JACK WOLLITZ Where does the time go?

Another season is winding to a close, but it seems like just last week we were readying our gear and boats for spring action. Local reservoirs are at or near winter pool levels, water temperatures are in the 50s and the colorful foliage is sending a clear signal outdoors folks read as time to head to the woods.
Some, however, take autumn in stride and set their sights on the bass, walleyes and crappies that are actively feeding to build fat reserves for months under the ice. And a few take their cue to head north to fish for steelhead as they swim up Lake Eire's tributaries.
Crappie anglers are probing brush piles and other vertical cover with jigs and minnows, noticing the schools are getting bigger in size and numbers. Mosquito Creek Reservoir is a predictably productive autumn crappie spot, yielding bumper crops of slabs now through Christmas.
Walleyes are in the shallows during low-light times. Fishers tossing jigs are picking up nice fish around nightfall on causeways and other rip-rap areas that border the deep water where walleyes can wile away the daylight hours.
Big largemouths also are active now. Good catches are coming from Shenango, Lake Milton and Berlin as diehard bassers work jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits around the traditional autumn feeding locations.
Smallmouth bass continue to pound lures on the humps in 20 to 25 feet around the Bass Islands and off Ashtabula and Conneaut and Erie, Pa. Fish in the three- to five-pound range are striking tube jigs dragged over the sand and rocks.
Steelhead are gathering off the big lake's streams and rivers. A few are being caught by anglers working the beaches with spoons and spinners, while others are gobbling spawn sacks drifted just off the bottom in upriver pools and runs. Creeks are still relatively low and fishing should get decidedly better as cool rain brings the water up.
Action elsewhere: Local anglers often cast their eyes longingly at far-off places and wish they were able to fish them.
One such place is Fort Gibson Reservoir in Oklahoma, scene last week of the CITGO Bassmaster Central Open presented by Skeeter Boats.
But what the 324 professional bass anglers encountered once the action began Thursday was a far cry from fishing's Shangri La. Only one angler, Homer Humphreys of Louisiana, managed to bag a limit. His 11-pound 6-ounce catch put him in the lead after the first of three days of fishing.
Not everyone was so fortunate, as 180 pros went fishless that first day. They blamed poor weather, crowded conditions created by low water and a lack of fish due to a virus that killed a portion of Fort Gibbon's bass population.
Humphreys stuck to one 150-yard area, milking it for all it was worth. Two Ohioans, accustomed to fishing for few bass in crowded conditions, were among the top 30 anglers after the first round.
VanDam's the man: Bass fans know Kevin VanDam of Michigan is the reigning world champ following his victory in the BASS Masters Classic in New Orleans. Fewer recognize, however, that the popular pro fishes ambidextrously.
VanDam has perfected his ability to present lures precisely to fussy bass with either his left or right arm, a decided advantage when dealing with cover that extends above the water.
"I refer to it as my PT mode - Performance Tuned," he said. "It's a name I've borrowed from Quantum because that's what they call their new reels I'm using for the technique. PT reels are souped-up, tricked-out versions that are unbelievably smooth and fast, allowing me to use either hand with minimal effort."
Quantum reports VanDam's reels are ACS II and E600PT models, both available at retail stores.
jwollitz@shermanassoc.com