On The Move
By: Mike Simpson

Looking back over the years I have spent fishing, one thing may have kept me from catching more fish than anything else. I wasn't "on the move" when I needed to be. If you only fish from the bank and you only have access to one small area on your local fishing hole, read no further. If you only fish "your favorite spot" this article is for you!

In the past when I went fishing, I used to head to the last place I caught fish and set up camp. If I started to catch fish right away I would stay put and enjoy the day! If I didn't start catching fish right away, I would stay anyway and spend the rest if day wondering why I wasn't "having any luck."
Conditions dictate the location of fish on any given day. Obviously if you have a favorite spot where you have usually done well in the past, it's because under certain

conditions a fish might find that same area just as attractive as you do. Chances are your favorite spot holds important elements that a fish needs although certain conditions could make other areas more desirable instead.
The following conditions are very important to a fish. Whenever you go fishing, make sure to consider them along with other factors that may affect fish location. To illustrate my point, I will use myself as the example to give you a different perspective when you compare it to locations at your local fishing hole... Let's say for the sake of this example my favorite location is somewhere within the living room in my home. It has everything I need to be comfortable, and UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES you should find me there.
FOOD SOURCE - The kitchen is close to the living room and has plenty of food. Even though I visit the kitchen I don't actually eat there.
If it's a Sunday afternoon during football season, chances are there may be food consumed in the living room while I am lounging in my easy chair watching the game. Sometimes I ll eat a meal while watching the news or more likely a weather forecast.
If it's a family meal or holiday meal then you will find me in the dining room during dinner time, not the living room.

(A fish will usually stay near a food source)
TEMPERATURE - To stay comfortable I go where it's cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. My living room USUALLY is at a comfortable temperature, but ...
If the air conditioning broke down in the Summer, it would be cooler outside the house. Look for me to be in an area where a breeze is blowing in, or under a shade tree. That's where I'll be the most comfortable.

If the heater went out in the Winter, I would head to the garage and fire up the wood stove.

(Extreme temperature changes or unseasonably hot and cold weather affects fish location)

TRAFFIC AND NOISE - When I am home I value quiet time as well as the "normal" family traffic and noise. With normal traffic and noise I m comfortable in the living room, but .

If my wife or one of the kids is having a social gathering with a couple dozen of their closest friends and the living room happens to be the main hub of activities do you know where I will be? That's right! In the garage putting on new line, organizing my fishing gear, cutting the grass, changing oil in my truck, ANYPLACE but the living

 room!
If somebody is running the sweeper in the living room or dining room I ll escape to another part of the house too. I just don t like the added noise or traffic.

(If your lake has a lot of fishing pressure or traffic, try to find areas away from the crowds or off the beaten path. Also try to fish on weekdays, a couple of days before the weekend should be more productive than the two days following a weekend!)


There you have it, I listed just three examples or conditions that could and do affect the location of fish wherever you go. I hope this helps you to stay "on the move" the next time you go fishing. Presently I don't have a set time that I spend in one area before I move on. Usually in 15 to 20 minutes if I'm not catching any fish at all or only catching the little guys I'm ready to move on to bigger and better things. Try to set a time limit that you are willing to stay in each location without catching fish the next time you go fishing and to stick to it. Just because they aren't biting in your favorite spot doesn't mean they aren't biting somewhere else! Take the time to pack up and move around a bit, you stand a better chance of finding active fish rather than letting them find you. If you don't end up catching fish you will have given it your best shot and maybe even learned some "new water" that will be productive for you sometime in the future. Remember when they aren't biting, you might need to be "on the move."

I'll see you at the lake!