November to remember: Late-season action thrives

Judging by the boats being trailered along local highways and the parking lots at several lakes’ launch ramps, many anglers are taking advantage of the great autumn weather to extend their fishing season a few extra weeks.

The bass are still biting, and the crappies and walleyes are pretty busy, too, in all of our local reservoirs. The steelhead, meanwhile, are congregating in and just outside of the Lake Erie tributaries.

Today’s sloppy weather shouldn’t been too much of a deterrent for those who want to get another day of late-season action before the temperature takes its expected nosedive. With a little light rain, and air temperatures still hovering near 50, the fish will be active this weekend.

Water temperatures last weekend ranged from 48 degrees at dawn to 52 and 53 degrees by 3 p.m. The warm weather during the past seven days actually served to stall the chill that will eventually put the fish into winter mode.

Crappies are an autumn mainstay for those anglers who just can’t get enough of the tasty panfish.

Slab crappies are showing up all around the causeways, points with sunken treetops and brush piles, and the vertical poles supporting docks still in the water. The fish are schooled and feeding actively on shad and other small baitfish.

Jigs tipped with minnows or maggots are working very well, judging from the strings caught by anglers at Berlin, Shenango, Milton, West Branch and Mosquito reservoirs.

Walleyes are working the long, tapering points at Berlin and Mosquito, in particular, although nice fish also are being caught at Milton and West Branch.

Berlin has been particularly good for the past several weeks as the falling water and dropping water temperatures combined to prompt the walleyes to gather in good numbers around the best feeding locations.

Anglers at Berlin have been catching some nice walleyes around the main-lake area between U.S. 224 and the old railroad trestle. Vertical presentations with vibrating baits such as Cicadas and Sonars are producing, along with jigs and crankbaits bumped off the long points.

Largemouth bass are also on the move, and willing to smack shallow crankbaits worked around the rip-rap at all of the local lakes. Shenango has been especially productive in late October and so far in November. Berlin and West Branch also are good fall largemouth bets.

The smallmouth bass that were difficult to find during the warmer months are more active throughout the day this time of year. Shenango, Berlin and West Branch all produce nice smallies.

Smallmouth are suckers for shad- and crawfish-colored crankbaits bounced off the rocks on points and causeways, as well as the launch ramps.

Steelhead fishing is the big news around Lake Erie, as 8- to 10-pounders have been moving into the creeks and rivers from the big lake. The dry autumn has kept the stream levels low and clear, which makes it a bit more difficult to trick the wily trout, but with precipitation in the forecast, the waters will rise and the fishing will really ignite.

So don’t hesitate to grab your gear for another trip to your favorite water. Whether you want fish for the frying pan or a chance at a trophy for the wall, November will provide plenty of opportunities.

jwwollitz@aol.com