When A Pattern Falls Apart

When a pattern falls apart, we need to make some changes! In fishing we begin to look for an alternative pattern using the information we developed from the last pattern. I know those who don't fish on a regular basis are thinking what is Steve talking about now?????

Ya sometimes I wonder myself. I am going to use an example from fishing which happened while fishing a tournament a few years back with Jim T.. We had found a group of fish in 22'-30' water in a clear spot in the middle of a seasonal, very large weedy flat. As we fished and cared for the fish in this spot, we practiced in other areas but never came up with a more consistent bite or place for success. SO this became our first and our go to spot on Saturday morning. We started there and had success, we placed 2 of the right fish in the live well and were looking to upgrade the size as the fish on this spot had been in the 20" plus range all week. 

You know as fisherman we train ourselves to notice stuff. Well our fish began to raise up from 1' to 18" off the bottom to 3' then 10' and we saw a ball of shad go thru and then our spot was bare. We took as much as 15 minutes to verify this and acknowledged, yes this pattern had just converted to a suspended chasing shad bite which would require a change to pulling cranks in the same area to stay with the same group of fish. 

Well, we decided to go fish the fish others were catching in 3' to 5" of water up in the trees. This would somewhat support what we had watched happen to this group of fish but they would have to make it to the trees for us to have found them there. The hind sight decision would have been for us to have switched our technique and stay with this area fishing to a known group of hungry fish. 

Well to bring this thinking to life in real life is this. Some of you and most of you know I am affiliated with a company called PK Products dba PK Lures. I will be ending my work relationship as a part of the sales force as of March 31, 2014. The reasons for this are mostly on my part this pattern has begun not to produce for me in my situation. I find myself thinking and seeing a new pattern develop as minimizing and focusing my efforts in my focus as a fishing guide and being an educator of this craft. I see, think and feel a new pattern developing in the area of helping folks learn this craft as well as find peace in the use of this skill set to view and think about the choices they make in there lives, ya what is he talking about. Ya I really do not know either but its real a vision of fishing with folks and helping them heal emotionally and physically. 

Please know as far as PK Lures go I will always be a friend of the company and support the folks involved as Pat O'Grady is a long time friend and a bother in Christ. I have always chosen the folks I engage with to have some form of emotional bond or second reason, besides funds and that is the case here as well. I have always thought of PK and its lures as a great product to be fished and succeed with. I hope the folks with PK all the best. I just find the pattern is no longer providing desired result and my passion is shifting to the vision as stated before.

Thanks,

Steve G

Warm VS Cold

That darn ground hog any way, I am going back and forth between if I want warm or cold. I am starting to think about pre-spawn fish stacking up in areas and the wind blowing in on the rocks still cold but open water. And what do I need to prepare or can I focus on to cure this bug for open water, oh travel to Texas. Ya I think that will be something to do next month. 

One thing I did last week was to go thru all last year's GPS and log it to the appropriate lake maps and data files. This was a little mind numbing but very doable using a remote cord to my Lowrance HDS 10 and my computer. It always feels good to be organized. 

Now I will begin working on the open water tackle organization by species Lakers, Pike, Walleye, Trout and Bass. Man I think of all those boxes and how much crossover there is, having Eagle Claw as a sponsor is a blessing as I get to change out the hooks I fish with to the best. 

I am getting excited to see old clients, make new friends and meet new fish this coming guide season. I will be guiding on Williams Fork , Grand Lake and Wolford. Looking forward to these new waters and the classic older one of Grand Lake. I meet a whole lot of tourists who just need some time on the water. 

I hope everyone enjoys this last bit of winter and the spring snows, it seems we will be blessed with water for the summer if the snow fall continues to go this way thru April. 

Well on to the next fish and this years tackle needs.

Oh, I thought I should relate a story about Eagle Claw from my childhood. We used to write to companies in the auto racing industry and ask for stickers to make us look cool to our friends. Well as you might guess I sent a letter to Eagle Claw back in 1973. I already had a Trail Master rod and used it and broke many times which Eagle gladly fixed (which they still do now). If they can not repair it they will help you out with a small fee to a new rod. Hey they also sent me stickers, I mean a bunch of em and some big enough for my bedroom window. Now who do you think the coolest kid on my block was (at least in my mind ). I have always had a warm spot for the company, its folks and its culture. I am so proud to have developed a relationship with a company like this over the  years.