Knowing When To Stay or Run Elsewhere

It's a fairly safe bet that fishermen always remember at least a few spots where they've caught a big fish and/or numbers of fish in one setting--I sure do. And most of us have a tendency to revisit those spots from time to time, looking for a repeat performance, which is definitely OK...as long as we know when it's time to move on.

Admittedly, it can be hard to tear yourself away from one of your favorite spots, even when it's not producing, but there are some factors to consider when it comes time to make that decision, as I learned the other day while researching this topic.

It was suggested that you try to recall what the conditions were like the last time you fished that spot, and if they're the same, it's a good idea to stick around a little longer. It's also OK to stick around if there are baitfish present, if you see fish feeding nearby, or if you're getting nibbles or bites now and then, even without full-on hook-ups.

Also, since most anglers start with baits that can be worked quickly, like spinnerbaits and crankbaits, it's smart to stay put until you've had time to work the area over with slower finesse baits, like a jig or Texas-rigged worm. Finally, if you know there's a big fish in the area, or if you're fishing a tournament and need a kicker fish, it might be worth your time to go over the spot one more time.

While the foregoing are reasons to stay on a spot a little longer than usual, there also are some perfectly good reasons to move somewhere else. For example, if conditions have changed dramatically from when you first found the spot, fish behavior may have done the same thing, leading to little or no activity. In these cases, it's time to pack up and leave.

And just as the presence of bait and gamefish is a sign to stick around, their absence is a clear sign to leave. If you've thrown every lure in your tackle box with no success, then there's nothing wrong with moving on.

Finally--and this is a no-brainer--if you're using a fish finder, and it's not marking any fish, obviously you should move along.

Knowing when to leave a patch of water for another is always a game of chance. Done best, it's a blend of experience, logic, foreknowledge, and instinct. No matter how it's done, though, it always involves some degree of luck. At the high end of the luck scale is accidentally picking that just-right lure, presentation, and/or depth on the first try, or finding fish where they really shouldn't be because, on a whim, you tossed your lure there as you passed by, and so on. Even if luck happens to be a lifesaver, you're wiser to rely mainly on what you learn and hone over lots of time spent on the water.

So get to know a river or lake, keep returning to it, and eventually you'll have developed a strong sense of how long to stay in one place, as well as how many lures and techniques to try before you move on to another place. Then you can apply all that understanding and experience to waters you don't know.