What’s working/not working as we go into Fall?

Shore fishing 10/7 :

It was a good morning for me today. Out 2 hours. One northern 32″ and 3 bass to 15″. Same pattern the last few times out. Northerns on spinnerbaits and bass on senkos.

It’s still tough for me to land big northerns near the rocks. I managed to get this one by crawling down, grabbing it and flipping it to the next tier of rocks.

Yesterday I caught 2 bass and Monday I was skunked for the first time in a while.

It seems to me that the bass I am catching, for their size are fighting harder than they did a few weeks ago. Is it seasonal? Cooler water means harder fight?

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Bob P wrote:

Cooler water means harder fight?

Generally speaking, most fish including bass fight harder in warmer water. Until the temperature drops below 50 degrees, bass should continue to pull like they normally would. After that, it’ll feel more like a wet shoe or a walleye on the end of the line – basically dead weight.

“…feels more like a wet shoe or a walleye on the end of the line – basically dead weight.”

Haha, this did not fall on deaf ears… walleye = wet sock/dead weight. My feelings exactly about eater-sized walleyes. I’d rather buy them at the super market.

FryDog62 wrote:

“…feels more like a wet shoe or a walleye on the end of the line – basically dead weight.”

Haha, this did not fall on deaf ears… <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye = wet sock/dead weight. My feelings exactly about eater-sized walleyes. I’d rather buy them at the super market.

This i agree on 100 percent.

I’m going to have to say NOTHING is working right now for me. This whole, only fishing a couple hours once every couple weeks thing makes fishing really tough……

mahtofire14 wrote:

I’m going to have to say NOTHING is working right now for me. This whole, only fishing a couple hours once every couple weeks thing makes fishing really tough……

How’s the new edition to the family? Legit reason to alter your fishing schedule. And btw, it’s pretty hit/miss this time of year. West metro today… 57 degree water temps. A few fish on about 6 different tactics. They are scattered right now. You’re not missing out too much, best is yet to come… enjoy the
little one and wait for 53 degree temps.

What happens at 53 degree temp?

FryDog62 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
I’m going to have to say NOTHING is working right now for me. This whole, only fishing a couple hours once every couple weeks thing makes fishing really tough……

How’s the new edition to the family? Legit reason to alter your fishing schedule. And btw, it’s pretty hit/miss this time of year. West metro today… 57 degree water temps. A few fish on about 6 different tactics. They are scattered right now. You’re not missing out too much, best is yet to come… enjoy the
little one and wait for 53 degree temps.

Thanks Frydog! Things are going well. Had a bit of a scare early this week and spent a night at children’s Masonic but all is well now. Even got to fish the other day for an hour and a half! Ha! Better than not going though!

Ripjiggen wrote:

What happens at 53 degree temp?

I’ve had some of my best fishing trips in the spring when the water temps move up to 53 degrees… and in the fall when they drop down to 53… They seem to gorge at that temp, kind a like me at 5:30 in the morning and 5:30 at night

Great day on the water on Friday got a 32 inch pike 3 more 24-26 inches 2 big bass and a few little perch spinnerbaits and rattle traps they really liked the blue chrome orange belly. Pulled spinner rigs with minnows got the perch and some pike fun day surface temp

I went for about 5 hours today and it was the best day I’ve had all season. An hour north of the metro with a friend throwing nothing but moving lures produced 25 bass and 6 pike. 7 largies 17+ inches including two 19.5 inchers and a fat 20 incher plus 4 pike over 27 inches including the biggest I’ve caught all season, a 34 incher. It was pretty ridiculous. I tried using a stick bait in a few spots around docks as the sun was up higher and did not get a bite with a slower presentation. It had to be a fairly fast moving lure. A white 3/8 ounce chatterbait was probably the top producer.

I’m bringing in my boat to get winterized on Monday so I’m hanging it up for the season now. Feels satisfying to finish such a great season on a high note. Water temp was 57 degrees.

I almost shed a tear every year when I get it winterized. It sits in the garage and stares at you like your dog does after you bring him back from the vet after getting neutered.

Going today after that putting the boats away. When the temps get below 50 I just cant handle the cold very well. I will continue to shore fish though. Not many even fish this long anymore.

I was out yesterday for 2 hours between showings on our house – an absolute “10” of a day. 60 degrees, sunny and best of all no wind! Water temps in west metro were 57/58. I actually skipped under the few remaining docks and caught 8-9 around 16-18 inches. Fun…

After the next 2-3 days the long-term forecast is starting to look kinda tough..

Well put the G3 and Lund night night just have to bring in to get motors winterized. Now on to shore fishing and getting ice gear ready.

As previously mentioned, I went on Saturday 10/10/20 for about 5 hours and it was the best trip I’ve had all season – and I was already having the best season I’ve ever had in 20 years so this one simply cements it. Here are some photos. The first fish my friend caught was on his second cast and was a fat 20 incher that weight over 5 pounds. We caught all 31 fish (25 bass, 6 pike) on moving lures. They refused to take a slower finesse presentation. My boat is now being winterized and heads into storage next week. Water temp was 57 degrees.

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Stellar year Gim! Tough to put the boat away but Indian Summer looks like it might be a bust this year…

FryDog62 wrote:

Stellar year Gim! Tough to put the boat away but Indian Summer looks like it might be a bust this year…

Thanks Fry! I think you have about a week or so until the water temps plummet. It looks decent through Wed but after that I mostly see high air temps in upper 40’s. You better get back out there before the deep freeze, the bite is on.

Squarebills bouncing off rocks worked last night, especially when the wind laid down the last 40mins or so. No giants, but several 3lbers. It sounds basic sometimes, but if they’re not shallow, just try a little deeper . Did catch one in about a foot of water, so that flier made me fish shallower longer than I should of. Though it was the biggest, just an ounce shy of 4.

In northern mn on Sat, nothing worked, got skunked. I think there were a few days in the 20’s last week, that didn’t help things.

The Fall bite for me has been rather off this year. The constant up and Down in water temps is probably not helping much. The last few outings we have had some success on Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits but not the normal # of fish we catch this time of the year, or the size of fish. I did lose a rather Large fish last night on a buzzbait. Got her right to the side of the boat and for some unknown reason the hook just popped out. i would have really liked to have landed that one and got a picture. I think it was over 20 and a Heavy fish as well. The buzzbait bites I’ve been getting the last few outings are rather subtle – Not the normal violent hits I’m use to them in the fall. Very few bites on either a rattletrap or a slow worked jerk bait yet. i think once the temps drop a few more Deg’s. the jerkbait bite with kick in. The water temps the last few outings have been between 58-61 Deg. If the good fall bite is going to happen this year I think its going to be a real short window.

fishthumper wrote:

The buzzbait bites I’ve been getting the last few outings are rather subtle – Not the normal violent hits I’m use to them in the fall. Very few bites on either a rattletrap or a slow worked jerk bait yet. i think once the temps drop a few more Deg’s. the jerkbait bite with kick in. The water temps the last few outings have been between 58-61 Deg. If the good fall bite is going to happen this year I think its going to be a real short window.

I had the same experience with the chatterbaits and spinnerbaits that caught most of the fish on Saturday. They weren’t slamming it and it often felt more like the subtle catch of a weed rather than a fish. But after a few got off or jumped off, we realized that they were fish so any interruption in the lure we would give it a yank/hookset just in case.

I also think the window to bass fish now will be short if you look at the temps starting later this week..

“I also think the window to bass fish now will be short if you look at the temps starting later this week..“

Strange as it sounds, we are having better weather than the last 2 Falls. Two years ago there were snow flurries at a wedding I was at end of September and although nothing on the ground, October just got colder and colder. Last year by this time we did have snow. Seems our Autumns are coming sooner and more severe… and winter stays longer into the Spring. Makes the fishing season too short unfortunately. Get ‘em now while you can..

FryDog62 wrote:

Strange as it sounds, we are having better weather than the last 2 Falls.

Definitely true. Last year I caught my last bass on Sept 27. After that they were gone from my shore fishing spots. This year I caught some last week.

Today though was a bust because of the terribly windy conditions. I quit after an hour.

Went out yesterday for a few hours in the afternoon. Got 2 fish one small bass and a northern. Wasn’t to bad for how windy it was.

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The River was 55 degrees and pretty good for smallies today. Even caught a couple LmB and pike. The 53 degree mark should show up Saturday. I’ll be fishing in the snow. Hope you are right, FryDog.

I feel the pressure! Yes let’s hope 53 is the magic number again… let us know how you do

Shore Fishing 10/15 :

I braved the wind and was out for an hour this afternoon. Conditions were not good.

I caught a new “species” though. An 8″ clam on a #4 Mepps spinner. You can see one of the hooks inside the clam. It wasn’t much of a fight. It took a little convincing for him to open up a tiny bit so I could unhook him. Of course I released him by gently tossing him to a somewhat muddy spot.

I also caught a 25″ northern on an unweighted Texas Rigged senko. I was surprised because the water was really rough and moving. During the fight, the northern jumped clear out of the water. I haven’t had that happen before. It was pretty neat to see.

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Was out yesterday evening ( Cold and Windy – Burr !!!) had hoped to get into a few walleyes but no luck. Did do Ok on the bass though. The water temp has fallen almost 5 deg. since last sunday. The water temps where we fished yesterday was 53-54. My guess is it will fall into the 40’s by early next week with the forecasted nighttime temps. The key yesterday on the bass as expected was SLOW Down the baits. A really SLOW rolled spinnerbait and a Jerkbait fished with long pauses was the key to our bites. I’m not sure how many more outings I have remaining this open water season. I am about ready for a little break till ice season gets going.

53 degrees for me too, near St. Cloud, that 53 will not last long.

Made it out yesterday on our lake for an hour and a half. My son got cold-whimp. We caught a few on pink x-raps. Jerk, jerk, pause. Next to week clumps seemed to be the key. Not much for size. Might try it again today. Hopefully, the snow lets up.