Well, as the folks around here have been saying a
lot around here, " Fall is in the air". It's a
time I look forward to for many reasons. One major
reason is that most of my neighbors are "snowbirds"
and will be leaving the area in the next couple
of weeks. It's not that I don't like the neighbors,
but after a few months of being so close to them
it's nice to see them leave...like relatives visiting,
after a while you start getting on each others nerves.
Another reason is less "multi-recrerational" types
on the river. There are a lot less jet skis when the
days high is only around 40 degrees! But what I look
forward to most is the fall feeding frenzy that the
small mouth bass put on!
The bass start storing up energy for the coming
winter once the temperatures start dropping below
around 50 degrees during the days. Living on the river
now, as I do, I usually keep one eye on the hammer in
my hand and one on the river. Occasionally this
diversion means a sore thumb, especially when there's
a big splash 100 feet away, indicating a foraging fish.
I keep a rod strung and handy and it usually
coincides with a "well deserved break" at
about the same time. At this time of year,
with the leaves changing and the unpredictable
weather patterns that are normal for the area,
the bass also fall out of their early morning/late
evening feeding habits and seem to be a lot more
aggressive. So fishing is good and almost any
streamer pattern will work.
Most of the fishing is done along the shorelines,
near rocky ledges and logs where the bass lay in
wait for passing prey. It's not unusual to catch the
same fish several times a week. It's also not unusual
to catch as many as a dozen fish in an hour at times.
Other times, just one here and there. Like I said,
it's a little unpredictable. The most this year, so
far was 14 in 45 minutes. They ranged in size from
4 inches, taken on a #6 light spruce, to a
3 ½ pound taken on a crayfish pattern. I have to
admit, it was hard to go back to work after that
run, but reality has to come back at some point!
So if your looking for some good fall small mouth
action, it's time to hit the streams. The weather
is right, the fish are aggressive, and plentiful, and
there are a lot fewer people on the water. Take a
break and go fish! ~ Randy Fratzke |
