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Understanding what drives fish is the key to finding them in whatever body of water you may be fishing.

Fish have five basics needs. Locate places that meet these needs and you will soon be on to fish:

1. Sufficient Oxygen

Fish need oxygen just like you and me. If the water does not have sufficient oxygen, fish will not be able to live in it. Look for places that have features from the first list, and stay away from those on the second list.

Things that increase oxygen:

• waterfalls
• fountains
• turbulence (riffles, etc.)
• brightly colored vegetation

Things that reduces oxygen:

• pollution
• sewage
• decaying vegetation

2. The Right Temperature

Fish rely on the environment to regulate their temperature. If it’s not right, they move deeper or shallower to get closer to their preferred temperature range.

Many fish can survive outside of their ideal temperature ranges, but they become “inactive.” That means that even if your presentation is perfect, they won’t bite. It pays to know the preferred temperature range of your target fish.

Preferred Ranges for Common Game Fish (approximations)
Fish	low	ideal	high
Bluegills/Sunfish	65	74	80
Largemouth Bass	65	73	75
Crappie	60	67	75
Yellow Perch	60	67	75
Northern Pike	60	65	75
Muskellunge	60	65	75
Pickerel	60	65	75
Shad	55	65	70
Striped Bass	56	64	73
Brown Trout	48	64	67
Walleye	55	60	70
Brook Trout	48	56	68
Chinook Salmon	50	54	63
Coho Salmon	45	54	60
Lake Trout	40	43	50

 

3. Protection From Predators

Fish have lots of predators: birds, raccoons, other fish, and you. They prefer to hang out in areas that give them some protection. Look for them in these areas:

Lakes & Ponds:

• lily pads

• weeds

• submerged rocks, boulders, trees, roots and brush

• deep water

Streams:

• Under ledges

• fallen trees

• rocks in the current

• deep pool

• undercut banks

4. Comfortable Current

Fish, like people, like to be comfortable. Fighting strong currents wastes a lot of energy. Fish will spend most their time resting in moderate currents and in the edges that form between them and faster currents.

Current speed in a stream (cutaway view)

Current speed in a stream (top view)

5. Good Food

Fish have to eat. They go where the food goes. In lakes and ponds, look for the bait fish or other prey. If the bait fish are there, then game fish are not far behind.

In streams, the thing to look for is “feeding lanes,” narrow faster currents that carry insects and other food downstream.

Wherever these feeding lanes pass by undercut banks, rocks or protruding ledges, you will likely find fish.

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