Marshmallows and Dick Nite spoons

[Mukman]

My experience fishing west side lakes has been almost exclusively on selective gear water. My success on "general rules" lakes has been only so-so, but admittedly, I haven't spent much time on them. Given all the nice water on the west side, I need to expand my horizons - so my question is this: do you change up your strategy for fish that see a lot of PowerBait, Mepps spinners and the sound of two stroke outboards? For instance, are chironomids going to be more successful on these lakes than say, an attractor pattern like a white bunny strip leech? Just curious if there's a need to change it up when the fish are seeing flashy things and nightcrawlers on a regular basis. Looking at the stocking numbers to acreage ratio, the general rules lakes get a lot more plants and hopefully holdovers that are getting fat that I should no longer ignore!!

 

[Irafly]

I don’t change a single thing. Although early in the opener, I fish much shallower.

 

[bennysbuddy]

I look at the fish to acreage ratio like you do & like Ira I tend to fish shallower the first few weeks as the fish become use to the lakes temperature . unless the Cormorants are on the lake spring planted fish stay shallow. I troll Cary specials or Doc Spratleys to locate fish.

 

[Tom Butler]

My experience is nothing beats a worm for meat fishing. Under a bobber early day, or cloudy day, with a marshmallow slip sinker rig when the sun is high. I'm getting to the point where I can do about as well with flies as I did with powerbait (many of those deep hook too). If I'm in the canoe and flies are not working I'll troll a flatfish or dick nite for a change up.