A general plan to locate fish?

[Raycaster]

Its my second year on the lake and Im hoping to improve on last year for sure. I have read, read, and read pointers and suggestions but have never seen a general routine used to find the fish.

The forums are filled with success stories but I always wonder how someone decided to hit 300fow instead of 80 or 160 etc.

I usually launch from Hamilton Bayfront and setup the downrigger once Im past the skyway bridge and decide grimbsy or bronte. I have a fishhawk but usually chase the sonar arcs and zig zag until the sonar looks busy. Trolling 2mph may take 45 minutes to go from 80fow to 200.

I guess my question is do guys find the fish first then deploy rods or wander around slowly like I do?

I just seem to be very inefficient with my time.

Will guys just use their experience and head to eg. 140fow and then look for the temp they want for lure depth?

Anyhelp greatly appreciated.

[SpoonPullers.com]

[Duffin]

When we started out we simply followed the Charter boats, then developed our own game plan. Our course the charters have all the kit too, so their success may be different than yours, buts its a start....just don't follow too close, thats not cool.

[jds]

South shore guy here, I watch the wind direction and wind speed for the days prior to fishing. I think wind has the greatest impact on fishing.  For example, here on the South shore, a strong South wind blows the warmer surface water away from shore, the cold water rolls in from the lake bottom. Just the opposite occurs with a North wind. An East wind will bring the cold water closer to the surface. This gives me a rough idea what the water temps. might be in a given area.

 Any device to check water temp. at depth is a big advantage.
 Before Depth Raider, Fish Hawk, etc. we used hand held temp.units. Stop the boat, lower the probe over the side looking for good temps. Now I drop my Downrigger with a Depth Raider down before setting up to fish.

Kings prefer temps. in the mid 40's to mid 50's F.
 
My goal is to eliminate water that will be unproductive. (too warm) 

As an example: Surface temp. is 72F.... Motor out to 60ft., take a temp. reading near bottom, temp. is 65F... I assume water from shore out to 60ft, and water above 60ft. will most likely be unproductive. (too warm)

 Motor out to 100ft., find 55F. 80ft. down, and 45F. 90ft. down, I will bracket that depth with a mix of spoons and flashers, go into "search mode" looking for fish and bait, and make adjustments as I go.

This technique might help you get into "fishy" water a bit faster, but it is only a rough way to find a starting point. Water color, structure, and time of year all play into your ability to find fish.  I hope this helps just a bit.

[speerzy]

Great tips JDS. That totally makes sense .
Cheers Speerzy

[TyeeTanic]

Probably the most important thing you can do is establish a network with other charters and fishermen, and communicate with them, contributing to the discussion with both what worked and what DIDN'T work (locations, depths, lures, colors, etc).

Assuming someone is on the fish at any given time, the information is distributed to help people zero in on where to be and what to use.

Without this intel ... you are going to have to have a plan in place ... but the odds are not in your favor given the multiple variables at play.  This would be my attack:

- locate WHERE the thermocline is 42F to 48F water temperatures, to determine where the fish are. Go to that depth, start WITHOUT lines in the water, just try and see if you mark fish/bait.  If not, go to another spot ... and repeat. It helps to have waypoints on your GPS of spots that are normally hot ... so when I would catch a fish or two on any day, I waypoint it. That would give me at least 3 or 4 areas to test in the target depth.
- I also pay attention to where other boats are, and move out to those areas ... look at if anyone around me is catching, or are they picking up and moving to other locations?
- drop lines, variety of spoons, flies, meat ... and variety of colors too.
- go 2.5 mph (downspeed preferably) ... make figure 8 turns over where you mark fish.
- when a fish hits, pay attention to what type of lure, what color, what speed and what direction you were travelling.
- change SOME (not all) of the lines up with similar lure and color.
- repeat approach direction and speed through the same marks.

[jds]

I just wanted to share this short clip on upwelling. It's a great visualization of what happens when the lake "flips" Most of these event are wind driven.

 As you watch the video, assume the left side of the tank is the US Southern shore, the right side the Canadian North shore. The red water is warm, the blue water is ice cold.

 Notice how the temps. in the "center of the lake" stay relatively stable, while the shoreline temps. change rapidly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIkJ4xu9Ego

[Owen416]

55f 80 ft down….. maybe Lake Erie 😂 .  ( I know it was just example).

[jds]

55f 80 ft down….. maybe Lake Erie 😂 .  ( I know it was just example).

Yesterday ( Wednesday) off Braddocks Bay N.Y.,  At the 200 depth, the Temp. was 57F. down 110 feet.

[darkfisher]

55f 80 ft down….. maybe Lake Erie 😂 .  ( I know it was just example).

Doesn't seem unreasonable at all. Sometimes that thermocline is well below 100 feet.

[salmon_slayer06]

stable temps are what you want. If upwelling occurs generally best fishing is just before the warm water returns. my theory abrupt change in temp bait seeks warm water. The marinas warm water discharge and creek mouths draw them in. fish follow. this is when pier casters kill them

[Owen416]

You are right.  I’m probably just a bit jaded from all the ice water we get island periodically.

[fishdawg]

All great advice
In addition to what was already mentioned,  I'd suggest once things return to normal,  join a local fishing club that focuses on Salmon. HRSTA, St Catharines Game and Fish Association and Strait Line Anglers all good choices. Meet up with like minded Anglers in your area, work & share together.