Surface Clutter

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

I'm going to give you something you probably never heard of before but I also need your help. Hopefully, you and I will be a part of ground breaking fishing info that will help everybody catch more fish. We will eventually need 500 or more people to reply - "more" is better.

Surface Clutter : Rich Ziert - 6/2008

(Need at least two illustrations of a Humminbird, or other prominant depth finder color screen in action - similar to what is in their operating manuals) Without adjusting sensitivity from spot to spot, one pic showing less surface clutter, and one showing more clutter. Then, in field experiments, show how one color lure is more effective than another based on the quantity/quality of the surface clutter.

Surface Clutter, or electronic Secchi Readings – which is it? Or is it the same? Surface Clutter is depth finder returns reflected off of small objects at or near the top of the water column. These objects include algae, rising bubbles and chop action, insect matter, wood and vegetation particles, dust, etc.. Hardly anybody pays attention to surface clutter; in fact we try to adjust our units to eliminate it; or mentally bypassing what we feel to be extraneous to get to the readings at depth. In the “Big Picture” this could be a mistake.


Surface Clutter can be an indirect indicator of the degree of light penetration and the presentations needed to capitalize on the condition. Sunlight bouncing off of these same particles, scatters or disperses more when encountering harder surfaces. For those with color monitor depth finders, the same color pattern which applies to hard and soft bottom content, objects on the bottom, suspended items, or otherwise in the water column, also applies to surface clutter color definition.


If fishing spot to fishing spot, and without changing the sensitivity setting, surface clutter shows up thicker, or with more red, orange, or yellow colors, it contains harder particles, and is dispersing/scattering more Sunlight than if these specks were not present. Knowing this, and with a little practice, we can select bait characteristics, bait colors, contrasts, speed and angle, as well as depth level of presentations merely by diagnosing surface clutter.

RZ

Here's where you come in. I mneed you to keep a log for all of us.

Your log should include:

Date:

Location:

Time of day:

Weather Conditions, including cloud cover.

A screen Shot of the area you fished.

The results of fishing one lure/bait presentation over another.

Species caught.

The depth at which your fish were caught.

Boat Control: Trolling, drop shotting, anchored, drifting, etc.

Send your pics and info to richardziert@yahoo.com

I'll sort them all ought and present the findings - get back to you with the results.

Thanks again.

Rich Ziert

[Jimmy Jig]

You bet!

[KLN2 ul]

Act,

If you get the amount of reponses you're looking for, you will learn a lot about walleye fishing. Hopefully, you'll get enough reponses to complete the study. Unfortunaley, The best "pro" fishermen, with all of the answers, will not repond to your request.

Just a side note; IMO, understanding the bottom "clutter" and associated lure color, is just as important for catching more walleye.

[Mr. Sauger]

Kinda sounds like the old Color C lector. Granted, that may have been measuring general light penetration and not necessarily larger suspended particulate matter. I don't think that ever caught on. Interesting concept though.

[Hawker]

I don't know, just looking at it I can see way to many variables that would or could come into play here. For instance, if I were to keep a log of fishing ventures here in Oklahoma, we have such a wide variety of lake types and lake conditions, even on the same day that data collected on one lake would/could be complete opposite or different than that collected on another. My perception of light conditions, water conditions, weather conditions will not be the same as another fisherman's perception even if he/she is in the same boat with me. Percentage of water clarity would assuredly be a variable, and many to most fishermen usually don't carry instruments on their boats that measure water clarity. Amount of surface clutter is going to vary from one unit to the next no matter the settings or brand or model and also due to many factors such as transducer type, transducer placement, age of unit, voltage to unit and certainly monochrome vs color. No matter, just way too many variables for this to be a specific means of determining light penetration based on surface clutter.
I think the basic concept may have some merit because it can affect and does affect light penetration into the water column and that just means dig out the ole Color-C-Lector if it's an issue.

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

Smitty, I think you are right for the most part. I also think my post was both a question and answer. Not necessarily a rhetorical question mind you, but one that might get folks to think about and beyond the obvious. Doing so in itself is a breakthrough.

I went out yesterday to one of my local lakes and caught a half dozen Stripers. My Humminbird 787c2i unit is set at 80% sensitivity. These California Lakes are so clear that my surface clutter was merely a thin blue line almost all day long and no matter where we decided to fish - every now and then there was a glob of clutter, but nothing that covered the surface for any distance. We had an algae bloom, but it didn't matter - still a very thin surface clutter line. I don't know what the answer is. It seems to be that the idea is a valid one for sure, and something to tuck away for when you run into it on the water. I still would like to have some screen shots, and log entries to gain additional knowledge. . . Can't do this by myself effectively - ergo, the call for help.

I think the biggest age old problem is getting folks off their kiesters to get involved.

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

Hawker, I don't know why I called you Smitty. I was thinking of something else I guess. Old age not withstanding LOL, I have to tell everyone to just simply use the information when you run into the situation. I'm a positive kind of thinker. My wife is not. She can find more ways to shoot something down before it even gets off the ground. Is that being lazy. . . maybe. It's a mind set thingy for sure though. The world needs both kinds. Hopefully the positive thinkers amongst us have more than a fair share of tenacity and can objectively look at all the negative comments out there in a way to build even through adversity.

[yarcraft91]

Rich:

I've done enough technical data mining/analysis to know you're taking on a tough challenge here. Tough challenges are OK if the potential rewards are big enough. What could be more rewarding than knowing how to catch more fish? :-)

There's almost always more information buried in data than we typically extract and use. I have a walleye-fishing buddy who is also a professional data miner. I'm going to chat with him about what we could do with analysis of digital recordings or images from sonar units.

[Hawker]

It's OK Rich, I've been called many things over time and I do understand the "brain-toots" associated with age! LOL!
Wasn't trying to be negative or take the lazy way out, agreed, you may be on to something but IMHO it would in reality be a monumental task in gathering the exact data required to realize any major differences in the catch rate of fishermen based on the information gathered. I truly do hope you are successful in this venture!
Tight Lines!!

[KLN2 ul]

On a positive note...I've read some biology studies that touched on information you are seeking. If you can wade through the fill material, a person can gain information toward your question, with a lengthy search.

As far as I know, there is no publication addressing walleye and surface clutter. For the fishermen that do know the answers and tournament fish, you have to respect them for not sharing on the subject.

If you get it all together, I will purchase the book and I'm sure it will be an interesting read. Good luck.

[karpbuster]

So I don't have a color screen .. my information is no good? :(

Just kidding, it is 2-3 hrs to go fishing around here, and with the gas prices the way they are my fishing trips per year have dwindled down.

But I am strictly black and white or gray, locator and GPS. Sorry, behind the times. But I just got a new 20" Alum iMac ... sweet!

karpbuster

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

"Karp" Diem. LOL

Seize The Day.

You can still get involved with surface clutter education. black and white, and shades of grey are more difficult, but not impossible to sort out. I popped for my new color unit even though my budget could barely stand the strain, and a whole new world opened to me. Like not detecting those subtle bites, the fishing/boating industries mostly sucks you in and spits you out before you know what's going on. . . and we keep coming back. But, the color units are truly a benefit.

Take care Mr. Buster.

Rich

[karpbuster]

I like it ... and I will use that! LOL

OK I will send you stuff/info then. I have to save for my new cabin and retirement. :)

Take care Mr. Klassy.

karpbuster