Posts: 580
| I've done a several trips just slightly later than this, moreso late Sept/early Oct than the mid/late Sept dates you've listed. Depending upon prevailing weather my experience is probably relatable, but take it for what it's worth.
As was noted above, this is kind of an "in between" timeframe as the fall trolling pattern has yet to come into full fruition, but you are well past the "run and gun" summer peak. And yeah, the floating algae can be bad, though it does seem to vary year-to-year. I certainly don't like the green stuff, but I've found that "good spots" are still "good spots" and will hold fish.
At times, we've had excellent action, both casting and trolling, though it seems like patterns are more apt to be inconsistent day-to-day or even hour-to-hour. Overall, it seems that finding fish can be more challenging at this time of year. As opposed to early/mid summer where great numbers of fish are shallow and accessible, I think think fish at this time of year are more spread out. The best areas we've found are structures that tend to concentrate fish, located along "travel routes", i.e., structures in between or that are connecting into bigger, open-water basins, and especially the longer, major points. Also, natural current areas, (e.g., on a calm day where you notice it's pea soup one minute and then completely clean 1/2 an hour later).
As far as presentation, depending upon conditions, it seems like anything goes. We've had luck at times with pretty much anything and/or everything. Casting topwater and fast-moving blades....to slow-moving big gliders, or dive/rise jerks...to tossing rubber deep and away from structure...to trolling big cranks along the deeper breaks much like a late fall pattern.
The other nice thing about this timeframe is that there is relatively little fishing pressure.
Good luck. |
