Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2020 - 15

spinnerbaits may still produce, especially during
the early fall, but usage becomes more focused.
Since summer fish tend to be spread out, at this
time, slow down and pick apart spots with jig-style
baits, or use moving baits to target areas tight to
shore, quickly retrieving for another cast once the
bait is well off the bank. Even in the cooler water
of fall, active fish tend to be shallower, especially
Smallmouth Bass, meaning these fish are often
close to shore though deep water is nearby.
Falling water temperatures and fish migration
are just part of the fall river-fishing situation.
Other factors come into play, namely weed die-off
and leaf fall, both of which can strongly influence
your efficiency and effectiveness. Water celery
is a common submergent river weed that dies
and uproots over the course of the fall. Masses of
floating dead grass can be extremely frustrating.
Falling leaves also become an issue about the time
the weeds have flushed through.
As frustrating as floating debris can be, it is
Dale Black used a finesse tube jig to catch this fall, river Smallmouth Bass. important to realize that the most productive
part of a cast is often right after the bait hits the
heavily influenced by river levels and weather. Higher
water-the initial fall of a jig after it lands in a slot between
water will push fish out of summer spots quicker, as will
two boulders along the bank, the first couple turns of
periods of cold weather that result in dramatic water
the reel handle after the tight-to-shore splashdown of a
temperature declines.
spinnerbait, and the first couple twitches of a soft jerkbait as
As with fish location, a similar transition in presentation
you work it over a tail-out. The initial portion of the retrieve
takes place during the fall. In the warm water of summer,
is commonly weed/leaf free since the problem arises from
Walleyes and Smallmouth Bass are quite willing to chase
floating debris hitting your line and following it down to the
down moving, high-energy baits. Typically, the water is clear lure as you work it in.
resulting in a large visual feeding window. Hard and soft
Certain areas, due to river's current, either clog up or
jerkbaits, soft swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and noisy topwaters
stay relatively weed/leaf free. Armed with this knowledge,
excel. This changes as the water cools and fish move into
preplan your spots, so you are not doing unnecessary work.
quieter, slower current spots. The general shift is from fastSmallmouth Bass continue to be consistently caught
moving horizontal baits to more subtle vertical ones.
until water temperatures drop below 40 degrees F. Walleyes
Hair jigs, twister-tail grubs, finesse Ned rig jig heads,
can be caught until the river surface freezes. Regardless of
and various-sized tube jigs begin to take on a prominent
annoyances such as floating weeds and leaf litter, fall is a
role. Moving baits such as jerkbaits, soft swimbaits, and
great time to be on the water.

Tube jigs are an essential fall, river Smallmouth Bass offering.
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Twister tail bodies coupled with a leadhead jig excel during the
fall for Walleyes and Smallmouth Bass.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2020

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2020

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