means more active fish

By Eddie Roberts

Thank goodness October is here. The hot days of summer are behind us. It’s time to get serious. This month cooler water temperatures will really turn the fish on. Fall is a major transition period for all game fish. Cooler nights and shorter days will lower surface water temps. There will be a lot less boat traffic. By mid-October, the fish will be very active.

Shad and other baitfish will gradually move toward the cooler surface water. The bass will follow. It’s time for top-water lures. Break out the Zara Spooks, Pop R’s and Lunker Lures. Whacking big fish on the surface is the most exciting method for taking the largemouth bass. Cast a Zara Spook across the ends of the piers on Lakes Concordia, St. John and Bruin and hang on. Work the Lunker Lure real slow early and late at Deer Park, Black River Lake or any of our area fisheries for explosive strikes from big bass.

The Mississippi River is at a very unusual stage. The level at Natchez is 31.3 feet and falling. I cannot recall a river level this high in October. This will be a big plus for the fishermen and women that know how good the Old Rivers can be in the Fall. By Wednesday, the river will be around 29.2 feet. That’s perfect for catching big slab crappie from the Old Rivers.

If the long distance forecast holds up, there is a 6-to-8 foot fall coming down-river. By this time next week, Deer Park, Minorca and Yucatan will be in great shape for bass, crappie, white bass and bream fishing. A favorable river stage combined with less boat traffic equals active fish.

The Black River/Horseshoe Lake Complex is a great place to fish this season. The bass will move out of their summer hiding spots and began to feed more and more often. It’s a great time to &8220;crank&8221;. I like topwaters and jigs but it’s hard to beat a shallow diving crankbait like a 100 or 200 series Bandit or a Bagley Killer B1 fro numbers of bass. Try shad pattern lures if the water is clear. If the water is stained, try chartreuse or red colored lures.

Somehow in last week’s column the address to my new web site had a typo. The correct address is www.fishingwitheddie.com. Check it out. The site has only been up a week or so and we have over 1200 hits and many registered users. Register and join us on the FWE Boards. Check out the Fishing Tips, Lake Reports, Performance Boating and more on fishingwitheddie.com.