The Autumn Angler

As the trees begin to slowly lose all their decorated leaves, and our local waters continue to cool, anglers are faced with the difficult decision of what they can fish for this time of year. For the majority of outdoorsmen, fall means putting down the fishing gear and heading to the woods in search of that trophy buck. But for the avid, year round fisherman, this can be a difficult time of year figuring out just what to target. Although the turning over of lakes and sub freezing mornings can make wanting to fish a challenge, the fall can present some of the best fishing opportunities of the year for certain species.

The Fall Turnover

One of the biggest keys to understanding how and why fish behave in the fall can be a result of the lakes turning over, which happens twice a year. As we know, in the summertime the surface holds the warmest water and as you go deeper the water gets progressively colder.

When a lake begins to turn over, the colder water begins to mix and even flip flop with the warmer water that is closer to the surface, allowing the lake to become the same temperature regardless of the depth. The key to this turnover is when the water temperature reaches around 50-55 degrees fahrenheit, and the surface water becomes denser than the rest of the lake’s water column. This dense, oxygen rich water sinks to the bottom allowing the oxygen depleted water from the bottom to rise to the top. It will be a visually noticeable difference, as the water on the surface will look extremely dirty from the decomposing matter that was on the bottom.

Eventually, the oxygen depleted water becomes recirculated and therefore allows fish to move wherever they want to.

Depending on what lake you’re fishing can also determine how fast this turnover happens and which areas will turn over first. The northern, larger lakes like Schroon Lake and Lake George will take a lot longer to turn over than smaller lakes, such as Saratoga Lake or Round Lake, which can determine your approach towards fishing them. Anglers in the fall have to be aware that most of the time the fish in the smaller lakes are going to change their patterns much more rapidly than the ones in the larger lakes because of how fast the water temperature changes. Most of us are still used to the same generic summer patterns where the fish are relating to shade, heavy vegetation, and drop offs, so this transition can be extremely frustrating for anglers once these fish have moved.

Covering Water

When the fish are no longer sitting where you had caught them in the previous months, this is the best time of the year to pick up a moving bait and cover water. A moving bait is basically any fishing lure that you are constantly working to imitate a fleeing baitfish. Predatory fish species like bass, walleye, and pike are actively seeking out bait schools this time of year and will often be found schooled up. So if you catch a fish in an area, most times there will be more to come if you continue working the same spot. My favorite moving baits in the fall are spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and crankbaits. The bites are usually extremely aggressive and by using a moving bait, you can fish a larger area that will help you uncover where these fish are.

Location

If you are stuck thinking about where to start searching for fish, I always like to target some of my springtime areas where I usually see the first presence of healthy weeds or weed beds. In the fall, these will be the areas where the weeds take the longest to die or will even partially remain all winter. Baitfish are attracted to the zooplankton and insect larvae that live in them, which then attracts the predatory fish to the same areas. If you can’t seem to find fish around weeds, the next place to check is winter holding areas, such as rock piles and drop offs. Once the water temperature begins descending into the 40s, fish will begin moving to their winter spots that are generally deeper. So being able to locate these areas after the fish have moved out of the shallows can be key to a successful trip.

Species to Target

Although the water temperature is now below most fish species’ preferred temperatures making them tougher to catch, there are still certain species that are willing to bite to provide you with plenty of action. If you are a pan fisherman, who is looking to eat your catch, Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch taste great and can provide constant action this time of year. They will be headed to their winter weed beds and holes in some of the biggest schools of the year. The other nice thing about targeting them is when you are finished catching them, you can switch baits and target the predatory species that will be found very close to them. Northern Pike, Bass, and Walleye are also catchable right now, as they are capitalizing on schooling baitfish and will be looking for an easy meal. You even have a shot at landing your personal best, as the bigger fish are bulking up for the winter.

So even if you have struggled previously in the fall, understanding the yearly patterns can be a huge game changer to your future success. By covering water and knowing which fish to target this time of year, you can continue to catch fish every time you go out. There is also nothing quite like having the entire lake to yourself, with only the echo of geese to break the silence. Every cast this time of year gives you the opportunity to catch a true fish of a lifetime.

For more information and specific lake reports you can visit your local bait shops such as Wiggly Worm Bait Supply. To book a guided fishing trip you can go to Ziehnertguideservice.com or email us at ziehnertguideservice@gmail.com.