Apparently we will experience October weather in November this year.

That translates into good fishing conditions on our lakes and rivers in the coming weeks. Today, surface water temperatures that would normally average around 72 degrees average about 84.

The cold fronts will eventually arrive and the lakes and rivers will cool off. The Mississippi River was just as predictable as the weather this month. The river level dropped 10 feet and rose 10 feet three times in four weeks.

The fluctuating water would continually relocate the fish and we really had to mix it up to catch bass and crappie this month. The live oxbow lakes &045; Deer Park, Minorca and Yucatan &045; produced many nice bass and crappie.

One day the fish would be holding in shallow water and the next they would be suspended shallow over deep water. Very few fish were caught off the bottom in water deeper than 12 feet.

The fluctuating Mississippi River level made it tough to establish a pattern that would last longer than a day or two. It was impossible to find fish bass or crappie on deep structure.

During a fast falling river, the fish that were deep would suspend over deep water but no further down than 12 feet. That will change as soon as the water temps cools off.

The use of bottom lures like jigs, worms and creature style soft plastics paid off big time this month in quality but the quantity was not there. You could catch six or seven bass from 3-5 pounds but for numbers of fish, spinner-baits and mid range to shallow diving crankbaits were the most productive lures.

This trend will continue until water levels stabilize and water temperatures fall below 75 degrees. As surface water cools, the deep-water bottom bite will improve on the Old Rivers and other surrounding lakes.

The bass fishermen will have to mix it up this month. Toward the end of November, when water temps fall from the 70s to the mid 60s many different style lures will be productive.

The bass will readily take top-water lures, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzz baits, jigs and a variety of soft plastics. As water temperatures fall below 62, you can start culling your lure selection.

By the end of December I will be down to just a handful of bottom lures. To me cold water ends the confusion of lure selection. You can basically get by with a heavy spinnerbait, a Rat-L-Trap, a flipping tube and a jig.