Black Lake, NY Forum

It's a rough Spring so far. Really high water, cold air temps, cold water temps, and no steady weather for weeks. Docks are under water, snow is falling in May, and the fish seem to be hiding.

But lots of guys have their annual trips already planned and you just can't control the weather. So, what's your plan of attack for these kinds of conditions?

Personally, I think the fish are all stacked up in staging areas just waiting for the weather to break. I like to focus exclusively on main lake points at the mouth of bays, and play the wind. It's all about the wind. Sometimes it's really hard to do, but finding the current seam/break created by the wind and the point is the key.

What do you guys do?

As a crappie fisherman I work the bays and work the east side of the bay (the side the sun is heating first if there is any sun?). We move alot when our hot spots are slow. Over the years we have amassed a number of hot spots relating to various weather conditions. The 2017 conditions are somewhat simalar to weather patterns in the past but, of course you can never be sure. One thing about blk lk., weather and fishing patterns - you can never be sure. It is not uncommon for use to make both ends of the lake before 12-noon.

The rpts. offer us guidence as we perpare.

fish on!!!

There are several good strategies for high water. First, a good rule is when water is rising or at its high mark fish will move into the flooded shorelines. They will NOT be staging somewhere deeper waiting for conditions to improve. The new flooded areas is where the bait moves, so the predators follow. For crappie try fishing right in close to flooded grasses/bushes/trees. The same for pike, but also look for pike on the inside weedline that has been created by flooding shorelines.
When the water starts to fall...........the opposite movements occur, fish will move to the most adjacent deeper water and they move along breaks/breaklines to get there. When conditions are stable they will get more active again.
In spring, fish the northern/eastern shorelines first as these will have more exposure to the sun and warm more quickly. Afternoons can be better than first light/last light.