suspended eyes

[JAYSUPNORTH]

hey everyone was just up on lotw and caught alot of bigger eyes 20 feet off the bottom in 36ft.ive caught some suspended in months past but this last week there were many more off the bottom.I would watch my vexilar and as soon as i saw a fish up off the bottom I would reel up to it and the fish would just cream it.so its obvious these fish were agressivly looking for food I didnt see much bait fish suspended on my vex either so what are they looking for is my question to you? fisky,curt,terri,old guide i would love to here your opinions

[Piker]

I noticed the same thing a couple weeks ago, the biggest fish was way off the bottom and it hit the jig like it was going out of style. That's fun. I'm not sure why this occurs, maybe the same reason big northerns are often deeper. Less competition maybe.

[curt quesnell]

Jay.<P>Suspended fish have been a real treat because<BR>they have all been quality fish....<BR> up until last weekend<BR>Its like the Dinks have learned to hang 6 to 10 feet off the bottom like the big kids.<P>Most of the fish we caught were NOT anywhere<BR>near the bottom. We caught lots of little<BR>fish, a dozen keepers (one good one just under 19 inches) and a bucket of Tulibees.<P>It really shows you how important electronics<BR>can be and how much fun they are to use. You<BR>have a chance at every fish that comes by<BR>no matter where they are up or down. Not to<BR>say you catch them all, but knowing you have<BR>a shot helps with the excitement level.<P>Early in the year I figured they were smashing schools of Shiner minnows but you are right in the fact that you dont see the<BR>baitfish on the Vex. They are aggresive like<BR>you mentioned so they are there for business.<P>They must be eating something. (Hows that for<BR>science?)<P>------------------<BR>Curt Quesnell<BR>NorthCountry Outdoors Radio<p>[This message has been edited by curt quesnell (edited 03-19-2003).]

[Grabs]

How about this guys,...I thought 4 times last weekend I might have hooked into a really nice walleye, these fish were marking 7-9 feet off the bottom. Well after I landed the first one, I learned that these were pout! I caught three more this way throughout the weekend.<P>Explain that one? What are suppose to be bottom dwelling, lake cleansing fish are hanging up off the bottom 7-9 feet in 30 feet of water, what could they possibly be doing up there, other than the less competition theory, which maybe true with the numbers of perch and walleye/sauger hanging out near the bottoms!

[Royal Dutchman]

GRABS,<BR>We had the same disapointment with 2 or 3 pout, 10-12 feet up last W/E! We had been picking up nice eyes up there earlier.<P>Gonna keep pulling up to them though!<P>The 24 & 26" eyes we caught were tight to the bottom so gotta leave one rod down.<P>Doug & Marilyn

[JAYSUPNORTH]

hey guys thanks for the replys maybe it has to do with oxygen levels I read that as winter wears on the levels of oxygen declines in deep water especially in fertile lakes.so they will either suspend or move to shallow water. maybe this holds true for the burbot also?

[CANOPY SAM]

It's just a hunch, but I'd guess they're just cruising, actively feeding fish. They're likely up off the bottom hunting schools of baitfish. You see it happen a lot during the summer - clouds of baitfish with large "hooks" in amongst them, or just below them. "Actively feeding" is the key here, due to the fact that these fish hit a bait so quickly and so hard! I only wish I'd had good electronics up there last weekend. We caught numbers of good size fish near bottom, but heaven only knows what swam by suspended right underneath us.