . WIND MAN . L@@K at all of those friggun WINDMILLS.

 

[timmyt]

The Nock has a deep side and a shallow side, one is generally better than the other depending on time of year, species targeted, etc.

That place is not the easiest to fish, def takes some learning and practice

 

[PennypackFlyer]

There is one location about half way from the fishing point (towards 3 mile rd). that I always catch muskies at. Usually I will catch bass in that location as well, and when I don't, I zip over to the other side and low and behold I will have bass on. Caught a 44 inch tiger musky last year targeting the bait fish. Head was bigger than mine.

 

[FiveWeight]

dryflyguy wrote:
I don't know about in lakes.
But in the larger streams I fish, it's pretty much a given that most of the fish will be rising on the opposite side of where I happen to be. And I have to try to figure out a way to cross over to reach them. And often I can't

I'll tell you what else is a given... The distance one can cast and the depth of the water inching closer and closer to go'n over top of ones waders.

 

[Paulson]

wsender wrote:

also, afish. i'm stealing that for my new avatar.

Haha, thats awesome.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Funny thing in the salt the bait swims into the wind. East wind here bait on the beach,west it's off shore. GG