Just got lucky on the timing on the perch and crappie this winter and found them stacked up on the edge of the river on the snake in Idaho, caught them all in 5 days of vacation, I do fish every weekend and will be taking 2 weeks off in May for walleyes. I keep a spread sheet of all my trip to identify patterns and depths. I look back and see what was the best baits and location ect. Has helped a lot because as I am chasing the best bite patterns have developed that keep me on fish.