Novice Fishing Question...

[MilesandMiles]

Can someone explain to me why and when fish are sometimes deep, and other times near the surface? Do all species change depending on time of day, year, temps, etc? do some always stay deep, others always stay at the top?

If I could get my head around this, I think it would lend itself to other understandings about how to get my bait in front of the fish.

Thanks,
Brenton

[starcrafttom]

Well that would depend on where and what you are fishing for. I see that you are from the great lakes area so lets start there. In large fresh water lakes game fish (trout, salmon) will be where ever the food is . The food will be where the water temp is the best. large lakes will settle into layers of different temperatures. They are called temp breaks. all salmon species like a little different temp. So if you like kings you look for a temp break of between 55 and 58 degrees. the bait and the kings will be below that layer and above the next temp break that would deeper. the next break would be 55 to say 48. so the kings will be in the layer of temperature of 55 degrees with warmer water above and lower temps below.

Now this will happen to some degree or another on all fresh water lakes. there are a lot of books to read on the subject. "The art of trolling" is the very best. On great lake charter boats they all run with temp gages on their down-riggers to have a idea of the temp at depth.

In salt it has more to do with tides, bait and types of fish. there are 5 species of salmon because they all fill a different niche feeding off of a different food source. its 10 to midnight so Im going to bed. more later if you want.

[rogerbum]

Brenton,

The 4 major factors are food, temperature, cover (rocks, branches etc) and oxygen and with food, cover and temperature being most important. However, IMHO you don't really need to understand the "why", you just need to know where they are. With a good sonar, you'll get the information and then you just put your bait/lure where the fish actually are.

[starcrafttom]

Fishing can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it. but the catch is the more or less you put in to it the more or less the rewards. If it takes little effort you will get little fish. the bigger the effort the bigger the fish.

Trout fishing is easy and can be done with little or no cost from shore. but you will end up with little fish. if you get a boat and down riggers and a lot of gear you can catch larger trout.

[localboy]