Early Fall Fishing

Fall is an awesome time of the year for fishing, whether you are heading for a mountain stream or to the lake. Even the surf fishing at the beach can be great. Whatever your choice or method one thing is for sure, the fish will be hungry. With dropping temperatures and shorter days, fish will be loading up on food to store up fat for winter. Trout stocking is now underway and if the stream or lake are you preference then get out as soon as you can.

If you like to multi-species fish on lakes, this is especially a great time. If the lake has a population of Largemouth Bass and for Striper, trout stockings into lakes are a major dinner bell for bass. Bass love trout as part of their diet and will readily take trout swim baits when presented. One issue with trout swim baits is that you will need heavy gear for this. A rod with 25#-40# rating will be necessary for larger swim baits. The norm for casting these behemoth lures is 25 to 30 pound test mono or 80-pound braid with a mono leader.

You may make 100 to 200 casts and still not get a bite, but when you do, you can expect Largemouth Bass from 8 to 20 pounds in some lakes to take your offering. I have friends who have caught Stripers up to 40 pounds on these large lures. Exciting is putting it mildly! Please be advised that California Fish and Game regulations state that you cannot use live or dead trout as bait for bass.

If trout is your game then there are a myriad of lures and baits in which to entice trout to you. I myself love to fly-fish for trout, but I also love to use spinning gear and floats for trout. Watching a float being pulled under is just as fun and exciting as a trout taking a fly off the surface. I would suggest that if you have been doing some summer fishing, think about changing line. Fresh line is important when going from summer to winter.

One reason changing line is important is that monofilament does not do well after a few trips on hot bright sunny days. It breaks down and becomes weak. If you take that same line and start fishing it in cold water, it becomes stiffer and more brittle. This will translate to line breakage and lost fish. The line will also tend to twist and foul your casts. Best thing is to make a trip to the sporting goods store and have new line put on.

This is also a good time to do some reel maintenance. Cleaning your reels and removing grime and dirt will assure better performance. Be sure to also regrease reels. Colder temperatures tend to make reels a little sluggish if the grease has melted away in summer heat. I also check hooks on lures to be sure that they are sharp and in good condition. Replace rusted or damaged hooks, its cheap insurance.

If you like the beach but have not tried surf fishing, I would highly recommend it. Surfperch pull hard and can be within 20 yards or closer from the beach, you can even use your trout equipment for them. Six-pound mono, a 3/8 oz bullet weight and an 18-inch leader are all you will need. A 2” grub for a lure and you are in business. Check the tides for the area you plan on fishing. An hour before high tide is usually best, fish until they stop biting. Move up or down the beach, perch move with the bait, usually sand crabs.

If you have any question concerning places to go, techniques, specific problems don’t hesitate to call or stop in at Treasures eConsignment in Old Town. I would be happy to talk with you, address any question you might have or even show you ways to improve your fishing. Hey, you might even find a winter coat or boots to make that next trip more comfortable! As always, be safe and tight lines!