| Fall normally means the beginning of football season. | | | | to duplicate the drift each time, drop a marker at the |
| To the Lake Erie bass angler it means jumbo-size, | | | | beginning and at the end of your drift. This will keep |
| `football' shaped smallmouth bass. August to late | | | | you in preferred water and allow you to be more |
| October/November is when Lake Erie's fat-n-sassy | | | | productive. Markers or floats that are visible to boats |
| bronzebacks begin to put on the feed bag and begin | | | | are like a blue-light special. They tend to attract alot |
| to stock up for winter. Now is the time to catch one | | | | of people looking for a bargain or your easy fish! Tip: |
| of the lake's best game fish and certainly regarded | | | | When in a crowd or around unwanted uncourteous |
| by many as Erie's best battlers. | | | | anglers is to use your Loran/GPS to mark your spot |
| With the unexpected introduction of the Zebra | | | | when you reset your drift. |
| Muscle in the late 80's, the Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass | | | | When fishing live bait such as soft-shelled crayfish, |
| really took off into something just short of | | | | minnows, or leeches, you'll need proper hooks and |
| spectacular. With the cleaner and clearer water | | | | have sinkers of various weights. Use of a sharp #1 |
| resulting from the zebra muscles, bass will encounter | | | | to #4 hooks are the most common. Due to the |
| with a vengeance any preferred bait when presented | | | | rocky structure and occasional snags, wire hooks |
| correctly. Tip: Smallmouth bass are generally sight | | | | work best. The type of weight you use is optional. |
| feeders. Which means once the bass visualize it's | | | | Slip |
| prey, it will attack and devour. Unlike Lake Erie | | | | sinkers, wrap around sinkers, and rubber core |
| walleyes, smallmouth generally are not boat shy and | | | | sinkers all work well. Placement of the weight should |
| are not bothered by | | | | be 12" to 18" minimum above the bait for best |
| sunlight. This makes them an accommodating and | | | | results. Tip: Use only enough weight to keep the bait |
| easy target when located in both shallow and deep | | | | near the bottom. To big of weight for the conditions |
| water most any time of the day. | | | | will result in lost strikes from the fish feeling the |
| Catching Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass takes nothing | | | | weight and dropping the bait before the hook set. |
| more then a bait box of soft-shell crayfish, a bucket | | | | To avoid loosing bait to snags and bottom, drop |
| of minnows, leeches, or a tackle box of properly | | | | your baited offering over the side of the boat until |
| selected artificial's (tube baits, crankbaits, spinners, | | | | you feel bottom, shut the reel and simply fish. |
| etc.). While you can anticipate summer walleyes to | | | | Remember, smallmouth are not boat shy! You'll often |
| roam the open, deep water flats, smallmouth prefer | | | | catch them right under your drifting |
| hard structure. Bass in most cases are easy to | | | | boat! Occasionally lift and lower the bait to allow for |
| locate. If you can find rocks,you'll find smallmouth. | | | | extra movement similar to perch fishing. Wait for the |
| Tip: A little pre-planning with a lake chart, a couple | | | | pickup, feel the weight of the fish for a second, and |
| minutes of questions at the bait shop, or simply book | | | | set the hook! Tip: When using live bait, don't set the |
| a charter and pick your captain's brain for information, | | | | hook to hard. In |
| will remendously add to your success. Remember to | | | | other words, don't use what I refer to as the |
| always have a game plan when | | | | "Bassmaster Whack". Use just your lower arms, keep |
| smallmouth or "Jumper" fishing. | | | | the line tight, and have a correctly set drag. To much |
| Some great areas to begin searching for fall | | | | hook set with a heavy action rod can pull the bait |
| Smallmouth Bass would be around the famous Bass | | | | and hook right out of the fish's mouth. To tight of |
| Islands, Kelley's Island, Ruggles Beach off Huron, and | | | | drag will cause many broken lines or pulled hooks. |
| of course the angler's choice at Pelee Island in | | | | Keep your drag on the loose side. Don't be greedy |
| Ontario waters. Tip: Remember when | | | | when the hard-fighting fish need line. In most cases |
| locating bass they are territorial fish. Smallmouth | | | | your only lip hooking the fish. A good rod of choice |
| rarely roam open waters and will not migrate twenty | | | | would be nothing heavier them med/med-heavy or a |
| miles like walleyes do each fall. When the bass move, | | | | rod action with a moderate to fast tip spooled with 6 |
| they tend go deeper or even shallower around their | | | | to 10 lb. test line. If you do miss a strike, |
| home! If you find structure that is good for bass, | | | | immediately drop your offering back. Many times |
| expect to find them in the neighborhood again and | | | | there's competition for food within the bass |
| again within close proximity on your next trip or even | | | | community and there may be following fish which |
| next season. If you locate a prime bass spot mark it | | | | may strike any offering remaining on the hook. Tip: |
| with your Loran/GPS, landmarks or a means that will | | | | Bass anglers should constantly check your |
| allow you to return another day. Good smallmouth | | | | line for nicks or cuts resulting from zebra muscles. |
| spots aren't here today, gone | | | | These small scratches will weaken your line and you'll |
| tomorrow like walleyes! Keep in mind you'll not want | | | | breakoff many fish! You are fishing a bottom |
| to tell other serious bass anglers! | | | | covered by the muscles. Line can be weaken by the |
| Once you have located a suspected prime bass | | | | sharp edges of the mollusks shell. After each fish is |
| hide-out, where do you begin? You have to decide if | | | | landed, run your finger over the line a couple inches |
| your going to anchor or drift. Drifting is preferred and | | | | above the weight to the hook to check for bad |
| you can drift with any bait that can be presented to | | | | areas. I've seen many big fish lost to damaged line. |
| a hungry smallmouth bass. If it's to windy in the area | | | | In the Fall months, smallmouth generally prefer a |
| your fishing or your boat drifts so fast to properly | | | | more natural live bait presentation. As the water |
| present your bait, anchor safely at your spot and fish | | | | begins to cool, bass begin the stock up for the long |
| your area | | | | winter. This is when these little `footballs' put on the |
| thoroughly. To cover more water while anchored, | | | | weight and really show their muscle. If the angler is |
| occasionally release or bring in anchor line. It's best | | | | hardy enough, and doesn't mind missing alittle |
| either to fish shallow then move out to deeper | | | | hunting, the angler can catch a real trophy. The 1994 |
| water or deeper to shallow water, never in-between. | | | | fall Smallmouth Bass season was spectacular with the |
| This important step allows you to | | | | average fish falling between 14" to 16", with many |
| work over areas to eliminate unproductive waters. | | | | over 17 to 21 inches and four pounds plus! Why miss |
| Tip: There is never any water to shallow or to deep | | | | out on the "best" of the "best" when it comes to |
| for smallmouth. Any day of the fall season | | | | fishing Lake Erie.Lake Erie's fall football season is just |
| smallmouth could be found in any depth ranging from | | | | around the corner.Fishing guide on Lake Erie for 21 |
| a shallow 8ft. to a deep 30ft. or at a | | | | years. I specialize in catch and release bass fishing all |
| depth in-between. Locate a good school of bass and | | | | season long. |