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Prime time for fast action
This weekend ushers in a season when flashy baits start taking center stage as the fall feeding dramas play out on our local waterways.
From the Ohio River to Lake Erie, game fish of all species are in the midst of a seasonal transition. Walleyes, bass, muskies, crappies and every other species that eats fish sense that the switch has been flipped.
They are going from the hot summer of seemingly endless opportunities to feed (though doing that was not an urgent need) to the cool-down that signals they had better eat now or head into winter without enough body fat to survive the slim pickings.
For fishermen, the drop in water temperature kicks up their chances of hooking their favorite game fish. Whether you like bass, crappies, walleyes, muskies or catfish, this weekend and the upcoming weeks are prime time for fast action. White bass and, at Shenango, hybrid striped bass also are famous for their fast-action fall feeding frenzies.
“Fast” comes into play two ways as we swing from summer to fall. The catching certainly can be fast, as well as the presentations that anglers show their quarry.
Trollers can turn up the throttle. Casters can reel more aggressively. Both result in the angler covering more water. And covering more water means you are more likely to encounter fish willing to strike.
Since the fish are more aggressive, brightly painted baits and flashy chrome- and nickel-plated baits are great choices. Lures that best mimic panicky shad are the ones that are going to get the most attention today and on into the fall, as the predators are keying on the abundant baitfish.
Big flashy spinnerbaits are great in fall for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Willowleaf blades in tandem send out an “eat me” message to lurking fish, which will run down and grab even the most swiftly retrieved lures.
Those who prefer crankbaits will find that the big lures with chrome finishes are going to get bit more in the fall than the natural-colored baits that were go-to offerings throughout the summer.
Walleye anglers also head to their lakes with rods rigged to jig vibrating metal blade baits, again the intent being to imitate struggling shad and other bait fish that flip and flash.
Shad are the most prolific forage fish here in Northeast Ohio. They thrive in Mosquito, Berlin, Milton, West Branch, Shenango, the Ohio River and other inland waterways. They also make up a big portion of the food that Lake Erie fish dine on in the fall.
Smart anglers know that the best places to fish are where the shad are most abundant – regardless of the season. The “best” places are changing now as summer wanes and fall’s chill takes hold.
As the water cools, shad school up in bigger and bigger bunches. They also move into the creek arms that run into our reservoirs, because those areas start to cool more noticeably than main-lake waters.
Fishermen see the shad two ways. Sonar screens reveal the big schools under the surface. Anglers also can make visual contact as the baitfish flit and flicker in dimples and splashes on the surface.
Anglers get major visual clues, too, by witnessing actual feeding activity. Those who notice the slashing action are well advised to get a lure into the melee as quickly as possible.
Fall is a time for simple tactics that can pay off quickly. Any color works as long as it’s bright and flashy, and the fish are pretty easy to locate.
So while it’s cooling down, the fishing without doubt is heating up.