By Ronnie Parris
Whether it be life throwing you a curve in your work or your personal life, it’s inevitable that it’s gonna’ happen, your gonna’ have 2 choices: Number one, you can give up and feel sorry for yourself or number two, you can look for the best option to change the situation and make it a “glass half full” scenario. I choose number two. You can always look around and see someone else that has it worse than you. Same thing applies to fishing; one day your killing them and can’t seem to do anything wrong and then, you guessed it, you hit the water and either the fish have moved or just plain won’t hit or won’t hit the way you were catching them. You got a couple of choices to make. You can either go home and wait ‘till you hear they’re biting well again, which if you’re a guide is not an option. Number two, you can try a different lake, which is not a bad ploy, or you can try and figure out a method that works where you are. Fontana is notorious for this, as it can offer a wide-open bite or as some guys say, the Dead Sea. With the lake level fluctuations, it’s no wonder. Also, the overabundance of bait causes the fish to get awfully picky at times. Sometimes it’s as simple as riding around, slowly watching your fish finder, which is usually best. Another great source is your angler buddies that fish. Usually if you got 4 or 5 people fishing, someone will figure out a pattern. Just remember if you’re the one that finds it, you better let your buddy know or he won’t be so fast to help when he figures it out. Sometimes it’s a barometric thing and they just don’t hit well. Same with hunting pressure, as it really plays a big role in movement. Bottom line? Don’t give up and usually you will figure it out. I’m bad to keep notes of stuff to try and come up with patterns. Just cover ground, and watch where, and what, you catch; usually you will figure it out. Hope everyone is having a great year and as always, take a kid fishing.
Ronnie Parris is owner and head guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, N.C., heart of the Great Smoky Mountains www.smounlimited.com; (828) 488-9711.