The weather is cool, and the days are shorter. It’s been a great summer and early fall with a bit of unusually warm weather, but sitting in the stand this week for archery season, you can really feel the difference. The jigheads have noticed a difference too!
Nelson got out on Lake George in upstate New York for the Elite Kayak Fishing 2 day Championship where the water temperatures were in the upper 50’s and lower 60’s. He said that this was my first time fishing Lake George so he planned an extra day of prefishing. Although Nelson said the fishing was tough and it took him a little while, he finally found some bass in deep water; really deep water. All of the fish Nelson caught in four days came from 35 – 55 feet of water including a keeper bass at 55 feet. He also caught a 23″ pickerel at 53 feet and said that most of the better sized bass came from 35-40 feet. The waters of Lake George are extremely clear with visibilities reaching to 20 feet or more and with the amount of boat traffic and fishing pressure that it receives it’s no surprise that the fish were that deep.
Nelson reported that there was a pretty good mix of largemouth and smallmouth at all the depths as well as massive schools of big bluegills and perch. The schools were so thick at times he said his fish finder thought that the depth had changed. It would jump from 50 feet to 20 or 30 feet in an instant when he had those thicker schools underneath. Although Nelson tried several techniques, everything he caught was with the dropshot and he ended the Championship in 14th place out of 36 anglers. Not too bad considering almost everyone above me had a motor and/or Forward Facing sonar. I was also able to reach my goal of finishing in the Top 10 for Angler of the Year with an 8th place finish. Again, super proud to be the only angler in the top 10 without a motor and Forward Facing Sonar. It wasn’t easy and sometimes frustrating but overall it was a great season. I got to fish places that I probably wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for these tournaments.Open water season is winding down quickly but there’s still time to get out there. Good luck! Be safe and please wear your PFDs!!
Jerry got out a few times for a few hours and reports that the water temperatures are dropping with the daily being in the mid to upper 50’s on Saturday down to 51 degrees by Tuesday. Saturday Jerry fished in Stockbridge and caught five largemouth on neko rigged soft plastic worms in green pumpkin. He also added that all the fish were caught in 8 to 10 feet of water in moderately heavy weeds. He also landed a number of bluegill on night crawlers, a couple pickerel on stick baits, and one rainbow trout on a neko rigged stick bait. Next, Jerry hit a large lake in Pittsfield throwing a spinnerbait. He ended up catching a 19 inch largemouth and three Northerns from 18 to 27 inches. Last, on Tuesday afternoon, Jerry went to a Becket lake water temp down to 51 degree and the bite was super slow, only catching one 20 inch pickerel and a 20 inch largemouth that weighed just under 5lbs.
Tim had a club tourney on the Ct river Oxbow section. He said he ran north a little ways and hit a cut between an island where there was a good amount of current and water temperatures were in the upper 50’s. Tim threw a topwater which elicited one missed blow up, and then tossed a spinnerbait, jerkbait, and ned rigs around wood with no takers. Next he decided to change tactics, making his way across the river to the sunny shoreline where he started catching keeper smallies on a jerkbait; specifically on the up current side of structure. Tim said that he managed to boat his initial limit going down the shoreline hitting all the wood he could find with ned rigs and jerkbait. He ended up getting to one tree where he saids he noticed fish stacked up and moving on the active target. He boated 15 + fish off one tree, upgrading his limit. I would land a fish and immediately toss out another bait and let it dead stick while I weighed and culled my fish. I’d pick up my line and there’d be another fish on! I did that 5-6 times! I probably spent too much time there, don’t leave fish to find fish!! Ended up in fifth for the day! 18 smallies, 1 largie, 2 big perch, and a fall fish.
If you are interested in chasing some trout, check out the fall MA Stocking report! Fish were stocked up through last Friday and you can see where they were stocked, when, and which kinds of trout!
If you haven’t listened to the latest Jigs & Bigs episode, DO IT NOW! There is a great rundown of this month’s DarkHorse Tackle Box and a great recap of Joe’s adventure to Lake Hartwell AND some messages on the hotline from some fans! If you wanna leave the J&B guys a voicemail and drop them a warm message, submit an FTG, or give input on the show hit them up on the J+B Hotline! 1+ (413) 324-8519 – make sure you leave your NAME and a VOICEMAIL!
If you’re getting out this week to fish please be safe and wear your PFD! Stay safe out there folks, have a ton of fun, and as always TIGHT LINES!
Wild Woman 