I’m in Ohio and I can never figure out the Largemouth bass once the water temps start dropping in the Fall. I hear people that say Fall is their favorite time to fish and that makes me think I’m missing something. I fish mainly small lakes (reclaimed strip mines) and in my experience the water temps never get so high here that the fish get inactive. In my experience, the fishing is best when the water temps are at their maximum. The fish are aggressive and hitting topwater baits. As soon at the water temps start to drop in the early fall, in my experience is seems to really shut the fishing down. I went out yesterday, and even though the water temps are still relatively high it seems like the fish are scattered and it’s very difficult to get a bite. My only bites came on soft plastics being drug along the bottom very slowly. In my experience it seems that once the water temps start to drop in early fall there is a drastic drop off in fish activity/aggression, followed by a slight rebound and then a steady decline with the water temp. Sometimes a bit later in the Fall there seems to be a brief fall-feed where the fish become more aggressive. Am I in left field or do others have a similar experience? I’d also be curious to know what happens down south when the water temps drop out of the 90’s/upper 80’s down into the 70’s/upper 60’s does the fishing improve?

How deep is your body of water? If it’s deep enough to develop a thermocline then early fall when the temperatures drop the lake will turn over. Fishing is usually poor during this period because poorly oxygenated water from the lake bottom is being forced to the surface. Once the thermocline has disappeared and oxygen levels have stabilized is when the expected fall bite starts happening.

26 minutes ago, Fried Lemons said:

How deep is your body of water? If it’s deep enough to develop a thermocline then early fall when the temperatures drop the lake will turn over. Fishing is usually poor during this period because poorly oxygenated water from the lake bottom is being forced to the surface. Once the thermocline has disappeared and oxygen levels have stabilized is when the expected fall bite starts happening.

Most are not much more than 20 - 25 feet deep

Winter fishing is much better down here in FL. Summer is a struggle. I have found August to be a tough month in general. When I lived in MA I always thought August was one of the worst months of the year! The fall feed seems to run the strongest in October. ?

49 minutes ago, Don51 said:

Winter fishing is much better down here in FL. Summer is a struggle. I have found August to be a tough month in general. When I lived in MA I always thought August was one of the worst months of the year! The fall feed seems to run the strongest in October. ?

Out of curiosity, what would you say are the best months to bass fish in Florida?

10 hours ago, Don51 said:

When I lived in MA I always thought August was one of the worst months of the year! 

Tell me about it, lol

 

I'm going crazy right now trying to figure something out

15 hours ago, Matt Bacola said:

Out of curiosity, what would you say are the best months to bass fish in Florida?

We should be out of the rainy season by Nov. 1 and transitioned into much drier and cooler air. To be on the safe side I would plan a trip after Thanksgiving. The weather starts changing back to rain/humidity anytime in April. Where are you thinking of going?

On 8/29/2019 at 10:37 AM, Fried Lemons said:

How deep is your body of water? If it’s deep enough to develop a thermocline then early fall when the temperatures drop the lake will turn over. Fishing is usually poor during this period because poorly oxygenated water from the lake bottom is being forced to the surface. Once the thermocline has disappeared and oxygen levels have stabilized is when the expected fall bite starts happening.

False. The deeper colder water is O2 rich. The turnover increases o2 throughout the water column. Fishing May be depressed during this period but not for this reason. More likely increased turbidity reduces feeding. 

8 minutes ago, Joshua Vandamm said:

False. The deeper colder water is O2 rich. The turnover increases o2 throughout the water column. Fishing May be depressed during this period but not for this reason. More likely increased turbidity reduces feeding. 

Your second statement is true - the turnover does distribute O² evenly though the water column, but the oxygen rich water before turnover is above the thermocline. The depths are oxygen staved.

 

<- Aquatic Biology major in college.

On 8/30/2019 at 2:56 PM, MN Fisher said:

Your second statement is true - the turnover does distribute O² evenly though the water column, but the oxygen rich water before turnover is above the thermocline. The depths are oxygen staved.

 

<- Aquatic Biology major in college.

Colder denser water has more O2. 

 

- Marine biology major in college. LOL