No, I'm not talking about the (no fishing) (no power loading) or other man made rules that may be posted at your local launching ramps. I mean the fishing signs mother nature gives you, at the ramp or before you even leave home. Some of these signs may be so obvious that even beginners heed them. Like having a Tornado warning might not be the best time to head out on the Lake. Others may be subtle signs and known only to the locals concerning a particular lake or river. That being high/muddy water may both change your technique and locations fished. Along with what you use and how you use it.

And how about some other kinds of signs. How about the signs/cues that your fishing equipment gives you while actually fishing. I know of many signs I heed before I head out and many I heed while in the process of fishing. Might be fun to have everybody list a few signs they themselves take note of, rather it be nature or equipment wise, to turn the fish catching tables in their favor.

I'll start it off with an easy one. I'm trolling with either planner boards or In-Lines. I start a right hand turn and my left hand outside board (the one being pulled the fastest) takes a fish. This tell's me I may have to speed up a little to get the walleye attention today. If the inside boards (the ones tracking slower) take a fish, I may have to slow down. Lets read them fishing signs boys.

Hey Capt. Dan,

One thing I look for in warmer water are birds and shad on the surface. I then run a line real shallow 2 to 4' under the surface. Or a heard (it's a Wyoming thing) of Grebes (Bird) in the trees means bait in close to shore. Thunder stoarm warnings for the eveing means a good bite as the wind starts to blow. (Watch the sparks off the rods though). Long streach of stable weather means lots of fish.

Scott Appley
appleye

it's called paying attention to the details. It is more valuable than the fastest boat, the best graph, all the gadgets combined! Mother nature tells a story everyday. Walleye fishing is like deer hunting. To find the big buck, you have to find the signs.

Trout trick, what depth the bug hatch is happening in. Food is food to fish. Walleye eat the bugs and also the other fish feeding on the bugs. What phase of growth is the vegitation in. Growing check in and near, dying find a different spot.

My biggest problem is staying in the same old rut. I tend to do what worked yesterday or last week, rather than switching until I find a productive method that works today. I'm stuck between the "keep on with the presentation that worked before" and "try something new to see if that is what they are hitting on today".

This is where a tool like the Vex-18 that lets you see how the fish react will be a big help in selecting the right technique for the day.

It's a wonder that I ever graduated from the June bug spinner.

I would have to put wind direction at the top of my list of mother nature's signs. Not because of the old saying (west is best, east is least, etc.), but because of where the bait is being blown. This is especially true on inland waters.

Mac.
Very good point. That (it worked yesterday) or for that matter, (it worked last year at this time) can be a habit thats hard to break. Just to many variables that may have come together on that certain day or trip that may have produced your great success. I truly think sometimes, that the un-willingness to change or adjust a techique, keeps that skunk in the box alive and stinking.

Hey Scott.
Good to hear from you again. That watching the birds has taken on a lot more meaning to me the last dozen summers. As the waters on the Saginaw have become even more crystal clear, the birds eye view of the baitfish below has become worth taking note of.

The first thing I do (when I'm able to) is to check the minnow tanks when I stop for bait on the way. If the minnows are huddled together in one corner, the fish in the lake will likely be acting the same, i.e. hanging tight to structure and cover and negative.

If the minnows are scattered loosely about the tank, the fish will be scattered much the same way on the flats and in a feeding mood.

Not foolproof, but I have noticed a strong correlation.

Snowman.
That's a very neat sign/observation. With only knowing a few of all the physical tendencies and nuances of fish concerning weather, fronts and pressure systems. Keeping an eye on what a close specie relative is doing, (even in a live well) might give one an idea of where to look or what technique to start with.

Neat post , so many times it is right in front of us but we never seem to understand or interpret it . I try to explain it in deer hunting terms to my son's . How many deer do you think you will have come close enough to you to shoot with a BOW if you put your deer stand out in the middle of a cut sowbean field versus next to their path next to the fence row where they come out every night . That is the same for walleye if they are feeding in two ft next to the bank because the wind has been blowing the same direction for the last 2 days your not going to catch as many out in the middle of the lake fishing in 20 ft of water . I trapped mink for years when I was younger if the trap was set right you always caught the mink in the left front foot always no matter if it was a female or a male and it always was drowned it never new what happen . Animals and fish do the same thing over and over again habit or genetics I don't know , I haven't figured it all out yet .

CH Huges.
Right on. Both every great Hunter or Fisherman I've ever personally admired, knew a lot more about their preys habbits, life cycles, feeding preferences, feeding times and seasonal movements than your basic Joe Blow ever did. And most often he learned how to read all these SIGNS from somebody who also had the same passion and took the time to figure these things out. People to often think because they have all the expensive tools to capture or kill their prey, that prey should either be jumping in the boat or posing for a clean shot.

You looking for a good sign? How about a "HOT" fishing report! Let's say you talk to somebody that just came off the lake and managed to piece together a pattern and make a good catch. Do you assume that getting to the right location is good enough? Do you ask the right questions, and HEAR what the person is saying? I've given my share of good reports, details on location and technique, but that person I would find out later didn't duplicate the pattern well enough ...didn't hear what I was saying. They/you/I could have done better with a little more attention to detail. I've done it myself.
5-Stroke

For twenty years or so I was a blacksmith. I noticed that when horses were skiddish, so were the fish. I also paid atention to horse behavior prior to going elk/deer hunting.

The first sign should be to sign on to the USGS web site for the respective waters your fishing and check water conditions.

Don't forget to watch for crop circles.. :)

Actually, if you pay attention to other animals you will notice behaviour that can clue you in on the activity level of fish. For instance, early spring, birds will just be coming back into the area. They will still be scattered but will be looking for food. A little later in the spring, they are gathering near nesting habitat and building nests. Later, they will likely be found on the nest. After, they scatter more to find food though one will be by the young to protect them. After the young ones leave the birds will be found in feeding areas or traveling along feeding routes when active and will be found in cover when not. Birds that are in an area with predator birds such as hawks will be found in flocks quite often for protection. As fall approaches, feeding intensifies as does the flocking tendencies.

As for deer, when they are actively moving in search of food, fish are normally on the feeding too. When they are not looking for food they will normally be found bedding down somewhere they feel safe.

O.K...
We might be getting just a little of track from what I had in mind. Dont get me wrong, folk lore and animal behavior might well indeed tell you something about how your walleye trip might end up, but most folks wont pay attention, have horses or watch the birds. So heres another sign that tells me something before I even wet a line on my favorite river.

I get to my favorite river and notice that the water levels are higher or above their normal levels. This tells me the walleyes will most likely be spread out more today and using secondary holes, runs or deprsssions, versus holding in the deeper slots or pocket water. More water in the system spells safety and a wider forage area for river walleyes.
Lets also add something I learned many years ago running Steelhead trips on the Pere Marquette. That is if the water temperature has dropped slowly but steadily for a period of time, most of the fish will be stacked at the bottom portion of the holes. As or if the water starts to warm during the course of the day, they will move up to the middle or front part of the hole. This observation most always applies during late fall/early winter, when the feeding urge is minimal and the spawming urge is nill.

And the sign says "long hair freaky people need not apply"
So I put my hair under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said you look like a fine outstanding young man I think you'll do
So I took off my hat I said "Imagine that Huh Me working for you"

Signs Signs
Everywhere there's signs
Blocking up the scenery
Breaking up my mind
Do this, don't do that
Can't you read the sign

And the sign says "Anybody caught trespassing will be shot on sight"
So I jumped the fence and I yelled at the house, Hey! What gives you the right
To put up a fence And keep me out Or to keep Mother Nature in
If God was here He'd tell it to your face Man You're some kind of sinner

Signs Signs
Everywhere there's signs
Blocking up the scenery
Breaking up my mind
Do this, don't do that
Can't you read the sign

Oh Say now mister Can't you read
You got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't watch No You can't eat You ain't supposed to be here

And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh

And the sign says "Everybody welcome Come in Kneel down and pray"
But then they passed around a plate at the end of it all
And I didn't have a penny to pay
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign
I said Thank you Lord for thinking about me I'm alive and doing fine

Signs Signs
Everywhere there's signs
Blocking up the scenery
Breaking up my mind
Do this, don't do that
Can't you read the sign

Signs Signs
Everywhere there's signs
Blocking up the scenery
Breaking up my mind
Do this, don't do that
Can't you read the sign

Hippy.
I have to give you the thumbs-up for just taking the time to type all that. And believe it or not, I to remembered all the words. Pretty scary huh?:-)

Thanks Captain! But it was a cut and paste job. Even so I remembered all the words too. I always kinda liked that song too.

Stupid people should have to wear signs that just say, "I'm Stupid." That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you? You wouldn't ask them anything. It would be like, "Excuse me...oops, never mind. I didn't see your sign."

It's like before my wife and I moved. Our house was full of boxes and there was a U-Haul truck in our driveway. My friend comes over and says "Hey, you moving?" "Nope. We just pack our stuff up once or twice a week to see how many boxes it takes. Here's your sign."

A couple of months ago I went fishing with a buddy of mine, we pulled his boat into the dock, I lifted up this big 'ol stringer of walleye and this fella on the dock goes, "Hey, y'all catch all them fish?" "Nope — talked 'em into giving up. Here's your sign."

I was watching one of those animal shows on the Discovery Channel. There was a guy inventing a shark bite suit. And there's only one way to test it. "Alright Jimmy, you got that shark suit on, it looks good... They want you to jump into this pool of sharks, and you tell us if it hurts when they bite you." "Well, all right, but hold my sign. I don't wanna lose it."

Last time I had a flat tire, I pulled my truck into one of those side-of-the-road gas stations. The attendant walks out, looks at my truck, looks at me, and I SWEAR he said, "Tire go flat?" I couldn't resist. Said, "Nope. I was driving around and those other three just swelled right up on me. Here's your sign."

We were trying to sell our car about a year ago. A guy came over to the house and drove the car around for about 45 minutes. We get back to the house, he gets out of the car, reaches down and grabs the exhaust pipe, then says, "Darn that's hot!" See? If he'd been wearing his sign, I could have stopped him.

I learned to drive an 18 wheeler in my days of adventure. Wouldn't ya know I misjudged the height of a bridge. The truck got stuck and I couldn't get it out no matter how I tried. I radioed in for help and eventually a local cop shows up to take the report. He went through his basic questioning..ok..no problem. I thought sure he was clear of needing a sign...until he asked "So..is your truck stuck?" I couldn't help myself! I looked at him, looked back at the rig and then back to him and said "No, I'm delivering a bridge... here's your sign."

Here's the sign I got from the big Walleye I missed;

http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~kinho/youare.swf

Blacksilver.
Yupper, I forgot about them signs. But you forgot the sign at the gas station when your filling up the boat and the guy next to ya says,
"Looks like your a'goin fishing Huh?" I always answer, "Now what gave you that idea festis?".

5-stroke.
Sorry for not responding to your post earlier, I missed it somehow. But you are so right, it hurts. Details, maybe even above the signs equation, help you day by day, in just about every season for every specie. And these details can be, and often are, subtle or hidden. But unless you leave yourself open to interpret them as they are happening, you'll miss the boat/fish/winners circle.

re
: the stuck truck

You know the story about the driver who did the same got his truck stuck in an underpass and couldn't get it unstuck,..the police came and didn't have any ideas ,..the dispatcher was called and they tried his sugesstions w/o success. A little boy kept trying to talk to the police /driver and anyone that would listen. Traffic backed way up and people got out of their cars to walk over to the problem,..lots of plumbers, carpenters and electicians also a lot of mechanics, millwrights,and engineers,..talk of cuting up the truck or part of the bridge was put on hold because of fire concerns,..finally it was quiet and no one could think of anything and the kid used the spot to say,."let some air out of the tires,"....

When the lilacs are blooming in my backyard you can make bet I'll be in my boat and in the fall when my sugar maple starts to turn I go into full fall fishing mode

Ive noticed when my computer acts up and i cant get these really good fishing reports that are put on here and as good as gold---my fishing production goes down?!?!------people forget there is a reason why it is called fishing----so u happened on a hot spot for a day!!! and decided to post---tomarrow it may be different----and one thing i have learned most post amount to a bunch of BS so people can sell some extra minnows or worms or a charter -----so be careful and read the signs.---if u do not see more than 2 post for the location in question---it is not happening trust me---i have learned to see the signs!!!--------------------------mike