Spring fishing was tough for me because the current was up, the summer was excellent (set new PB"

CS for smb & pike).

 

But I've been throwing a skunk since the weather turned cold for a fee consecutive nights. It was a frustrating 4 weeks.

But tonight I simplified and went to the most obvious structure, in this case a bridge.

Caught a nice smallie on a  St Croix premiere lf and a heddon tiny torpedo.

 

And its the big Thansgiving Weekend in my country.

 

 

This time of year its seemingly a 1,000 casts per trip.  I fished hard my last time on the water, fished all day, and it just took me a long time to find the fish.  But when I did, the action was fast and furious.  I have typically not focused on submerged vegetation when I smallmouth fish, but my last two trips, I caught more fish around vegetation than I did anywhere else.  I actually caught my first smallie on a blade bait ripping through the grass of all places.  Nice fish too.  

 

Just takes a lot of patience and resolve.  This time of year I spend a lot time behind the console watching my electronics looking for baitfish and any other signs of life.   Once find them, I fish them hard until I have exhausted area.   The positive thing is that this time of year, I most often have NO company on the lake and there is nothing better than basically having a body of water all to yourself.   Especially with fall foliage in its peak...   Tight lines! 

I find the Summer/Fall transition to be among the most awesome (and productive!) times of the year to be fishing, I laid a serious beatdown on the fish this year and it was my first year targeting smallmouth primarily. Trouble is, we aren't in that transition around me anymore, we are absolutely passed it and into the fall patterns, that sucks as a bank guy, unless you happen to be fishing when they come to feed all schooled up near wherever you can get to them, otherwise your pooched. Big thing this time of year for me is searchbaits, because they school so much to corral baitfish, I cover water until I get bit at least twice, then I stop dead in my tracks and pick the area apart thoroughly, every piece of structure, every part of the water column, you name it, if you find one this time of year, you have an unbelievably good chance it's a bunch of them schooled up, so find ways to eliminate water quickly and you should do well, easiest with electronics, but crankbaits and jerkbaits are your friends this time of year.

Water temps dropped rapidly here making fishing conditions resemble that of winter, slow.

Still catching a few shallow on spinnerbait but lots of casts.

 

All in all, still prefer pre spawn over any other time of year. 

I shook the skunk today. I took a hike to a spot on the river up from where I usually fish. I found some points that acted as a current break. Tried cranks, weightless worms but it was the good old Ned Rig that finally broke my drought.

 

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