The vast majority of followers believe that the Percid King is only active for a short time each day.
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In fact, we’ve been taught from generation to generation that when the light is intense, we almost waste our time teasing these fish with their yellowish and black plumage.
physical characteristics
Walleye is Lucifugal. This means that he has large, light-sensitive eyes. In addition, they are oriented upwards and easily catch the rays emanating from the sun.
So-called nocturnal species in terms of vision, such as deer, dogs, cats, cattle, skunks, several other mammals, and fish such as walleye, not to mention loaches, eels, and bullheads are endowed with tapetum lucidum, also called “clear”. “Carpet” is less common in French. The layer of reflective cells in their eyes acts and reacts like a mirror, even like an amplifier.
a bit of science
As I have explained to you a number of times, it is possible to quantify light intensity using a unit of measurement called Lux. For example, if you admire a full moon, the value on the light level is 0.5 lux. The latter increases from 20 to 70 in an illuminated street and from 100 to 200 in an artificially lit apartment. In an office, or even in a workshop, we go from 200 to 3000. However, our poor, wide-eyed fish seeks lighting conditions that range from 8 to 68 lux. For this reason, amateurs take advantage of the light-sensitive windows, which appear very early at sunrise or very late at sunset, and with good reason.
“The zander action takes place early in the morning or in the evening”, as my friend, the experienced fisherman from the Gouin dam and several sectors to the north, Pierre Lepage, so aptly puts it. And I have to admit he’s right, but… also keep in mind that night fishing is often very productive, except that it involves certain risks that not everyone likes.
Exception
Many roders from the lakes of Saint-Louis, Deux-Montagnes, Saint-François, Saint-Pierre, the Mille Îles, des Prairies, Richelieu and St. Lawrence make great catches in broad daylight. This is easily explained as the coloring of the water caused by pollution and various spills causes the sea background to darken, as if it were twilight.
On the other hand, keep in mind that the damn invaders from other continents, like zebra mussels, filter up to a liter of water a day, giving us the impression that the water is clearer and less affected by human activity. Ultimately it is not, apart from a change in ecosystems and changes in the habitats of several species, including the zander, because the water now has much less light permeating.
The waves are your allies
If you’re on the water between 8am and 7pm and the surface of the lake is calm and untouched by the waves, it’s a good time to hunt a species other than the walleye or enjoy a moment of relaxation. .
Imagine a piece of aluminum foil that we would have compacted between our hands and then unfolded again. The crumpled mirror effect, as scientists call it, creates a light environment that causes any shards to reflect in all directions, reducing the intensity of light projected into their habitat. The same principle also applies to the waves, they create an atmosphere that is or will be attractive to zander.
new scene
Every time the wind moves the water surface, it’s as if a dimmer has been used to dim the brightness of your fishing spots. It’s time to go back and try your luck. Especially when the wind blows from the south-west, west, north-west or occasionally from the north. Don’t leave your house coming from the Northeast. On the other hand, the easterly wind before a storm could encourage zander activity.
Rock and sand pinnacles, underwater pinnacles, rock mounds, grass strips, underwater islands, mesa, and all other types of structures become potentially productive sites again, unless of course there is a severe cold front, large air fluctuations, etc .
Experience
During my vacations, which coincided with the construction work in the Upper Laurentians, I fished two to three hours a day, often from 9am to 12pm or even 1pm to 4pm. Most of the time I was in the bright sun, but the whole thing had to be accompanied by waves.
In this lake, which is notoriously difficult to catch, I managed to catch about sixty. They were all pardoned except for eight of them, who were literally devoured over a delicious beachside lunch with friends.
reinforcement
The only major difference between day fishing and night fishing is that the intense light in clear water makes it much easier for walleye to spot your tricks. For example, a buddy of mine was 5-0 down after 90 minutes of fishing. We went drop shot fishing with leeches. The latter had tied on a 15-pound-per-test fluorocarbon leader on the pretense that it was invisible and unobtrusive. He had also tied his hook with a kind of open and coarse knot. After deciding to tie an 8 pound fluo with a Palomar knot, he started taking Perciden again.
Finally, keep in mind that they often bite the tip of their lip directly or suck up the water to put the offering in their mouth. So you have to be constantly on the lookout to not miss any of the action.
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