Why fish in the fall.

[Aquaman]

I like to fish in the fall.

I think it has to do with the fact that so many guys are either in the field hunting, or sitting somewhere, obsessing about hunting.

A couple of days ago I snuck off to a local public lake.

There was nobody around.

I tied on a 1/24 ounce white rooster tail, with a little red on the spinner and in the hackle. I tossed it parallel to the dying shoreline vegetation. On the second cast I had the dinstinctive hit of a largemouth bass. Fifteen inches...not bad. A couple casts later there was another hit. This time it was a ten inch crappie.

Good start.

Now I was having a little problem. Both fish were hard to take off the hook because of that danged treble hook, so I took my multi-tool and clipped off one of the hooks. I then smashed down the barb of the other two hooks. I was figuring that I wouldn't have any trouble hooking up.

I was right.

Five casts out of the next ten yielded either another largemouth bass, or a crappie. The crappie were easy to tell when they were on. Two turns of the reel and they were doing their best imitation of a kickboard--gliding effortless across the surface, then into my hand, then into the imaginary frying pan in my mind. But I didn't have time to clean them, so back they went. Most of them giving me an undeserved poke to the palm with their spiny dorsal.

Ungrateful jerks.

I was in my waders during this early fall theater. Uninsulated at that. The bones were starting to chill, and the knees feeling a little creeky. Forty-five years old and I still don't have a boat. What's up with that? You've heard the old joke about the two happiest days of a boat owners life. The day he buys the boat, and the day he sells it. Well, I guess that's two happy days I'll never know.

My waders are never worth selling after I wear them out.

Now I've taken off my fishing gear. I still haven't seen another soul on the water. I can hear the distant shot of a firearm. What the heck is somebody shooting at, I ask myself. Maybe a dove that forgot to fly south. Or maybe a dove that started in Canada and he's just s little behind his buddies. I've heard that doves mate for life, but then I've also heard that the average dove lifespan is about 11 months. Doesn't sound like any great accomplishment to me. Who couldn't be faithful that long?

The truck is fired up and ready for the ride home. Thank God that gas is down under 3 bucks a gallon. That's decreased my guilt ratio by about 13 percent. You know I"ve been destroying the environment and all by driving that gas-guzzlin' F-150. And I'm spending money on fishing that my girls could use to by another pair of shoes...that they'll wear only once. Hmmmm.

So there it was. Sixteen fish, five gallons of gas, two rooster tails, six hours all said and done, and one fine day on the water.

When I'm gazing out a frost covered window some Sunday morning in January I'll be glad I fished in the fall. It helps to bridge the gap to that first spring trip. You know, the one that you get the big horse collar, but convince yourself that you don't really need to catch fish. You just wanted to get outdoors for awhile.

Baloney.

It's funner to catch fish. In the fall.

[CatfisHunter]

Probably the best post I've read on this forum. Nicely done Aquaman

[holdemplyer]

Outstanding read Bruce. One thing was left out, nothing along the lines of "A smile crosses my face as my rod bends, the line cutting those classic donuts in the water"


Alex

[Frosch]

Great post Aquaman. I enjoyed it so much I wish it was longer.

[OldBaldGuy]

Originally Posted by Frosch

Great post Aquaman. I enjoyed it so much I wish it was longer.

Nicely written, Bruce.

[Catfishsteve]

Thanks, Bruce. Good fishing and great writing.

[Holi Comet]

Bruce - That was one nice post.

[epb35085]

this is why we fish in the fall:

[MA Machine]

Fall is Piggy Time! I just wish the wind would be a little more cooperative.

[fishinwithdad]

Great story Bruce! I also made it out a couple of days ago. First fall fishing I've done in my life, and I'd have to say it was a success:



This was the biggest at 13". Couldn't be happier!

[Aquaman]

Originally Posted by fishinwithdad

Great story Bruce! I also made it out a couple of days ago. First fall fishing I've done in my life, and I'd have to say it was a success:



This was the biggest at 13". Couldn't be happier!

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

[AnglerX]

So Bruce, from your experience when does the fall fishing slow down? At what water temp? Is photo-period a key factor?

[Aquaman]

For some reason 54 degrees is a magic number for me. I see lots of activity (at times) when the temp is 54 or higher.

When the temps go under 54, the activity gets a lot spottier. Stripers seem to be the exception, sometimes feeding voraciously down into the 40's.

Interestingly, I do better in the fall is the water is 52 and going up, vs. 54 and going down.

[bassnbaseball]

That post was awesome Bruce! I really enjoyed reading that.

[thedarkarcher]

Originally Posted by fishinwithdad

Great story Bruce! I also made it out a couple of days ago. First fall fishing I've done in my life, and I'd have to say it was a success:



This was the biggest at 13". Couldn't be happier!

nice crappie ryan!

[adammd]

Why fish the fall??? b/c when the battery is dead in the boat, its the wrong time of day, you can't get to areas where you want to fish, there is no structure to speak of where you are, the wind is hitting the opposite side of the lake, and your really left with no choice in where/how your going to fish, they are still going to bite, and the beer stays cold longer. That's why I like the fall.

Best two of the day on Sun, 33 and 31.

[Harold]

Sam! Is that YOU?





(Sorry, this brings back "Old Memories")

Harold F.

[Aquaman]

It may not be Sam, but I think I know exactly where he is.