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| I fish a smaller river where I was seeing musky all the time in September and halfway through october. I havent seen any the last several times Ive gone. Do they tend to go up or downstream this time of year? Water temps ate currently 48-55 |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | What is the main forage in that system, and does it migrate? Is there any source of warmer water available, including a larger basin with more water? Are there any living weeds still around at all?
Answer those questions and you'll probably get a good feeling for where the fish are.
TB |
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| Find the deep holes! |
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Posts: 415
| The other two guys nailed it. They aren't necessarily just up or downstream. It depends on where that preferred forage and structure happens to be. Answer the other questions then you'll know whether they happen to be up or downstream in the river you happen to be fishing. Typically deeper holes this time of year. |
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| The spots Ive been fishing are some of the deepest holes on the river (20-25ft). There are still some weeds but it seems they're pretty much all shallow. I haven't seen much forage lately but back a couple months ago there were a decent number of baitfish(10-12in) in the shallows. I really dont know if the bait migrates since the river system is mostly pools and runs which would make it pretty difficult. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Sounds much like a river I spend time on. Try verticle jiging in the deep holes. If the river is up from a lot of recent rain fish tight to the bank or tight to the bottom look for current breaks. |
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Posts: 742
Location: Grand Rapids MN | Slow your presentation down and see what happens. Fish may be in same/similar areas as earlier but you may be stuck in the "summer" speed mode. Your typical cranks, jerks, dawgs will allow you to still cover the shallow but then get deeper closer to the boat covering both areas when searching.
Let us know what happens your next trip out. |
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Posts: 377
Location: On the River | Feeding windows are shorter in November. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | One thing I remembered after posting above, is something I read in Joe Bucher's crankbait book (it's excellent, btw). You might also try working some crankbaits against structure. Find some rocks, for instance, and work them with a crank. I have had a bit of success with this, but really haven't been able to try it extensively because I never really fished where there was deeper structure like rocks or rock ledges, or even a log of submerged logs. But if you can find any structure like that, you might give it a try with something like a Depth Raider or a DDD. Even an Ernie has worked for me in a couple situations.
TB |
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Posts: 209
Location: Big Falls MN | Dont over look live bait soaking suckers can be produce fish in the rivers at this time. i catch more fish in the middle of the day later in the year. Like said above deep holes and look for current breaks and wood. |
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| tcbetka - 11/14/2012 6:40 PM
One thing I remembered after posting above, is something I read in Joe Bucher's crankbait book (it's excellent, btw). You might also try working some crankbaits against structure. Find some rocks, for instance, and work them with a crank. I have had a bit of success with this, but really haven't been able to try it extensively because I never really fished where there was deeper structure like rocks or rock ledges, or even a log of submerged logs. But if you can find any structure like that, you might give it a try with something like a Depth Raider or a DDD. Even an Ernie has worked for me in a couple situations.
Rock ledge is the main structure. Theres virtually no trees down in this area and few weeds. There is alot of depth changes where another creek comes in hopefully the fish will be holding on that drop.
TB |
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| Another question, I dont fish live bait much but how deep would you have it beneth a float this time of year in say 20-25ft of water?
Thanks |
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Posts: 209
Location: Big Falls MN | We put the bait down 6 to 8 feet in the deeper holes and just 2 to 3 feet in some of the other spots on the river |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Depending on how much current, and how big the hole is, you'll want to get your live bait down near and or in contact with the bottom at least part of the time in those really deep holes. On our river here, they really don't start frequenting the super deep holes until they need to for preferred temp(that is if they aren't using other locations in the river to find the temp, which is more important than bait right now..bait will be there..). Once they start in on the deep holes, it's typically a bottom deal, but that's often when the water is in the 30's. |
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| The pool that Im fishing is probably about 10 acres, of that maybe one acre is 20ft or deeper. Water temps should still be in the mid 40s-low 50s so not sure if the fish will be real deep. Im going out tomorrow hopefully ill have better luck than I have the last few times Ive gone. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | I should've mentioned the preferred temp is relative to where you are in the Muskies range too. Here, the water will eventually/is begining to freeze, so what happens here when the surface temps are 35-39 could happen elsewhere at 44-48, etc. If it is deep holes you suspect/know they are using now, I'd look to the first hole near where you lost contact with the Muskies earlier this fall, at least as a starting point.
Edited by Reef Hawg 11/16/2012 12:01 PM
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| Targa01 - 11/13/2012 10:41 PM
Slow your presentation down and see what happens. Fish may be in same/similar areas as earlier but you may be stuck in the "summer" speed mode. Your typical cranks, jerks, dawgs will allow you to still cover the shallow but then get deeper closer to the boat covering both areas when searching.
Let us know what happens your next trip out.
Well I went out today for a few hours, didnt see a single fish water temps were 43-48. I fished mainly deep rocks and could see bottom in 20 ft of water. I apprecate all of the advice, Im just really starting to get puzzeled with this spot. |
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Posts: 742
Location: Grand Rapids MN | Keep searching in and around any structure close by the deep hole. Water is really uniform at those temps and even more so when it comes to rivers as they are not exactly like a lake. If the sun is out don't be afraid to try shallow as the fish will welcome the warmth. Bass and other fish as welll will move back up on nicer days as well. Sounds like some clear water if you can see bottom in 20'. There will be tough days so just keep at it and you will hit a good bite yet. |
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River fish in the fall