Fall in the upper Midwest is often seen as a time to pack away the summer toys and take in the delights that come with the change of seasons. Taking the kids apple picking or a romantic fall colors getaway takes the place of time spent on the water. However, one of the most over looked opportunities is fall fishing.As the lakes cool down in October they begin to turn over, bringing many of the monster fish out of their deep summer holes.
However, you might be comforted to know that some of the best bites of fall fishing can be found on those rogue days of Indian summer. The slight warming in the water turns up a fish’s metabolism, as they look for a good meal to help them through the lean days of winter to come. For our purposes here we’ll put away the frost bite warnings and turn instead to tips on how to make the most of that last Indian summer fishing outing.
The days this time of year are short but your best chance for success is after the peak of the mid day sun. I tend to plan an early lunch then head straight to the launch.
When you get to the lake take a moment to walk down and look the access over. In the fall water levels can be low. After a summer of people power loading their boats at the ramp there can be a gravel pile in the shallows. Make sure your motor is trimmed well out of the water when you launch your boat. I always bring spare batteries. Keeping their extra weight in the bow will help hold the stern of the boat level.
Anytime we travel on the open lake I always make sure everyone has a rain coat on. Even though it might be a warm day, you could still catch a little cold spray cutting across a wave.
When it comes to choosing your spot you will find warmer water on the north side of the lake and by current areas, like the mouth of a creek. Reefs and rock bars that border on deep water drop-offs tend to hold more of the bait fish that draw in big pike or walleye.
If you’re looking for a fun afternoon of pan fishing with the kids, shallow structures near shore tend to hold them this time of year. The last of the green weed beds and fallen timber on near shore flats are a good bet for blue gills while vertical structures like old stumps and bridge pylons will attract crappies.
Pan fishing can call for a little trial and error. Small minnows, if you can find them, are a hot ticket for crappies. If minnows can be a little hard to come by, I’ll fall back on wax worms as a pan fishing staple.
As the day gets later be mindful of the long shadows cast by the low angle of the sun. Predators will try to use these shade lines in the shallows to ambush the forage fish hanging near cover. Working areas shallow to deep as the sun creeps low will help you dial in a good depth. Sometimes fish can be found incredibly shallow so you need to be willing to be surprised.
