Ohio Fall Fishing: Big Fish On the Move

Old School Bass Fishing Secrets Course

Ohio Fall Fishing: Fires Up In October And November!


The fall season in Ohio is usually noted for the emergence of a abundance of new outdoor opportunities that are opening up. From fall foliage walks and hunting Ohio's excellent deer herd to enjoying harvest season festivals, there are a wide variety of options available in the Buckeye State this fall.

One activity not to be missed is the tremendous fall fishing opportunities that are available across the state. Most fish species are in a constant feed getting ready for the approaching winter, and this occurring from lake Erie all the way south to the Ohio river. This can make for a fantastic fall fishing trip and a full cooler of fish to bring home.
RAINBOW TROUT
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Thousands of rainbow trout into local fishing areas and neighborhood lakes throughout the state of Ohio during the fall months. This is a annual ritual in Ohio and it presents some excellent opportunities for fisherman to keep there fishing tackle active for a few more weeks. It is also a great way for families to enjoy some outdoor activities before the severe cold weather comes.

STEELEHEAD
Steelhead start cruising the Lake Erie shoreline shortly after Labor Day, with rainfall and cooler temperatures triggering an increase in the upstream migrations. The Division of Wildlife annually stocks five Lake Erie tributary streams (Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin and Grand rivers, and Conneaut Creek) with steelhead.

These fish eventually migrate into Lake Erie and spend the summer in the cooler part of the lake before returning to streams during the fall through the spring. If you are fishing in streams and tributaries of lake Erie the steel head trout average about 25inchs in length and weigh approximately five to six pounds. These fish probably have spent two to three years out in the main part of lake Erie. There are a good number of trophy fish available that are over 30 inches long and weigh more than 10 pounds.

BASS, CRAPPIE, AND SUNFISH
Fishing inland reservoirs for bass, crappie, or sunfish also can be very productive. Late-season crappie are likely to be found near good cover such as fallen trees, artificial structure, or other stick-ups near sloping points, outside bends of creek channels, or steep shorelines adjacent to creek channels. If you move offshore just a bit fall crappie will hold in schools near drop off areas. A less traditional area that also is worth a try is the spillway where moving water may attract and concentrate crappie. Spillways often can be easy to fish from shore and they can be surprisingly productive.

Bass feed heavily this time of year on the bait fish that are abundant in the reservoirs. This can lead to some frenzied fishing action! Anglers should target shallow bays and structure that are adjacent to deeper waters. But the easiest way to find feeding bass is to look for schools of bait fish breaking the surface when a bass is feeding on them. Cast a top-water plug or a twister tail into the commotion and it should lead to success.

Sunfish that have been shallow year round will obviously be deeper this time of year, but the bite can be just as good. Just like other fish, sunfish need to bulk up their fat reserves for the long winter ahead, so modifying your summer tactics to fish deeper water should lead to successful days.

YELLOW PERCH
The most famous and remarkable fall perch fishery is still lake Erie and large catches can still be had. Also there are some inland reservoirs around the state that hold good populations of perch. Most of these reservoirs are located in northwest Ohio and the best ones for yellow perch include: Findlay Reservoir No. 1 (Hancock County), Metzger and Ferguson reservoirs (Allen County), Wauseon Reservoir No. 2 (Fulton County), Shelby Reservoir No. 3 (Richland County), Upper Sandusky Reservoir No. 2 (Wyandot County), and Willard Reservoir (Huron County).

WALLEYE AND SAUGEYE
Movement is the key for catching trophy walleye or saugeye that can be found in waterways across Ohio. Some late fall November walleye anglers find that fishing for walleye when they're on the move is highly effective. Best baits for walleye are floating jigs tipped with white, yellow or fluorescent colored plastic tails. Saugeye become highly active this time of year as well. With lakes being drawn down for flood control, saugeye school up near areas where the flow is funneled down, such as bridge abutments. Vertical jigging or casting with twister tails or crankbaits works well to catch these female walleye/male-sauger hybrids.

Check out these quick tips for excellent autumn fishing or visit wildohio.com and click on "Fishing" for more details about choosing the right bait, places to fish, fish identification, and even how to fillet and cook the fish you take home. Recipes are available at wildohiocookbook.com

Anglers age 16 and older are required to have a valid fishing license to take fish, frogs or turtles from Ohio waters. Fishing licenses are available at bait and tackle stores, outdoor outfitters, major department stores, and at wildohio.com. An Ohio fishing license is one of the best recreational bargains available, costing state residents only $19 a year. Fishing licenses do not expire until February 28, 2009, anglers can enjoy the "hard water" season as well!

Ohio residents born on or before December 31, 1937 can obtain a free fishing license at any license vendor. Residents age 66 and older born on or after January 1, 1938 are eligible to obtain a reduced-cost senior fishing license for $10. A one-day fishing license is also available for $11, an amount that can be applied toward the cost of an annual license.
Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Visit his site at Fishing Ohio In The Fall and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"

Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Visit his site at lake erie western basin fishing report and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"