02/26/2025
**A longer read**
I’ve had a good run the last few weeks. A lot of that has been trusting what I’m seeing, or not pitching/dropping until I see what I’m looking for. In this first picture, you can see I run grid lines. On most NC lakes, a fish that looks to be 2ft long, and is at least 12” tall (on the screen), is going to usually be a 1.75lb-2.25lb fish, given the time of year, health, etc. Notice on the screen that this fish doesn’t quite fit the “2ft long” bill. Obviously the fish, in real life, isn’t 2ft long, but we’re talking just what it APPEARS to be on the scope screen. You’ll notice a bit of a crescent/ 🌙 shape to the right edge of the dot on the screen.
Now look at this fish. That photo of the screen is as perfect and lined up as can be. Look closely and zoom in on the dot (third photo which is the first, but cropped and zoomed in). This is a fat healthy prespawn fish. Text book mid February female. Big swollen belly. Look at the third pic again. The brightest part of that dot is the belly/mid section of that fish, which also, unironically happens to be the fattest part of that fish. The “tail” part of the fish, I believe to be missing, due to it ‘hiding’ in the ‘shadow’ of the belly/shoulders.
**Take home message**You’ll notice that on those bigger class of fish, especially right now. They won’t be whole dots a lot of times. They’ll be partials dots, or a big dot with a speck of a small dot behind it (tail fin). THOSE are the fish you want to target if you’re looking for that 2lb+ class of fish. You usually don’t see it AS much in other parts of the year when their bellies aren’t as big, you’re just looking for those big dots.
Secondly… USE THE TROLLING MOTOR! Don’t be afraid to drive by hundreds/thousands of fish, looking for the right fish. You don’t have to catch them all. Catch them if you want to, but catching 30,40,50+ fish or TRYING to catch that many is going to greatly reduce how many you look at, and stack the odds outside of your favor for finding the fish you’re looking for!
