Fall fishing

[merch]

Here’s one. Do people really believe that a fall run can occur early or late due to weather. I’d imagine it has always been and always will be a function of the moon phase and or angle of the sun, hours of daylight, bait, or something else I can’t even understand. Some other type of clock that most humans have evolved past recognizing anymore. Isn’t the quality of fishing just a function of angler participation, i.e. when it’s warm people go out fishing and when it’s cold and windy people just stay home. Is it possible that the fish do pretty much the same thing at the same time year in and year out regardless of weather? I’ve never noticed any difference due to weather except that some normally productive spots may become tough to fish at times but I’d assume the fish are still nearby if not still out there but nearly impossible to catch. Sorry for this but I always hear lots of new theories why the fishing sucks for different people this time of year and they tend to blame everything but themselves. I’m not attacking anyone here. It just seems like human nature leads most to try find an explanation for things they can’t really, or maybe aren’t supposed understand.

[Zeno]

Usually ,few guys get together and have a Turkey under the Light at Montauk Point ....last shot at fish the day after Thanksgiving.
Expect last year,the beaches lit up on November 29th and stayed lit thru Christmas into January.
Many blamed that occurrence on warm weather.
Well, we have the warmest October ever recorder.
You might want to tell your better half to change Christmas shopping plans

[merch]

Which occurance did they blame on the warm weather? The fact that fish were there or the fact that it was nice enough to entice everyone to stay out and fish longer into the season? I'm being serious too, not trying to be a smart ass. In your experience, has it ever stayed good that late in montauk in past years? We're always getting bass into early december in RI out front. Maybe not lit up, but they definatley move through for those interested in pursuing them. That is until people like me get off the beach and go inside because it's too cold . That's usually about the time I can't feel my fingers and my korkers turn into ice spikes rather than rock spikes because of a flash freeze.

[surfcast]

I would say weather influences the fall run as well as the spring run you dont think water temp is going to trigger bait and game fish to move ??

[jpgrandchamp]

It's probably a function of water temp and daylight. The light let's them know its the time of year to be on the move and the water temp helps set the pace and to a lesser extent specific routes.

[merch]

It isn't that water temp has no influence over bait behavior. Like everything else it would seem that every move that any fish makes is a result of the presence of forage. I don't know if menhaden or other baitfish hang out when it stays warm either. Maybe a late plankton bloom or something might keep them around longer. All I'm getting at is that if the water temp is 49 degrees instead of 50 at a certain time of year I don't think that that has a huge effect on the presence of bass. Angler participation seems to be the only known, ground truth when it comes down to fishing reports and when it's cold and windy the fishing reports become fewer so the number of fish caught becomes less. I've fished spots at times, under certain conditions I was told not to bother with only to be rewarded by excellent fishing. The converse has occured as well. It just seems that too many people like to make excuses sometimes because it's easier to except some theory than it is to go out and find the truth. Pete and the crew at the edge are an exception to this rule shown by the type of advice they give out in their fishing reports. They will tell you if the fishing was bad or good for them but they encourage everyone (especially when it may have been slow) to keep looking and try different things out because the fish are certainly somewhere feeding.

Jpgrandchamp brings up a good point too. It has to be more than just warm weather. What happened to moon phase, angle of the sun, etc. Things that are much more primal. Don't forget there are populations of bass in rivers all the way to Canada. Does air temperature define their feeding habits as well? It just doesn't make sense. Where are these fish going anyway? We all assume that they return to the Chesapeake or the Hudson but don't the cows tend to congregate offshore NC during the winter months? If so, what's the rush to hurry up and wait at the wintering grounds. I'd imagine the offshore deepwater temps down there are pretty constant year round. Wouldn't they actively feed all winter if food was available? If there are fish offshore in NC all winter then doesn't it make sense that the cows for the northern breeding populations lay just off our shores in RI as well? The water temp down towards the bottom does not fluctuate as much as the surface waters do as a function of weather.

Sorry to ramble and I really don't want to offend anyone but this whole warm/cold weather thing seems to have an oversimplified connection to the quality of fishing especially this time of year.

[bassnut3126]

Merch thats a great post!

[headhunter]

I will be heading down to see the family over the weekend. Temps look enticing enough to hit some of the haunts.

Is there a fish to be found? Or am I just practicing my casting, which is not an entirely bad idea....beats sitting inside.

[merch]

There are fish around. Check the tidal ponds and rivers. Fish slow, fish high in the water, fish in current, fish at night. Spend a lot of time looking and listening, be quiet and keep the light off, the fish will tell you where they are. Keep your lures/flies on the small side. Sorry, that's about as specific as I can comfortably get.

[Tillerjock]

I completely agree.. water is an incompressable fluid not affected by atmospheric conditions.. food matters a lot and sex and being safe from predators..temp probably has an effect on the food source which prompts them to move...