ANGLING TIPS Jack Wollitz

Shorter days and cooler weather trigger game fish to key on the high-protein forage prevalent in local rivers and reservoirs: shad.
The silvery baitfish are a major food source during all four seasons for walleyes, bass, crappies and muskies, but especially so in November as predators seek to store energy for the long winter ahead. It makes sense, therefore, for anglers to offer lures that mimic shad in appearance and behavior. .
Two of the best baits this time of year are the traditional jigging spoon and heavy metal vibrating baits like the Cicada, Sonar and Silver Buddy.
They are heavy lures, which means they can easily be fished vertically over and around deep cover and structure that holds shad. And where the shad are, game species are never too far away.
Anglers can position their boats over drops, humps, stump flats and other fish-holding locations where they can drop a spoon or vibrating lure to the depth where baitfish and structure converge.
Let the fish tell you which kind of action they prefer. Sometimes, its a gentle jig. At other times, the best move is to snap the bait sharply up and let it flash and tumble.
Strikes almost always occur while the lure is dropping, so stay alert for telltale twitches in the line and watch for slack line. That is evidence the lure has not returned to the original depth because a fish has it in its mouth and a clear signal that its time to set the hook.
jwwollitz@aol.com