It’s the last Thursday in October, and the Jig Heads have still managed to get out fishing!
Andy went out to Otis on Sunday where the air was a chilly 32 degrees and the water temps were 51-56 degrees. Couldn’t have had a better view than the changing of the leaves in the Berkshires. Andy reported that the DCR have started the winter drawdown, so there’s only a few weeks left to launch bigger boats. He said it took a little while to locate the fish but when he did find them it was in deep water; 18.5 -30 feet . Andy threw out some noisy baits and let them sink and used a slow retrieve. He was able to consistently pick up fish off the bottom for the rest of his trip!
Ryan was able to get out a few times this week in his boat and from shore. Starting on the shore he was able to string together some 11-14 inch bass on the white fluke. This time of year I turn to the fluke a lot cause I can work it slow but still have that massive jerk presentation. He also had three hungry pickerel.
Sunday Ryan had a tournament on Manchaug Pond where the water was 58 degrees. He reported a very tough day of fishing for higher bass. He was able to get a few in the well working a crank bait and neiko rig slow and steady at the weed lines. The crank bait also was able to pull in multiple yellow perch, crappie and pickerel.
It’s not over yet; they are still moving and still hungry, I found the bite picked up in the middle of the day. Next up tournament this Sunday. Last local of the year. Tight lines!
Tim was out at Congamond Lake this morning where water temperatures were 58 – 59 degrees. Tim was out probing the main lake humps with a crank bait which has produced, as has spinner bait and a larger profile ned rig plastic. The bass are still fattening up looking for their meals for the winter.
Shawn only fished Saturday at Webster Lake in the MAKB Championship and MAKB Knockout series final. The Knockout ran from 8 am to 1 pm, and the bite was slow due to passage of a front before sunrise. He did manage a single small bass in that time that netted him second place. After 1pm, Shawn was able to locate fish on a submerged weedbed, and entice several to bite on a Ned-rigged creature bait. A couple stocker brown and tiger trout also fell to the creature.Fishing can still be hot during the right time of the day, and waters here are starting to dip below 60°. Focus fishing efforts on weedy areas and in the afternoons!
Nelson only got out once this week and it was for the MAKB Championship on Webster Lake. He mentioned that this is less of a report and more of a recap of the tournament. Hopefully you can learn from my experience.
Nelson had pre-fished the weekend before and caught some really nice bass. Such nice bass that if he had caught them during the championship he would have won by 8 inches and taken the lunker pool. Nelson said that championship day would be much different, as he fished the northern basin. The water temps had gone from 64 degrees to 60 degrees in just a few days and we had a cold front pass just a few hours before takeoff. He spent most of the day in deeper water but said he also gave the shallow water a try. Most of the deeper spots had fish on them that Nelson could see on his graph. They just were not biting anything he threw at them; and he tried everything. Nelson continued trying those deeper spots hoping that the fish would eventually start biting but they never did. He got four bites all day and the only fish he put on the board was a pickerel.
I learned quite a few lessons this day and I will use them to improve for the 2022 tournament season. My pictures from last week and this week are some of the fish I caught during my pre-fishing trips. Now it’s time to put some meat in the freezer and get ready for ice fishing season. Good luck out there!
Tight lines everyone!
Wild Woman 