In the world of the fish, massive energy reserves must be built up prior to winters onslaught. Fish being cold blooded react to cold water temperatures by becoming lethargic, slow and tend to feed less. It is for this reason that fish species in cold winter climates such as Canada must raise as many pounds of body fat as possible during the last couple months before winter sets into the region.
This feasting of fish means two things to sport fisherman. Not only will late summer, early autumn fish be very aggressive and ready to strike at the biggest thing you can throw at them but, they will also be in the best form. The largest fish of the season are taken in the fall. Many people believe that spring fish are much heavier. Spring fish may be comparatively heavy but it is due to the fact that their bellies are heavily laden with roe and eggs. In the early fall, the massive body weight of fish is all muscle. Inch for inch and pound for pound, fall fish will fight you like a petrol fed fire.
There are a number of safety considerations to take into account when chasing these bruisers of the season. Late summer and early fall storms can ring out of the skies with the speed of an adrenalin pumped Rookie. Winds can beat and thrash waters into a frenzy in no time at all. Cold water can kill quickly should your boat become swamped or you slip down a slick bank into the near freezing waters of mid to late fall. Hypothermia can set in fast during a cold fall when air temps tend to slide quickly without warning. You don't have to get wet to succumb to the effects of hypothermia. These fall fish are worth every effort you put into them but it isn't going to be no walk int he park to get at them.
Being an totally aware outdoorsman is part of the fall fishing game. It is great to understand the fish in transition and know where they are going to be at any given time but one must keep an eye to the weather. Check forecasts beginning days ahead if possible. Watch for changes that may not only put you safety in jeopardy but will likely put the fish off their structure that day anyway. Check water temps if you are equipped for it. If not, feel the water, ask yourself if you could handle a prolonged exposure in it. Check the water frequently as lakes begin to turn over with the coldest waters actually rising to the top. I usually become aware of water temps after I handle the first fish I catch. It is sometimes really shocking how cold they are to the touch, especially on a warm early fall day. It can be quite dramatic! Another thing I like to do in the fall was to take an additional change of clothes and a heavy coat with me. It doesn't matter if the air temp is 65 F when you leave for the day. That can change real quick. Put your extra clothes in a plastic garbage bag or other water proof container. What a relief to be able to put on warm clothes should you happen to get wet or to be able to don a winter coat should a sneaky cold blast start barkin' up yer arse! Now, finding and catching those lunkers.
The key to finding fall fish is to remember that they are wanting to gorge as fast and easily as they can. In most systems, the target fodder is minnows. Minnows being cold blooded fishes themselves are doing exactly the same thing as the sport species you are targeting.... gorging on forage. Minnows will be feeding on the small crustaceans, freshwater shrimps, plankton, water bugs etc. The minnows food will be hanging out in the weeds. Guess where your target species are going to be? You guessed it! In the weeds right behind the minnows. The weed flats........ those large areas of weed masses that grow on fairly flat, contour-free bottoms will be a strike bonanza for fall anglers. During stable weather periods, these weed flats will be alive with critters. Hoards of minnows will be rolling through them picking and popping the food they seek. The dense pockets of weeds also serve to somewhat protect them, hide them from the marauders that are lurking behind.
In the Bahamas of Canada, SW Ontario's Lake St Clair sees this natural phenomenon near the end of September, early October. It will surely be a different time frame in your area but I guarantee, the response will be the same at some point. This fall weed flat set up is the most amazing situation I have ever encountered! Every species of fish in the Lake are present on the flats, chasing and gorging and thrashing at each other. Every part of the food chain will be represented from the tiniest of crustacea to the largest of fish such as the water wolf himself.... Mr Musky.
There is one thing that will screw up the flats faster than you can imagine. A strong blow from whatever direction on the compass that heads into the direction of deeper water. My favourite flat is on a north shore. If a north wind blows hard for a day towards the deeper lake waters beyond, it will kill the flat, kill the fishing action on that flat. What happens is a forced lake turnover on that flat. The winds blow the warmer surface water out into the lake and the flat is replaced with cooler lake waters that come in to equalize the loss. The forage minnows, gamefish, etc, all resent the presence of cooler waters. They will seek the warmest waters in the lake even if it is unavailable at the time. Regardless, everything will leave the flat! I have seen it change in one day. On a Monday your catching so many fish you consider applying for a commercial licence, on Tuesday yer feeding the family bologna sandwiches. It can be THAT dramatic!
Initially when this happens, anglers can find some fish holding just off the weedflat in deeper water or off the structured drop off a few hundred yards. The fish will be scattered making memories of yesterday as haunting as the good old days at Gravenhurst Fire College. If the weather system doesn't stable out, the fish will not return and will scatter into the lake. Your glory days of fall fishing has ended. The fish will temporarily return if the weather changes back to stable and mild quickly after the blow.
