With all of the recent rain we have had, the rivers are certainly changing. I have mostly fished the Concord this year and mostly at low water. I will not be on the water for another week, unfortunately. In these situations, do you change your approach? I have spent the last 15+ years targeting trout and salmon so my knowledge of warm water species is slowly starting to improve.
This summer I have enjoyed success with various top water lures and spinnerbaits. Do you find yourselves using the same gear but slowing down speeds with the colder water post rain and with the coming fall? Do you think that the water temp changes are not enough yet to effect fish behavior?
The lousy weather has given me a case of the shack nasties and this upcoming weekend trip to nyc will not help that much.
Thanks,
Charlie
This summer I have enjoyed success with various top water lures and spinnerbaits. Do you find yourselves using the same gear but slowing down speeds with the colder water post rain and with the coming fall? Do you think that the water temp changes are not enough yet to effect fish behavior?
The lousy weather has given me a case of the shack nasties and this upcoming weekend trip to nyc will not help that much.
Thanks,
Charlie
It wasn't until May of this year that I became as enthusiastic about fishing as I am now. So this is my first fall fishing where I am equipped with the knowledge that different times of year mean different tackle, different approach, etc.
My changes in approach that I will be trying: (for bass and pike)
-Using bigger spinnerbaits for mid-fall, and smaller spinnerbaits for late-fall.
-jigs, spinnerbaits, and plastic shad with a focus on white and black colors. whites for daytime, both clear and stained water. black for evening, night, and murky water.
-Lipless crank baits (for bass) and in-line spinners (for smallmouth bass) and big in-line spinners (for pike and largemouth bass).
I'll post back with my results from this approach at the end of the season.
Oh and earlier this week, Thursday, I went to the Concord River and noticed at least half a foot increase in depth.
My changes in approach that I will be trying: (for bass and pike)
-Using bigger spinnerbaits for mid-fall, and smaller spinnerbaits for late-fall.
-jigs, spinnerbaits, and plastic shad with a focus on white and black colors. whites for daytime, both clear and stained water. black for evening, night, and murky water.
-Lipless crank baits (for bass) and in-line spinners (for smallmouth bass) and big in-line spinners (for pike and largemouth bass).
I'll post back with my results from this approach at the end of the season.
Oh and earlier this week, Thursday, I went to the Concord River and noticed at least half a foot increase in depth.
I am going to make a suggestion, and I know it sounds cheesy...keep a journal. This is the single most important piece of tackle I have ever had through my years of fishing. Keeping track of fish habits through all sorts of weather, times of the year etc is a huge benefit years down the line. Knowing what times of the year specific colors, lures, baits and the like work, helping to understand fish movements, weather impacts and more...you can't beat a good, simple journal to help you find the fish year after year.
That being said, yes I think the recent rains and weather have been plenty enough to change fish behavior. Bass are a warm water species, much like my favorite carp. Most warm water species will fatten up through the fall, start to get sluggish then slooow way down in the coldest of the year. Learning how wind, sun and air pressure effect your waters is key in the cold months in my opinion. Slowing your approach and offering the fish easy meals, meals that are a benefit without all the work will help. A fish that has stored a bit of fat and slowed it's metabolism can sit and watch as baits fly by it waiting for that one meal to simply drop in front of it. It can't afford to chase every speeding bait as it may only get one chance to eat a week..or a month...
Structure structure structure...chances are bass are not simply moving around frolicking in the cold water. They will seek shelter and they will stop moving to conserve energy. Now more then ever working small jigs slowly over and around sunken trees, old tires, submerged shopping carts etc may pay off. On this note checking known weed beds can sometimes yield a fish. Even though the weeds are dead, big bass will sometimes check then out of habit for an easy meal.
If the water isn't frozen then when in doubt, follow the wind and sun. These will help create warmer spots of water, it may be slight but the fish will seek any warmth they can get as the waters cool more and more.
I think color is much less important..outside of what the fish can easily see. They will tend to be less picky now as to color..speed is a much higher deciding factor I believe. Speed and proximity of cast to fish. Keeping your casts tight to likely fish holding areas will pan out better then having 18 colors with you during the late fall/winter in my opinion. Somedays you'll have to almost drop bait on a fish in order to even get their interest...
Fishing in the cold months outside of ice is a lot like fishing in the spring and summer. Only more so. Where in the summer you cast and a tree and landed 15 feet away from it you thought,
" meh, not where I wanted it but thats ok" and fish would chase your lure...now your gonna have to think,
"bah need to get it closer!" because the fish won't chase your lure.
The last thing I will add is front changes and weather. Looking for stable weather is a good thing. Many people think that if you get one day where it will be 70 that the fish will magically turn on. Sadly this isn't typically the case. I will take stable weather over spikes any day. Give me a week of consistent 30's and I will catch fish where having one day spike to 70 will many times put the fish off the feed due to sudden pressure changes. Understanding weather can get complicated but again thats where a journal can come in handy. When in doubt though try to plan for days on the banks where the temps and weather have been sitting around similar numbers for a few.
That said, cold water fish are really starting to go gaga..Pike and trout specifically are cold water favorites and many anglers simply back off bass fishing to chase these through the tougher months.
Dunno if any of that helps but it is early and I am off to fish ..big thing is just enjoy the time on the banks. I like winter, though my catch rate is down from summer..there is a certain zen like quality to the world when there are very few people out there. When I do get fish in the late fall winter though, they tend to be fat and make all this adjusting and fuss worth it.
That being said, yes I think the recent rains and weather have been plenty enough to change fish behavior. Bass are a warm water species, much like my favorite carp. Most warm water species will fatten up through the fall, start to get sluggish then slooow way down in the coldest of the year. Learning how wind, sun and air pressure effect your waters is key in the cold months in my opinion. Slowing your approach and offering the fish easy meals, meals that are a benefit without all the work will help. A fish that has stored a bit of fat and slowed it's metabolism can sit and watch as baits fly by it waiting for that one meal to simply drop in front of it. It can't afford to chase every speeding bait as it may only get one chance to eat a week..or a month...
Structure structure structure...chances are bass are not simply moving around frolicking in the cold water. They will seek shelter and they will stop moving to conserve energy. Now more then ever working small jigs slowly over and around sunken trees, old tires, submerged shopping carts etc may pay off. On this note checking known weed beds can sometimes yield a fish. Even though the weeds are dead, big bass will sometimes check then out of habit for an easy meal.
If the water isn't frozen then when in doubt, follow the wind and sun. These will help create warmer spots of water, it may be slight but the fish will seek any warmth they can get as the waters cool more and more.
I think color is much less important..outside of what the fish can easily see. They will tend to be less picky now as to color..speed is a much higher deciding factor I believe. Speed and proximity of cast to fish. Keeping your casts tight to likely fish holding areas will pan out better then having 18 colors with you during the late fall/winter in my opinion. Somedays you'll have to almost drop bait on a fish in order to even get their interest...
Fishing in the cold months outside of ice is a lot like fishing in the spring and summer. Only more so. Where in the summer you cast and a tree and landed 15 feet away from it you thought,
" meh, not where I wanted it but thats ok" and fish would chase your lure...now your gonna have to think,
"bah need to get it closer!" because the fish won't chase your lure.
The last thing I will add is front changes and weather. Looking for stable weather is a good thing. Many people think that if you get one day where it will be 70 that the fish will magically turn on. Sadly this isn't typically the case. I will take stable weather over spikes any day. Give me a week of consistent 30's and I will catch fish where having one day spike to 70 will many times put the fish off the feed due to sudden pressure changes. Understanding weather can get complicated but again thats where a journal can come in handy. When in doubt though try to plan for days on the banks where the temps and weather have been sitting around similar numbers for a few.
That said, cold water fish are really starting to go gaga..Pike and trout specifically are cold water favorites and many anglers simply back off bass fishing to chase these through the tougher months.
Dunno if any of that helps but it is early and I am off to fish ..big thing is just enjoy the time on the banks. I like winter, though my catch rate is down from summer..there is a certain zen like quality to the world when there are very few people out there. When I do get fish in the late fall winter though, they tend to be fat and make all this adjusting and fuss worth it.
this is exactly the reason i come here. fantastic, thorough and well thought out responses. i agree with keeping logs and slowing things down. i will post my results next week. i am excited to try a new lure - a smaller version of one of my favorite saltwater lures of all time. it is meant to be fished slowly.
charlie
charlie
During the fall months of the year, we ALWAYS start off very shallow throw same baits that we do all year long just move them SUPER slow, weightless worms, tubes,spinner baits and jigs. Structure is always a good idea like I said super slow. I have caught some of my biggest bass LATE in the fall using this system, as the day goes on we move off shore and look for structure around 9 ft deep. Logs, grass lines under water, rock piles. Again work all baits very slowly. Best of luck
@blackstonecarp:
terrific post, I really pulled a lot out of that. Keeping a journal is really a fantastic idea, I will definitely be trying that out for sure.
In addition to some river bass and pike fishing, I'll also be doing some lake Tiger Muskie fishing in my next few trips, something completely new to me. Can't wait to get out there!
terrific post, I really pulled a lot out of that. Keeping a journal is really a fantastic idea, I will definitely be trying that out for sure.
In addition to some river bass and pike fishing, I'll also be doing some lake Tiger Muskie fishing in my next few trips, something completely new to me. Can't wait to get out there!
In addition to some river bass and pike fishing, I'll also be doing some lake Tiger Muskie fishing in my next few trips, something completely new to me. Can't wait to get out there!
Good luck with the Tigers...the only ones I've heard being caught have come through the ice...
went out today for a few hours, caught probably 15 fish...1 decent pickerel, 2 smaller ones and the rest bass. Only about 3 bass over 12" though. They were all holding tight to rocks and I caught them on a spinnerbait and a lipless cranker.
OK learned ones. Tomorrow is going to be a wash with the wind so I am looking forward Sunday instead. My options are to go early or in the afternoon. Early has been consistently better so far, but with the colder temps would waiting a bit to have the sun warm the water be more advantageous? What say you?
Charlie
Charlie
Yeah it has been a rough fall so far. Few days banging fish with many more days with very little interest. The fish I have gotten have been timid by comparison and I'm going to venture a guess that the shift in weather has em off the feed so to speak. The main problem I see is the sudden shifts back and forth with multiple fronts coming through. It goes from 69 to 30 in a day...then we have rain, nice rain, nice rain...the back and forth probably has them backing off as they are really feeling the pressure changes. I am hoping Sunday provides some good fishing as I am heading out myself. To be honest though I am not sure how solid it will be due to the front we are having the first part of the weekend 
This year over all has been a tough one in my opinion. We had very little rain and now the temps dipped to frost really quickly. I think it will pick up once the weather stabilizes...hopefully it stabilizes heh.
Best things I could suggest are go smaller in baits/lures, try very subtle and slow approaches and cover a lot of water looking for where they are holding. I would say stick to natural colors and try to present as close to the way baits would be in nature right now. I think patience and determination will produce fish eventually..just stinks that we aren't having the traditional big fish extravaganza yet.
This year over all has been a tough one in my opinion. We had very little rain and now the temps dipped to frost really quickly. I think it will pick up once the weather stabilizes...hopefully it stabilizes heh.
Best things I could suggest are go smaller in baits/lures, try very subtle and slow approaches and cover a lot of water looking for where they are holding. I would say stick to natural colors and try to present as close to the way baits would be in nature right now. I think patience and determination will produce fish eventually..just stinks that we aren't having the traditional big fish extravaganza yet.