Smell that? I do. For the first time this year the smell of decaying leaves is permeating my house. Several of our trees have turned, the lake is cooling, and the muley bucks, though still in velvet, are starting to spar lightly around the house. Even the fawns have lost their spots as they've grown their first winter coats. Yep, fall is here.
Other than the fact that it spells the end of summer, I love fall. As an outdoorsman in general, fall is a magical time full of promise and options. As an angler specifically, it can be feast or famine. The feast part can be accomplished by fishing with an open mind.
What I mean by "open mind" is being willing to fish spots differently than you have been all summer (if, in fact we had a summer this year...crazy weather). Water levels are dropping, bait fish are balling up, and predators are on the move. In a nutshell, focus on bait locations and you'll find fish - all kinds of gamefish. Keep in mind that said gamefish may be suspended along the side or over the top of structure, rather than sitting right on it as they were in summer. They may also be roaming flats or relating to channels, but wherever they are, they will be near bait fish of some sort. Walleyes, bass, wipers, pike and the like have no pantry - food must be stored for winter in fat deposits and those can only be created by gorging on baitfish. Spoons, jerkbaits, walking baits, Rat-L-Traps, and Gulp minnows are all good choices for fall fishing for almost any species (skip the topwater for 'eyes of course). Follow the birds in your quest. Loosing summer can make me grumpy, but the fall feeding binge makes up for it.
Speaking of grumpy, have you ever seen Grumpy Old Men? Well, I had the guys I think they wrote that movie about in my boat the other day. I guided a couple of gents in their mid 80's that have been friends for 55 years. They've fished all over the world together and shared so many experiences (from raising cane to raising families and everything in between) that their relationship was beyond friendship. They ripped on each other constantly for four hours straight - out of mutual respect of course - while we fished. I laughed my tail off the whole time. Truthfully, I was worried about having two guys in their 80's in a bass boat from the safety standpoint (especially since one had a walker), but once we hit the water it was evident that they had spent plenty of time in boats. The trip was a pleasure and they reminded me bluntly that catching fish is a small part of fishing. Great guys, great lesson, and a great reason to be a fishing guide.
So, Fall is here. Grab your best buddy and make some memories of your own. I know I will this fall! CL
