PA Smallmouth Fishing Better Than Ever This Fall....Why?
Anglers that have chartered my boat and fished the Delaware and/or Susquehanna Rivers over the past 12 years know very well that I LOVE elevated water levels, especially during the fall and cold water period.My numbers on the Delaware have doubled those of the past 3 seasons during the past two weeks. Chris Gorsuch is putting up absolutely gaudy numbers of smallies on the Juniata River lately, and the Main Stem Susquehanna is giving up fewer bass, but they're grossly huge! Why is this?
As heavy rains tend to put a damper on fishing for a couple days right after the rains fall , the fishing following the crests has been outstanding. Smallmouth are creatures that, somewhat like many people, seek and crave security. They will be predictable during elevated fall water levels. They head to the banks....shoreline cover like rocky flats, creek washout points, concrete docks, retaining walls and bridge pilings tight to shore are perfect starting points for anglers targeting fall high water smallies.
Here is a very important point that I have discovered over the years. The best areas will have current until water temps drop below 50 degrees. As long as the water temperature is above 50 (and I'll even go down into the 45-48 degree range), smallies WILL be in or near some form of current. Yes, there are always some bass in slack water. I believe these bass are far less active, and I like feeding bass if there are some present! Soft current flats with rock have been our go-to areas this fall....for the past 3 weeks. Prior to that, it was fast pocket water. As water dropped through the 50's I watched these targeted areas change to slightly deeper, rocky flats and pockets with softer current.
My top choices for lures.......that is an easy one: Spinnerbaits, tubes and traps! Seventy-five percent of our smallies this fall have come on spinnerbaits like those made by Vinnerbaits Lures. They're a great choice for elevated flows because I can cover water, and I don't have to hold quite as long in very hevy current with my trolling motor as I do when jig or tube fishing. Slow-rolling will double bites on any given day. When water is stained, I use heavier spinnerbaits with slightly larger blades. As water clears, strikes will increase by down-sizing blades and using willow blades. Willow blades have a bit less draw in current and allow the lure to sink deeper, making slow-rolling easier on the hands and wrists, and covering more of the water column. Here are 2 clips fro past Backwoods Angler TV shows that illustrate these points:
So don't let the rain put a damper on autumn fishing. Try the above tips, and make sure your Interstate trolling motor batteries are fully charged and ready to handle the high water. Be careful, and go get into some of the best fishing we've seen in Eastern PA rivers for several years!
Good fishin,
Blaine
As heavy rains tend to put a damper on fishing for a couple days right after the rains fall , the fishing following the crests has been outstanding. Smallmouth are creatures that, somewhat like many people, seek and crave security. They will be predictable during elevated fall water levels. They head to the banks....shoreline cover like rocky flats, creek washout points, concrete docks, retaining walls and bridge pilings tight to shore are perfect starting points for anglers targeting fall high water smallies.
Here is a very important point that I have discovered over the years. The best areas will have current until water temps drop below 50 degrees. As long as the water temperature is above 50 (and I'll even go down into the 45-48 degree range), smallies WILL be in or near some form of current. Yes, there are always some bass in slack water. I believe these bass are far less active, and I like feeding bass if there are some present! Soft current flats with rock have been our go-to areas this fall....for the past 3 weeks. Prior to that, it was fast pocket water. As water dropped through the 50's I watched these targeted areas change to slightly deeper, rocky flats and pockets with softer current.
My top choices for lures.......that is an easy one: Spinnerbaits, tubes and traps! Seventy-five percent of our smallies this fall have come on spinnerbaits like those made by Vinnerbaits Lures. They're a great choice for elevated flows because I can cover water, and I don't have to hold quite as long in very hevy current with my trolling motor as I do when jig or tube fishing. Slow-rolling will double bites on any given day. When water is stained, I use heavier spinnerbaits with slightly larger blades. As water clears, strikes will increase by down-sizing blades and using willow blades. Willow blades have a bit less draw in current and allow the lure to sink deeper, making slow-rolling easier on the hands and wrists, and covering more of the water column. Here are 2 clips fro past Backwoods Angler TV shows that illustrate these points:
So don't let the rain put a damper on autumn fishing. Try the above tips, and make sure your Interstate trolling motor batteries are fully charged and ready to handle the high water. Be careful, and go get into some of the best fishing we've seen in Eastern PA rivers for several years!
Good fishin,
Blaine
Posted by Blaine Mengel at 10/19/2011 8:49 AM 
Categories: Bass Fishing
Tags: Delaware River smallmouth bass fishing Susquehanna River spinnerbait fishing Vinnerbaits fall bass fishing River fishing High Water Fishing PA smallmouth fishing
Categories: Bass Fishing
Tags: Delaware River smallmouth bass fishing Susquehanna River spinnerbait fishing Vinnerbaits fall bass fishing River fishing High Water Fishing PA smallmouth fishing
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