Fishing Information


Fishing Fall Bass - Early Fall Fishing for Bass in the Northwest as the Seasons Change


You have just rolled out of bed, poured you coffee and there it is. You knew it was coming, but it is real, it is here. What am I talking about? It's not taxes, the Grim Reaper or even your in-laws coming for an extended stay. It is the first foggy Fall morning. If you have spent any time in the Northwest you know what that means. From here on out the weather will never get quite as hot as it did all summer, and the nights will be cooler. Sure, we may get an Indian Summer and some nice days, but the fact is, things are cooling off. Now it is time to start thinking about what that means for our Bass fishing.

With the falling temperatures, Bass will start to build up their Winter reserves. This can offer some fantastic fishing opportunities if you know what to look for. Big Bass that have been hiding deep all Summer are now moving up and looking for as much food as they can. Their feeding periods will also lengthen as the Sun drops to lower angles. All the better for us!

Most experts would agree that Fall Bass are suckers for the right crank bait. This means you probably will grab lures that are a little bigger than you have been using all Summer. The Bass that have made it to Fall are smart and will be looking for lures that closely match the size and color of the prey fish that spawned in the Spring. Check out what is in your lake and match up to that. Another good choice is to grab your top water lures. Again, the big Bass are looking to load up on food and will be watching for any easy meals above them.

Finding the Bass is of course key. But where are they? The simple answer is, where the bait fish are. These are most likely going to be found in closer to shore than they previously were, hanging out in the shallows and around the green plants. My favorite tactic to find bait fish is to bring along an extra pole rigged with a small jig and bobber and when I am exploring a lake, drop it out in front of me and let it sit on a hole before I start throwing my Bass hooks at it. I also toss it out when I am changing or re-tying lures. If there are bait fish there, then odds are, the Bass are lurking near by.

Important things to look for are areas where there is cover for the Bass to move between their deeper holding areas to the shallow feeding areas. Also remember on cloudy and windy days or in stained water, the Bass may not retreat at all to their holding areas, but may spend the day feeding in the shallows. Pay attention to water that is shallower than you would normally expect to find big fish. I have seen large Bass lurking in water as shallow as one foot.

On bright days or after a cold front has moved in, you will have to go back to their mid-day holding areas to find the Bass. Remember that a cold front will affect the shallow water first and the Bass will most likely hold to the deeper water and its more stable temperatures. In this case, it is time to finesse fish a little bit and work the deeper structure. Remember drop shotting?

Don't think that the falling temperatures means a let up in the Bass fishing. Lunker Bass are waiting for you. Grab yourself an extra pull over and get out there on the water, the fish are waiting!

Chris Cliff is a long time fisherman that hails from the remote lands of Northern Idaho, but has now moved to the big city. He and his crew fish the waters of the Northwest filming episodes of their own web based fishing show 'Fishing with Cliff'. You can find it at http://www.FishingWithCliff.com/ and features more great articles, photos, links and of course episodes of their show. Think of it as a fishing show crossed with reality TV.


MORE RESOURCES:

Radioactive fish Northern Vermont bass test positive for strontium, cesium
Brattleboro Reformer
By BOB AUDETTE / Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO -- Fish taken from a lake in northern Vermont had similar levels of strontium-90 and cesium-137 as fish taken from the Connecticut River near Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon. During a Feb.

and more »


Family fishing program set, ice or no ice
NEagle
Bring the whole family to learn more about fishing in the chilly winter weather in northeastern Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Regional Education Specialist Andy Fedor will present information on Pennsylvania fishes, ...

and more »


Small fish in rough seas
The Age
Budi, not his real name, is an accidental people smuggler, if you accept that cooking noodles and keeping the engine going on an unseaworthy fishing boat for a group of desperate asylum seekers constitutes people smuggling.

and more »


Newfoundland and Labrador Compass

Fishing standoff heats up
The Telegram
More than 50 unionized crew members from the fishing trawler Newfoundland Lynx have been locked out by Ocean Choice International. — Photo by Terry Roberts/The Compass Tension between the fisheries union and Ocean Choice International (OCI) has ...
Fishing standoff unfolding in Bay RobertsNewfoundland and Labrador Compass

all 9 news articles »


Outdoor Notes: No ice? Get out there and do some ice fishing anyway
Bucyrus Telegraph Forum
Someone once did a study showing ice fishing is the most productive of all angling sports. Follow a few basic rules, and you can sit over an ice hole and catch bluegill, bass, perch, crappie, even bullheads and channel cats at a rapid rate.
Youth Ice Fishing Day Feb. 18knox.VillageSoup.com

all 3 news articles »


Wired2Fish (blog)

Being First: A Fishing Strategy for Staying Ahead of the Competition
Wired2Fish (blog)
I'm not talking about a specific fishing hole but the next “piece” of the fishing puzzle that no one else had found that day, that week, that month, that season … yet. I learned at an early age that knowing a good spot was not nearly as effective as ...
Extended fishing report for Feb. 6Santa Rosa Press Democrat (blog)
MN DNR Weekly ReportDuluth News Tribune

all 3 news articles »


Outdoors: Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Exposition at DCU Center
Worcester Telegram
The 36th annual Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Exposition runs Friday through Sunday at Worcester's DCU Center. Exhibitors will showcase tackle, hunting gear, boats, and exciting fishing and hunting trips. The expo is always fun for window shoppers, ...



Lewiston Sun Journal

Derby, free fishing to take place Feb. 19
Lewiston Sun Journal
Wilton Fish and Game Association will host an ice fishing derby on Free Fishing Day, Sunday, Feb. 19, on Wilson Lake. WILTON — Wilton Fish and Game Association will host an ice fishing derby from 6 am to 4 pm on Free Fishing Day, Sunday, Feb.
Ice-fishing events are at mercy of Mother NatureLake County News Sun
Hundreds gather for Tupper Lake fishing derbyThe Adirondack Daily Enterprise
Lake Colby Fishing Derby March 3, 4North Country Gazette
NewsChannel 9 WSYR -Northumberland Today
all 7 news articles »


Minnesota Ice Fishing Shanty Rentals that Won't Leave You Cold
Yahoo! Sports
Contributor Network 12 hours, 27 minutes ago Headed to Minnesota for an ice fishing excursion and wondering where you can rent a lake-front cabin and an ice shanty? Well, I have you covered. Looking for copious amounts of perch?

and more »


Homosassa Fishing Report 2/6/12
The Ledger (blog)
I began in waist deep water while wade fishing with Mark Nichols and Jerry McBride of DOA lures. We casted a variety of their artificial baits. They caught a ton of fish and I caught about a half ton using the DOA three inch shrimp and CAL tails near ...
Mother Nature forgot it's wintertime, so let's go fishingTCPalm

all 2 news articles »

Google News

home | site map
© 2007