Too Quiet AGAIN

Too Quiet AGAIN

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Too Quiet AGAIN - 9/3/2008 5:19:14 PM

earlysecond

Posts: 151
Joined: 11/24/2007
Status: offline

At this time, I have a new question. In the past, I have used the months of Late September Through early December to hunt. It seems that the fall is my favotie time of the year in PA, the time when I feel most alive.

In the past I have LOVED the hunting experience that I have shared with my good friends. I will not likely ever forget nor regret the time in the field.

This year, however; for many reasons I have decided to NOT hunt. I think that I could make better use of my "free" time hunting for fish.

Before this year when I was in a boat or wading a river it was with a goal of shooting ducks. I HAVE, in the last several years, fished on Sundays in the river(s)

My question, without previous experience or a detailed log, when do the local lakes typically "roll" or turn. What months or weeks in this time span have you been most successful on a lake. I know that many species have magic numbers for activity. 55degrees has been a standard in spring. Is there a fall number that predicts success?

I would likely be able to fish Raystown for stripers, lakers etc and Glendale for eyes and crappie.

I have a bit of vacation time to burn so I am thinking when best to use it?

If anybody has any GENERAL information that they are willing to share for all, that is great. If not, I respect your decision not to post up.

I do disticntly remember a late season trout harvest on the Sunday the day before Buck Season many years ago. A fishing partner and I knocked the heck out of the trout at Canoe Lake. It was, however, an unusually warm day though.

Brent

Post #: 1

RE: Too Quiet AGAIN - 9/3/2008 10:49:40 PM

indsguiz

Posts: 2008
Joined: 3/24/2005
Status: offline

earlysecond,
     There is a large amount of Steelhead in the Erie tribs from mid Oct to April.   Now if you are in to fall fishing PLEASE do us all a facor and wear Blzae orange if you are going along a stream especially in heavy cover. In the fall some species are especially active as they try to feed to build up food stores for the winter, some species are fall breeders and move out of their usual spots to warmer, shallow water to spawn. Fish usually slow down in the winter but on fall days, especially days with a bit of warmth, fish can be unusually active. Plus most other anglers are usually in the woods hunting so you have areas to yourself.
     I have fished the little"J" in November and actually had a hatch of black flies coming off but I have found that terresterials fished close to shore and below overhangs tend to get a lot of action.
   Frog and mouse imitations fished close to shore are wonders for bass and pike and the occasional "big toothy critter" a Muskie. Raystown, Canoe creek, the Juniata and the lower Bald Eagle at Milesburg can be really productive at this time of year. In the fall though I like to go big since I figure the prey has had all year to grow and instinctively the fish know this. try for smallies from the dam down on the Raystown, big trout under and close to banks on Canoe Creek and the Juniata.
    If you can get to Black Moshannon in the fall the pike seem to have really active times on bright, warm days following a cold snap. And if you are adventurous try getting into the headwaters of Blackie for trout in the fall.
      Good Luck. Hope this helped and wasn't something you already knew.

_____________________________

Illigetimi None Carburundrum

(in reply to earlysecond)

Post #: 2

RE: Too Quiet AGAIN - 9/3/2008 11:26:25 PM

salmotrutta

Posts: 1179
Joined: 8/3/2005
Status: offline

I too mostly put my guns down & kept hold of the rod.
My personal rules are I don't fish over spawners & I never wade once the Trouts have been on the redds until the following April. It takes that long for the eggs to hatch & if you wade & stir up a bunch of silt it settles on them causing a smothering effect. If there's no natural repro. I'll wade.

I don't encroach on hunters. I know I'd be mad as Hell if it happened to me.

(in reply to indsguiz)

Post #: 3

RE: Too Quiet AGAIN - 9/4/2008 3:13:51 AM

Screamin Steel

Posts: 75
Joined: 10/21/2007
Status: offline

55 degrees IS a magic number, in fall as well as spring. When Raystown and other lakes hit this surface temp, the topwater striper bite just explodes. As far as fall turnover, some lakes are already experiencing this change. It happens is steps. Blue Marsh has already been reported that the thermoclines that setup during early summer are fading out...less defined. That's the first step. Now, as nights temps drop off quickly, with shortened daylight periods of peak solar activity, the lake will cool at an accelerated rate. By the time the first frosts are arriving, the lake is turning over, confirmed by the cloudy appearance and sometimes floating debris brought up by the rolling effect of the water temp evening from surface to bottom. When this happens fishing can really suck for a while till it settles down. Then grab your rods and get out there. I'm a relative newbie to steelhead and never thought anything would compete with my bowhunting, but I caught the steel fever the very first time, and I can't wait to get out there again this fall. I highly reccomend it if you haven't tried it. Your idea of trout fishing will never be the same again! I'm just learning in recent years just how much great fishing i've been missing all these years during hunting season. if you're pissed about the low deer numbers in many areas, then you won't be disappointed about focusing on fishing in the fall. I'm not ready to give up on deer hunting, I'll still be chasing my buck with a bow, despite my feelings about the PGC and what they've done to our sport, etc., But I'm now devoting some of that special fall outdoors time to fishing, and not regretful in the least. Some of my buddies that haven't experienced steelhead or fall striper fishing can't imagine why I'd give up prime bowhunting time to go fishing. I try to tell them, but you just have to experience it first hand to be a believer. Good luck and tight lines.

(in reply to salmotrutta)

Post #: 4

RE: Too Quiet AGAIN - 9/5/2008 9:21:23 AM

earlysecond

Posts: 151
Joined: 11/24/2007
Status: offline

Thanks guys,

Indsguiz- I have decided to wear camo into the heaviest cover on the tribs this year. . .I will also be packin' the Glock! When I first read your post I thought that you were rippin' on me then as I re-read it makes sense. Good advice.

Guys, as usual good advice. I have fished a couple of times after the roll over and not been disappointed. I WILL spend my time, pay my dues, learn, catch and post up the results. Late last fall, the fishing was so hot in the river that my son caught, in 1 cast, a small walleye, a 14+ smallmouth and a #13 Husky Jerk ON THE SAME CAST. It looked like the bass had broken somebody off and he caught the line. He was thrilled but that was one of those heavy feed days when minnows could not lose and every cast produced a bite. I was so glad I took him that day. After the hot start he finished with 23 rock bass. He stopped at 23 because it was dark and because his previous record was 22 fish in a day (lake crappie)(he shattered it this spring with 87 crappie in 6 hrs!)).

I DO fish the tribs in the fall and the big trout are really fun. I am not one to enjoy fishing in huge crowds though, one reason I gave up PNT (put and take) fishing many years ago. I am thinking that a trip to Erie this year will include all of the stream equiptment PLUS a small boat (14 of buddies or my 18). This way, i could experience both kinds of steel action. Our thought with the smaller boat is that it is light, easy to tow and if a stom blew in quickly in late OCT or NOV we could just beach it til the storm passes, and fish the tribs.

I need to spend some quality time this year on the Erie tribs with a walking stick and GPS ONLY. I feel the need to learn the water better and to get away from the crowds. I also need to learn some new water in case a trip gets "rained out". I know that there is always somewhere to fish despite the weather but I need to mark it all on a map. Fishing the more crowded places like the Elk Access is not my bag. I am not too good to do this but I hate to look like a major tourist! The only way to break this pattern is to learn more.

Screamin- I do not want to get into a huge debate about deer management. I will suffice to say that I have not seen enough deer in the last several years to justify pushing my 12yr old son to take a saftey course. Too much competition from other distractions in young kids lives. I cannot ask my son to sit in the same area of woods from dawn to dusk to see no deer when that is the intended quarry. Hell, I cannont bring myself to do it anymore. As a friend points out, when you hunt, once you pull the trigger you have game clean and freeze and MAYBE someday you will even eat it. When I fish, I can selectively harvest a couple for the table OR I can let most everything go and catch it again, later. Bottom line is that, iMO, the hunter does not enter heavily into the "new" deer management equation, if that is how the commission want it, fools in my book because they survive off of license revenue, then they got their wish in my household.

Gotta go now,

Bret

(in reply to Screamin Steel)

Post #: 5

RE: Too Quiet AGAIN - 9/5/2008 10:13:10 AM

indsguiz

Posts: 2008
Joined: 3/24/2005
Status: offline

early,
The reason I suggested blaze orange is because one year, many years ago, I got my deer on the 1st day and since I didn't have anything else to do (in camp for all week) I went fishing. I saw at least three guys checking me out through their scopes. (I was not wearing orange) And the thought of somebody catching an arrow or .308 slug while fishing is way too depressing, and I used to like to chase fall run brookies and browns in thick cover in the fall. But I always had on at least a blaze orange knit cap.

_____________________________

Illigetimi None Carburundrum

(in reply to earlysecond)

Post #: 6

RE: Too Quiet AGAIN - 9/5/2008 11:17:32 PM

earlysecond

Posts: 151
Joined: 11/24/2007
Status: offline

WOW! scay stuff. I really RESENT being viewed thru a scope. This is the most hidious of slob hunting practices. Thanks for the good Advice.

Brent

(in reply to indsguiz)

Post #: 7