[Jighead61]

The mystery of this years fall fishing……

I can't explain it but fall fishing has been a major disappointment so far !!!

Normally, fishing picks up in early to mid October and peaks by early to mid November (I have yet to see this happen). It’s become difficult to put 10 bass in the boat (especially quality) on most outings which is unheard of in the fall....the irony is that I had one of my best spring seasons ever !!!

My theory is that water temps dropped too quickly....I measured a 10 degree difference in one week alone !!!

I predict that fishing will improve in November as water temps stabilize and the fish adjust (don't hold me to that)...LOL !

With that said, I have the following two questions:

1. Has the fall bite been up to your expectations so far ?

2. Will fishing improve next month or is it over for this year ?


Ronnie

 

[JOHN G]

Ronnie: I think it depends on where you are fishing.......the Whaley get together produced very well, as well as our outing on there today....I have a very good Wampus showing recently also....

several of the reservoirs, as you know, have been DEAD...especially Kensico......

now, as to Water temps, good point, however, I clocked only 51 degrees early on Whaley today, so, one more cold spell and we are looking at upper 40s, and I will tell you that y ou are NOT going to get a frenzy in the 40s.........unless they fully stabilize for about 2 solid weeks or more.....what you need is 2 weeks of stable and then a freak 3 or 4 days where the surface temp actually goes up a bit.......

hope some other people comment on your thread.....

 

[Pete L]

1. NO!!!

2. I hope so!!!

Went to Muscoot sat. for a couple of hours.

Only got 3 , BUT....... had one of the largest pickeral i`ve seen
caught anywhere and my only bass over 4lbs on muscoot this year. The other was about 2 pounds. All 3 were caught
on a white spinner bait . So hopefully , this means they are starting to get active again.

Pete

 

[earthworm77]

You mean you guys are still fishing????? URGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[Jighead61]

Ronnie: I think it depends on where you are fishing.......the Whaley get together produced very well, as well as our outing on there today....I have a very good Wampus showing recently also....

several of the reservoirs, as you know, have been DEAD...especially Kensico......

John,

I concur, results will depend on where you fish. I'm primarily a reservoir fisherman so my findings are based on several of these waters.

However, I've been reading and hearing negative reports about Candy, Greenwood, Maho, Hudson and many others......is it just coincidence ?


Ronnie

 

[Hooked Solid]

However, I've been reading and hearing negative reports about Candy, Greenwood, Maho, Hudson and many others......is it just coincidence ?


The same day of the "Halloween Classic" there was a 50 boat Tx on Candlewood.
150 bass brought in,10 fish limit.
It took 31+lbs to win and 2nd had over 27 lbs thats not too bad on a tough day...><>...HS

I'll spend the rest of my season on C-wood getting ready for next year,Love that place!!!

 

[JOHN G]

Paul, seeing those results that you posted and reading our results from Whaley yesterday tells you just how bad Maho is right now!!

interesting about Candy!

 

[earthworm77]

Is it the Pressure, the lack of grass? What do you guys think?

 

[SethV]

The mystery of this years fall fishing……

I can't explain it but fall fishing has been a major disappointment so far !!!

Yeah, I know what you mean. These Erie tourney just won't give up the 30 lb limits, we must settle for little 23 - 25 lbs limits. Dang!



Ya just need to go a bit west!!!

Seriously, are you fishing for Largies or Smallies? Around here, the largies get weird and smallies dominate, even the inland water. I don't know where the largies go, but they are spotty and almost impossible to pattern...kinda like a smallie in the summer!

Seth V

 

[Skeet]

I think it just depends on where and when you fished.

I had one of my best days ever on the Hudson on 10/13. I hit a spot where I had 10 fish on 10 casts on three different baits. I would guess I caught 30 fish for the day. My best 5 would have been near 18lbs. I went there the following Saturday and only caught 4 keepers for 9lbs even.

As with most fall fishing, it is hit or miss. You just hope the hits are more than the misses. If we can get a few days of stable weather in a row, you will see the fishing pick up again.

 

[Mark G]

Just a thought, but it sounds like lakes with weeds are easier to fish than lakes without weeds right now. I've seen the same in the NYC reservoirs (Kensico (mostly weedless) has been really rough while Croton has better (weedy)).

Any thoughts?

Mark

 

[HookUp]

Fall Bite

1. Has the fall bite been up to your expectations so far ?

Absolutely, positively, frig'n awesome in NoVA waters this year.
I float rivers 99% of the time.

2. Will fishing improve next month or is it over for this year ?

I'm off to float 9 miles on the Shenandoah tomorrow morning.
I hope so.

I'll stop fishing when the ice starts forming on the rivers. Until then, let the wife yell, I'm going fishing.

 

[JOHN G]

Craig: in Maho's case it is more than than the lack of grass....it may be the deplorable oxygen levels they found when they tested the water in mid summer, however, there is a possibility that we are looking at some sort of limited fish kill, I say limited, to mostly Largemouth.......

envirnonemental? , or maybe, LMBV.....can be many possibilities, but there have been numerous reports of dead LM on the bottom in that water, something I found way back a good 2 months or so ago........

disturbing, but of course, nothing official yet......

I was shocked to know that they had a big fishkill there in the late 80s when they over did the chemicals to kill the weeds......

couple that with how they overdid the number of carp that was recommended and we can see a definite pattern telling us something about the Lake Mahopac Lake Association........

 

[bearpaw]

I would have to say that fall was a big dissappointment also,
On that day you killed them on Whaley lake. Things at Orange lake were tough. This was our last tournament and a double tournament at that. I was third place going into the double points tournament at Orange lake. I was coming off a win at Swinging bridge where I used my handpoured baits loaded with rattles to nail 4 legal fish out of 20 bass boated, But the 4 fish weighed in the 3.14 range. But it was enough to take 50 points. On October 5 At Orange Lake the bite was super tough again. Rattles did not work for the water was pretty clear and shallow for dropping the lake this year to get the homeowners to fix thier walls and docks. I managed over 8 hours to reel in 4 fish that took the scales at 7 pounds even with a 2.6 pound lunker. I finnaly did it . Angler of the year. It was even better with the Baits I made for both tournament wins.

Bearpaw:beerchug:

 

[Senkosam]

John, maybe it was all those tiny split shots giv'n those fish lead poisoning! LOL (Did you happen to see any dead loons lieing on the bottom next to them?

Frank

 

[Benj]

Sam,
This being my first post, I must say, "disturbing pic"!
That said, fall has been great for me in the past. But not this year. I put my new (barely used) boat on Greenwood for the first time on Sat. It was supposed to be sunny and warm, but the temp, clouds, and drizzle were mixed in with sun. I was out there getting a feel for the electronics, handling, etc. I put in a solid 2 hrs of fishing but nothing. A white cut tail Senko produced some rat a tat tats under docks and that was it. Of about 10 other boats I asked, 2 had caught small perch. A friend of mine marked large fish on a 15' to 35' drop off just west of the rip rap, but nada. He was jigging spoons there, one hit produced "large scales stuck on the hook" but that was it. I tried a Manns 20+ along the drop, no hits. As I got off the water, the sun came out and warmed things up, maybe it picked up then.
Beter luck next time, I guess!
:beerchug:

 

[Jighead61]

I'm obviously not alone in my quest for the great fall bite. It's apparent that some of you are also experiencing less than ideal fishing conditions for this time of the year......

Where you fish certainly makes a difference. However, it's interesting to read and hear the different reports regarding the same body of water. The weather certainly has a direct impact on a daily basis, hence the various reports.....

It will be interesting to see which way it goes this month......


Ronnie