Adam Johnson Outdoors • Reading Outdoors

Some Questions About Profiling

By Adam Johnson

Since I began outlining the steps for "Setting Up the Profile" to find catchable fish I've received a number of e-mail responses. I appreciate all the feedback, suggestions, comments and questions. For those unfamiliar with this program, Setting Up the Profile is my concept which takes certain factors into consideration to direct anglers to the high-percentage areas where the fish will be. There has been much written over the years on how to catch fish - once we find them - but little on how to pinpoint the location of a particular species. This puts the cart before the horse, because, after all, we must be presenting our bait to fish to generate a bite.

The variables for Setting Up the Profile consist of the body of water I'm fishing, the cycle that the fish are presently in, the weather in the particular area, as well as the forage base. I include other variables to fine tune the search as well. Here are some of the questions I've received lately and the answers will bring this concept into clearer focus.

Q - I'm not an Aquatic Biologist. How do I know what the primary forage base of a lake is?

A - This information can usually be obtained from the local bait shop, which I always recommend visiting prior to your fishing trip just to find out what the anglers have been doing in the very-recent period. If the folks working the bait shop are unfamiliar with the information you need don't feel intimidated to call the area resources people. The Department of Natural Resources in your area will be happy to provide any information you need to fit together the pieces for The Profile.

Q - What if there's more than one forage base, or the body of water is made up of multiple basins, each with their own characteristics? What do you do when there is no consistency?

A - Inconsistency can actually be part of the equation. Unstable weather puts fish into a predictable pattern. A body of water with multiple levels of forage means a particular species may have more options when it comes to its location. An example would be a lake where shad and sunfish are what bass are foraging on. The shad may be suspended over deep water in the creek arms while the bluegills are in the weedy cover. Both locations have the potential for bass if the other Profile factors dictate this as well. When a body of water has many basins and each one has unique characteristics then each basin should be viewed as a separate body of water.

Q - Does leaving out a piece of The Profile negate the results that can be attained from part of the variables?

A - The main variables are pretty constant. Characteristics of the body of water. Weather. The forage base, etc. In some cases there will be questions instead of hard facts and in that situation you make your best guess and go with it. After all. Setting Up the Profile is a concept where you utilize pertinent information to pinpoint high-percentage areas where fish will be located. There is still the need to fish in a spot to narrow down the target. When required to use inadequate information your target just gets bigger.

Let me leave you with an example of how I set up The Profile for crappies in a cold-water situation; which could be after ice out in the north or prior to spawning in the south.

In a body of water with depths to 40 feet, some bays, and either dace, shiners or shad present I'm going to watch the temperature in those northern bays because they will warm up faster than the backwaters in the southern part of the lake and the minnows will move into that warmer shallower dark-bottomed bay.

The crappies will follow these minnows right into the shallows. Some of the crappies might be staging in the deeper water when they're not feeding, but the aggressive fish will be right in there chasing the minnows.

The weather can play a big factor in this scenario. Cold rains and unstable weather can push the forage and the crappies out of the shallow bays where they suspend in deep water not too far from the mouth of the bay. These fish can be found with your sonar, but they are tough to catch. You must use techniques on these suspended crappies that consider their reluctance to bite.

I can see that the concept of Setting Up the Profile is becoming popular with anglers that realize that finding fish should be their top priority. I've begun a book that will delve deeply into this program and it should be ready by the start of the open-water season. To get on the list to reserve a first-available copy contact me at www.adamjohnsonoutdoors.com.