When the bite goes off

[jifigz]

Okay, so I, like many of you, I am sure, have been fishing since I was a pretty young lad and have been thoroughly addicted for a long time. We have all experienced times when the bite has been so hot it seems like you can't keep a fish off of your hook and we have all seen times when it seems like you can't buy a bite. Normally, it lies somewhere in between.

So, what do you think kills the bite? I speak from my personal experience just recently. So far this spring I have mainly focused on trout and haven't given bass or other fish much effort, or any. I did go catfishing the other night in the Jujniata River and got ZERO action.

The trout fishing has been hot. I have been catching fish, and lots of them, on a variety of patterns. Now, the fishing is slowing down. Tonight I fished for about 3 hours and didn't have a take at all. On Saturday I fished for two hours and only had two fish. On Sunday I fished a larger creek for about two hours and only caught two fish which my rig had drifted into a foul hooked in deep water. Nothing ate my flies. I went to a little mountain freestoner that is stocked and had some fish eat my dries, but I had to make perfect casts, etc.

So, in the last few days, fishing has gotten much slower. I have heard all of the theories. The moon affects the fish, the barometric pressure affects the fish, heat waves, cold fronts, etc etc. What do you think turns the bite off? This isn't just me and my fishing as I have had several people tell me the bass have not been biting on the Juniata the last few days, either. So, how have you been doing the last few days, and what do you think causes these downswings in the fish being so willing to eat.

 

[afishinado]

jifigz wrote:
Okay, so I, like many of you, I am sure, have been fishing since I was a pretty young lad and have been thoroughly addicted for a long time. We have all experienced times when the bite has been so hot it seems like you can't keep a fish off of your hook and we have all seen times when it seems like you can't buy a bite. Normally, it lies somewhere in between.

So, what do you think kills the bite? I speak from my personal experience just recently. So far this spring I have mainly focused on trout and haven't given bass or other fish much effort, or any. I did go catfishing the other night in the Jujniata River and got ZERO action.

The trout fishing has been hot. I have been catching fish, and lots of them, on a variety of patterns. Now, the fishing is slowing down. Tonight I fished for about 3 hours and didn't have a take at all. On Saturday I fished for two hours and only had two fish. On Sunday I fished a larger creek for about two hours and only caught two fish which my rig had drifted into a foul hooked in deep water. Nothing ate my flies. I went to a little mountain freestoner that is stocked and had some fish eat my dries, but I had to make perfect casts, etc.

So, in the last few days, fishing has gotten much slower. I have heard all of the theories. The moon affects the fish, the barometric pressure affects the fish, heat waves, cold fronts, etc etc. What do you think turns the bite off? This isn't just me and my fishing as I have had several people tell me the bass have not been biting on the Juniata the last few days, either. So, how have you been doing the last few days, and what do you think causes these downswings in the fish being so willing to eat.

Hey Josh,

When you find out the answer to your question.....let us all know.

 

[Troutmeister]

Here in the eastern part of the state we are in a severe drought. The local streams are all really low and clear so I'm gonna blame it on that.

Was out 4 times last week and really had to work for them except one day. These were all stocked trout though. The few streams around here with wild fish are really tough with the low water.

This is also the time of year when stocked trout, and wild fish really become attuned to eating the hatching insects and become much more selective in their feeding.

 

[coyoterahn]

That’s interesting jifitz. I’ve been out 2 of the last 4 days and have had some very good fishing on dries. I’m guessing you will find your luck turning around soon.
I’m not a big believer in how the moon phases affect fishing but I do believe sometimes the bite just turns off and on for reasons unknown to me.
I guess that’s what keep us going back!

 

[Swattie87]

My personal 2 cents. I rented a cabin this week in the general State College area. Arrived last Saturday staying to this coming Saturday. Fishing was very, very slow Saturday and Sunday, didn’t catch a fish either day actually, but was noticeably better yesterday (Monday).

I think last week’s cold snap back to early April temps set things back for a few days. I’m seeing Sulphurs, but not a ton, and hardly any Sulphur spinners yet. Saw a handful last night on BFC. I expect fishing to improve with the warmup the second half of this week.

 

[Prospector]

Here some factors but there are no absolutes.

Water Temp
From Jay Thurston’s Book on Wisc spring creeks
I have identified the three significant feeding periods as the 40 degree rise, the 45 degree rise, and the 49 degree rise.  At 67 degrees trout quit feeding, therefore, you should move upstream to cooler water or quit fishing.   During the last two months of the season fish the upper third of the trout stream.  When the water temperature rises above 63 degrees trout start to shut down; and at 67 degrees they are usually dormant and refuse to hit an artificial.  

My comment: Rising temps are important to cold blooded fish especially in water temps from 40 to 49. I also interpret from Thurston’s research that if temps climb into the 50s & 60s then trout will be more likely to continue feeding when temps fall because it’s a comfortable range.

Water Clarity:
Initial muddying of water turns on browns. As water clears from a rain event it seems to improve the rainbow bite but if too murky it might still be a brown trout bite.

Rain
Browns seem to feed well in a downpour. Have done well on brook trout too. Not sure if it’s the dark clouds or the rain itself that turns them on. I think it’s the darker day (low light) is the main draw.

Sun
Major turnoff of insects and trout. Bright days or bright times during the day will reduce trout activity. Except early in year with water in 40s where it actually helps.

Insect Activity
Easy meals tend to turn fish on. No brainer. Whether it’s a spinnerfall or a hatch.

Brook Trout
They tend to increase feeding in the last hour. I remember a day where I ended with 49. I never caught a brook trout until the last hour and otherwise had an equal number of brown/rainbow. Got 8 to 10 brook in that last hour.

Browns
Notorious night feeders

 

[jifigz]

Prospector wrote:
Here some factors but there are no absolutes.

Water Temp
From Jay Thurston’s Book on Wisc spring creeks
I have identified the three significant feeding periods as the 40 degree rise, the 45 degree rise, and the 49 degree rise.  At 67 degrees trout quit feeding, therefore, you should move upstream to cooler water or quit fishing.   During the last two months of the season fish the upper third of the trout stream.  When the water temperature rises above 63 degrees trout start to shut down; and at 67 degrees they are usually dormant and refuse to hit an artificial.  

My comment: Rising temps are important to cold blooded fish especially in water temps from 40 to 49. I also interpret from Thurston’s research that if temps climb into the 50s & 60s then trout will be more likely to continue feeding when temps fall because it’s a comfortable range.

Water Clarity:
Initial muddying of water turns on browns. As water clears from a rain event it seems to improve the rainbow bite but if too murky it might still be a brown trout bite.

Rain
Browns seem to feed well in a downpour. Have done well on brook trout too. Not sure if it’s the dark clouds or the rain itself that turns them on. I think it’s the darker day (low light) is the main draw.

Sun
Major turnoff of insects and trout. Bright days or bright times during the day will reduce trout activity. Except early in year with water in 40s where it actually helps.

Insect Activity
Easy meals tend to turn fish on. No brainer. Whether it’s a spinnerfall or a hatch.

Brook Trout
They tend to increase feeding in the last hour. I remember a day where I ended with 49. I never caught a brook trout until the last hour and otherwise had an equal number of brown/rainbow. Got 8 to 10 brook in that last hour.

Browns
Notorious night feeders

I can disagree with lots of this through past fishing experience.

 

[Prospector]

jifigz wrote:

I can disagree with lots of this through past fishing experience.

Very interesting. As I re-read my post the only thing I would clarify is the Brook Trout comment. I was not referring to a starving Brookie in a small stream that needs to strike at every meal that passes by. I’m talking about brookies in decent sized streams.

I’m not surprised that 2 people can come to different conclusions based on how they fish. Another factor could be the types of streams in central PA where you fish and types of Streams in NWPA & NCPA could just fish differently.

I just thought back to days where the bite was on and what I consider the key triggers on days when I would catch 30+. I have been fly fishing for 47 years so the sample size is pretty large.

To me the biggest days are when 3-5 factors collide... proper water temp, proper flow, proper clarity, rain (light preferred or heavy), and insects are hatching. Those are the 45 - 65 fish days.

There was a time when trout midged all day long on a sunny day while they laid in shady spots. Big days were possible in those conditions too. I just never see 100 midging trout anymore in a 1/2 mile stretch. That was the ticket on sunny days when I had 20-15 vision. Now I can hardly see a sz 22 anyway.

 

[jifigz]

Prospector, I didn't mean to say it like that, I was in a hurry and typing and just submit it.

There are things that I agree with. The muddying of water turning browns on I agree with that..warming temperatures after winter, I agree with that. Falling temperature in fall, I agree with that.

I just don't see consistency elsewhere. I've had such good days on sunny, warm and calm days and bad days other times. Fishing can be good after long stretches of sun and warm temperatures. I just don't see any true predictability as to when a bite is hot or not.

 

[afishinado]

Over the years I've had too many days where the conditions were favorable and the fishing should be great, but it was not...and vice versa.

The best one can do is get out there, carefully observe to try to determine what is happening, keep trying different FFing techniques as well as try different type flies and fish all water types and areas until you begin catching some fish....or just run out of time and have to go home.

 

[jifigz]

Last night I went to West Licking Creek, a stocked, small high gradient stream that supposedly has natural reproduction, as well.

There were sedges in the air, yellow and lime sallies, sulfurs, and some other type of mayfly. I have no idea on how many fish are left in the stream, but I know that they are still there. I spooked on fish that I definitely saw. I have yet to encounter a wild trout in this stream. I have been fishing it a lot since I am now spending a lot of time in Newton Hamilton.

Anyways, the point of this post is, I fished a variety of dries, streamers, and indicator nymphed the water that allowed the tactic to be used. Guess what? I couldn't draw a strike. The poor fishing continues.