JACK WOLLITZ Lower water levels can change angling tactics

Water levels at area reservoirs have dipped to their typical September lows and some of the better fishing spots are high and dry.
Because lakes like Mosquito, Berlin, West Branch and Pymatuning are regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, they are subject to the seasonal drawdowns that leave many anglers confused about where and how to pursue their favorite species.
But aside from making navigation tricky, low water need not be a puzzle for anglers. In fact, those who know how to react can enjoy some of the best fishing this time of the year.
Success factors: The key to success is the same now as it was in June or July: Find the bait and you'll find game species. That rule applies whether you are chasing walleyes or bass or crappies or whatever.
Shad are the primary forage fish in the bigger reservoirs around Youngstown.
They move in predictable fashion from season to season and are influenced by water temperature and current.
So where do you look in September when the water level is dropping?.
Experienced anglers learn to use the wind to help them select their fishing holes. That is a particularly good tactic in late summer and early fall.
Like gamefish, shad follow their food. They eat algae and tiny aquatic insects and crustaceans, which are buffeted by wind-driven currents.
Shad congregate around main lake shorelines that are washed by waves because that's where the wind has pushed the foundation of the food chain.
Walleye location: Anglers searching for walleyes, therefore, will find them picking off shad on the breezy banks, especially those that feature points or humps or coverlike stumps. The structure provides current breaks and depth changes that give walleyes options for feeding and resting locations.
Productive lures include crankbaits and jigs tipped with minnows.
To pinpoint the shad, watch your depth finder as you motor around places you suspect would hold baitfish. They will appear as clouds of pixels on LCD display screens or as a series of blips on flasher units. When you mark such action well off the bottom and relatively close to the surface, you can be almost certain it is a school of shad.
Shad also frequently reveal their locations to the naked eye. As you scan the surface, be alert for areas with lots of dimples; they are evidence that shad are schooled there and predators will not be far off.
Such places are often away from the main reservoir in creek arms. As the water cools in September, the shad start to migrate back into the tributaries where they find plenty of food in the algae-scum shallows.
A good place: The creek arms are especially good places to find bass and crappies this time of year, as well as northern pike and muskies.
Bass cruise the creeks' flats in search of shad and strike lures that mimic the baitfishes' flashy, darting maneuvers. Topwaters, spinnerbaits and shallow-running crankbaits are good choices.
Crappies also follow the bait up into the creek arms, congregating around vertical cover like treetops, bridge pilings and sunken Christmas trees.
Anglers should keep in mind, too, that the wind will play an important role in positioning the shad even in the creeks. Those who select banks with a bit of wave action will enjoy more action than those who opt for slick water.
All of this is made a bit easier by the fact that falling water levels are eliminating a lot of real estate. So think like a shad and pinpoint their new locations and you'll also corner the big fish you want to catch.
jwollitz@shermanassoc.com