F+L+P=Success* or (Understand Your Target)

Success at catching fish is more than going to a lake known to have great numbers of fish and hoping to catch some. Those that do this have disappointment as a result.


Success results from planning

Part of the fun fishing for me is to go to new places and try to “out smart” the fish. If I have had a chance to do homework on the lake and have planned adequate time for fishing, the results are more likely positive than negative. Planning is needed to fully understand the lake or river and time is needed to overcome poor weather conditions.

The planning or homework process is critical. Every time I stop at a new lake on a whim, I have to struggle to understand the body of water. Several weeks ago, my fishing buddy Roger and I spent several days on three lakes during a return trip from our planned fishing spot. While very successful at our planned spot, neither of us had sufficient time to adequately prepare for the three other lakes. Unfortunately, a storm blew us off the first lake after about two hours. Spending a half-day on both the second lake and the third lake under clear skies with no wind made for limited success. We took our chances with limited equipment options in the boat and did not have the ability to adjust to current conditions.

The point is that you need a system to pre-plan your fishing experience. Even professional fishermen study a lake before tournaments. In addition, they test their understanding prior to the tournaments by fishing the lakes.

When my interest in fishing took off, I was fortunate to be around when the Linder brothers started In-Fisherman magazine.  In-Fisherman’s F + L + P = Success* formula provided me with the basic steps I still use today to prepare for fishing trips. The summary of their formula is below. However, I encourage everyone to contact In-Fisherman for the complete version. A DVD can be purchased from In-Fisherman for a modest price. In-Fisherman can be contacted at 7819 Highland Scenic Road, Baxter, MN 56425-8011. Its phone number is 800-260-6397. The website is www.In-Fisherman.com.

To be successful, you need to understand three elements of fishing. They are the:

        1.    Understand the habits and preferred environment of a fish species.

        2.    Know were a fish species is likely to be in a body of water.

        3.    Use the best method to catch the fish species for a given situation.

Fish Species:

Each species reacts differently to its environment depending upon its genetic makeup. Smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing all influence how a fish reacts to the conditions Larger, torpedo shape fish with sharp teeth are on top of the chain while smaller fish with sandpaper lips are further down the chain.

Other factors that are important are reproduction, comfort, and food. Each species satisfies their needs differently and requires different water temperatures and bottom content to spawn. Their comfort zones differ due to water temperature, light levels and clarity of water needs. Food preferences are impacted by water temperature, season, and weather conditions. Whether a fish is a predator or prey at the moment will also impact its comfort zone.

In-Fisherman defined 10 calendar periods to identify yearly periods of fish behavior. Each species reacts to the periods in similar ways. However, calendar periods occur subject to weather conditions occurring at the time. Calendar periods are influenced by location as well. The further north one is, the length of cold weather periods is extended. Conversely, the further south, having frozen water is not likely.

The periods are:
                                                    1.  Pre-spawn          2.  Spawn                   3.  Post-spawn
                                                    4.  Pre-summer        5.  Summer Peak        6.  Summer
                                                    7.  Post-summer      8.  Fall Turnover          9.  Cold Water
                                                  10.  Winter   

Each period varies in length due to geography and body type of water. The impact on each species is also different such that two species in a body of water may be experiencing different calendar periods. Calendar periods help determine where fish are in a body of water and the activity level for a given species.

Everyday I expect to fish many different spots. By reviewing maps and remembering past experiences, I put together five or six rod and reel combinations each tailored for a different fishing situation that I expect to encounter. Once I am in the boat, these rods are rigged and ready to go. With a plan of attack on the spots I want to fish, I am set to go. Live bait, lures, net, stringer, drain plug,  electronics, etc. are all checked to make sure something has not been forgotten. I am then ready to go match wits with the lake and its inhabitants!
These walleyes were taken in two different weather conditions. On the left, it was early morning and a cold start to the day. On the right, the temperature was in the lower 90's with little breeze. Fish can be caught in most conditions - you have to just plan for them.

Fish Location:

Fish move around. On a daily basis the movement is generally not a major shift. However, spawning needs, changes in water temperature or level or food chain can create major shifts. Species location is determined by structure of a body of water, interaction between species, and reaction to weather and man.
  • Structure is the makeup of the bottom of a body of water, its content and water characteristics. Is the body of water deep, shallow, etc? How does it taper from shallow water to deep water? Are there points, bends, islands, etc.? What are the current patterns of the body of water?
    • Bottom content is the makeup of the bottom of the lake. Does it contain rocks, gravel, sand, muck, etc? Does it have ambush points such as boulders, sunken trees, brush piles, etc. Are there safe havens for baitfish?
    • Characteristics of the water determine where fish will be located. The clearer the water, the more sight oriented fish will be. They also tend to be deeper in bright days. Dark water suggests fish to be more sound and vibration oriented. When vegetation decays, the reduced oxygen forces fish to move to shallow-water.
    • The amount of location and density of vegetation is also of part of structure. It provides cover for both prey and predators.
    • Current or water movement is another factor. The faster current moves, the more likely fish are near. Look for inflows and outflows.
  • Species Interaction is the relationship between predator and prey.
    • Large populations of fish suggest that a balance in the relationship has been established and a large degree of predictability has been reached with species having their own territories.
    • Available food determines the location of predators. If adequate supplies are available, predators can have good size.
    • Competition for the same food and spawning sites impacts location. Too much competition is detrimental.
  • Outside Stimuli can cause fish to change location. Elements such as temperature, local weather, and activity on the body of water result in fish moving to different locations. Current weather conditions create problems for those who do not consider this element. Cold front’s affect clear water more than dark while warm temperatures impact dark waters more than clear. Fish react differently to each situation and their movement depends upon the calendar period of each speicies. Also, the more activity on the lake the more likely fish will move off their preferred spots.


 Use lake maps to identify potential spots prior to being on the water.

Lure Presentations:

Good presentation is using the right bait in the manner and time for which it was designed. Many TV shows and magazine articles cover presentation while advancing a particular product. Understand good presentation is a combination of position and working method. Position is he implementation of the working method of your presentation. Is it stationary or mobile? How fast is the presentation? Choose the best approach that allows you to present the triggers of your bait to their best advantage.

Working method consists of triggers and controls, gear selection, and technique. Choice of the bait or lure is dependent upon the species you are fishing. Different triggers and controls target your target. Action, color, size, shape, scent, sound, vibration and texture are triggers while depth and speed are controls. Next, match the rod, reel, line and other gear to the bait or lure you want to present. Carelessness here will decrease your success. Finally, use the bait or lure as intended. Technique is critical in placing the bait or lure at the proper depth and moved at the right speed with the desired action. Good technique produces the triggers needed to entice fish to strike.


This summary is a snap shot of the information in The Secret Teachings of In-Fisherman. Again, I urge everyone to view the DVD to get a complete explanation. In-Fisherman’s website is www.In-Fisherman.com. This is the method I follow. The elements covered are essential to successful fishing. Use this or develop your own – do not go onto the water without a plan! These are all factors in choosing the appropriate fishing gear for the situation you will be facing.
*An In-Fisherman trademark. In-Fisherman is located at 7819 Highland Scenic Road, Baxter, MN 56425-8011

Fishing Tip: It is said that fish are generally concentrated in 10% of the water. This means that 90% of the water should be avoided when fishing. Whatever the exact percent is, understand that most of a body of water does not contain the habitat that support fish.

Fishing Tip: If bait fish are in an area, chances are good that predators are nearby. This would be a good spot to start exploring for active fish. If you don’t see bait fish in a spot, it is more than likely you will not find active fish. Move on to the next spot.

Fishing Tip: Low water is a good time to take photos. When water returns to its normal or higher depth, you will have a permanent record of the specific spot.

Our first year fishing this small bay in high water was highly   successful. Good size walleyes and plenty of small mouths were caught. Because of some underwater bars, it was impossible to get to the back of the bay.

While we could guess at what was there, not until the following year when the water was down almost 10 feet did we see the entire structure of this section of the Winnipeg river system. This section is influenced by the spill from the damn about one mile away. It has a number of under water reefs leading to the deep water channel. As water level changes, we move to the first break above the current.



This spot was great with high water. The rubble went out in a point  for about 100 feet before dropping off into deep water. For this  river system, similar structure was not very common since the river  system narrowed within a few hundred feet.

With low water, the spot was not big enough to hold many fish.