When you get into 17-19" fish, is that usually the size that your going to catch in the school? Or do the larger fish mix among them also? Basically wondering if size being caught can be used as an indicator to change locations in search of larger fish. Anyone have any general info to add on this topic? I'm sure there's other things worth learning on the topic that I'm not mentioning here.

The reading i have done suggest the bigger fish hang out deeper in the school. I am new to all of this and still learning, so take that for what it is.

No one rule... if that is the only size you are catching try a different size bait,color,presentation.If larger fish are in that area you will know.If not move if the size of fish are not what you are looking for.You will be able to catch other sizes if they are mixed up ,or if you have good electronics you should be able to make out if there are different size fish in the schools.Even if you mark better fish no guarantee they will bite,there or elsewhere.I would only move if I/or my peeps were tired of catching.(That size fish),or the fish quit feeding.

Both of those replies I find helpful. Even 19" fish pull hard enough to be fun. It would be hard to move off of that action at any point. I was just curious if there was a conclusion to be drawn when you've boated 3 that size.

I've been told that the larger fish tend to lurk under the active school. They take advantage of wounded baitfish falling down out of the feeding fray.

Sometimes it seems to be true when I drop a bigger lure down through the actively feeding fish.

I was catching allot of small hybrids under the boat last time out, but noticed larger fish on the edges of them with my side scan. I started throwing my slab toward the fish spotted on side scan and working it back to the boat. That's when I started catching the larger fish! It seemed like the bigger fish were patrolling (circling) the smaller feeding school picking off the shad escapees. I would throw my slab out and lift the rod tip and let it fall all the way back to the boat. If that didn't work, I slow rolled it off the bottom and then let it fall. The big fish would almost yank the rod out of my hands! It was awesome. My son stayed at it under the boat and we left that school with him catching 1 keeper and I 4. He caught a bunch of unders while I was catching keepers.

This is What I learned as well. Also saw a biologist do a video explaining how the larger fish are much more energy conscious and will mop up the bait so to speak, the younger more eager fish are usually the ones leading the pack and and going to the very top. This is just a summary mind you. I also agree with Mr Hartman that there are always exceptions and throwing a bigger bait can reward you many times. I do agree with you that it is hard to complain about catching fish of any decent size lol. Plus getting into the largest of the school may mean only getting one or two instead of 5 or 6. Just depends on what you want! There are days when most of us would get excited over 10 inch whites schooling lol

I have found that bigger fish are often below and lagging behind the main frenzy. I personally like to stroll big gizzards well below the top frenzy. Take and clip the tail of the gizzard.

Interesting technique BrandoA.

Another thing that makes it all tricky, is the fact that our boats are still once we find them and stop. My graph often clears up after stopping in a fishable spot, except for when the fish swim through. So keeping pace with where they head after I stop can be an issue. Not sure if side scan resolves that since I don't have it, but imagine not since moving is the key for sonar.

It seems for this time of year, on most lakes, that you will no longer see fish when you stop because they are moving so dang fast, now that does not mean that people are not finding schools that stay put , I just see them moving fast more than not right now. We mark good schools and then stop and come back and they may be gone, or they may not be, but they are not always there for long, I have found that staying put in that spot can be rewarded as well. They seem to move through and come back every now and then. Back in the winter I could mark a big school and still see them when I stopped , but those are much less active fish and they seem to stay put. I almost always go back to a spot that I did well at or so earlier

On Buchanan you can usually tell which way the school is moving when they are blowing up on top. Also during the summer a lot of times those schools won't hold for long period of times but will come through consistent though. On dead calm days I will stroll with the trolling motor at around .5 to 1 mph hour. Planer boards also work well during the heat of summer.

That makes a lot of sense as it was what I experienced as well. When I found good returns I had to fish that spot, and staying put in those areas resulted in fish despite the absence of a screen that looks like this...

I hooked up once out of that school and then they moved on.

Being able to relate it to the time of year, though, makes a lot of sense, and is helpful.