Jigger

If the playoffs started today, the leafs would be in. Just sayin...

This thread is turning into a monster...

Everyones got one.

Just glad i brought the float suit with me this weekend! Brr!!! Got to agree with Lew here. East brings out the beast!

Nice going sd! Those are some pretty fall colours there! The trees are coming along too! Low water in Haliburton, high water in the Kawarthas= par for the course. Should be great for this years crop of lakers...

Yeah, i feel really bad about that day man. Definately owe you another shot! Well be in touch. Thanks for the replies guys.

Been awhile since I put in a report. So I guess before I get out again, now is as good a time as any to share a bit. July up in Haliburton was absolutely disastrous. Plain and simple. Looking back now, I think that I had been fishing these waters the same as I always had. After 14yrs, I guess I took it for granted that I knew where the fish were and how to get them to bite. I hit spots high and low, primary and secondary spots. Fished fast and slow, weightess and weighted. Dinks. I think in the whole month of July I got one fish over 18in. Was it water levels, explosion of lake herring, or HOT weather? I don't know and wasn't able to figure it out. But I don't know if I was actually trying to figure it out, or if I was just going through the motions. Knowing(thinking) that I knew what I was doing only made the problem worse. Thats fishing, I guess, and thats July in a nutshell. Nothing like a month long dry spell to make old water new again! Went into August with a different mindset and approach to the smalljaws on our cottage lake. Something people really don't take into account is how they approach and depart spots they intend to fish. Too often, I see people come in full throttle and leave in the same way, missing out on fish that they otherwise would have probably contacted if they had been a little more prudent. Starting on the August long weekend, my new strategy was to find certain structural elements that would hold big fish at that time of year and work them until I could work them no more. Normally, I'd say I'm a run and gun kind of angler. This time around, I would give each spot much more time. If I would normally go with the trolling motor on 5, the dial would be down to 3. Looooong casts and painstaking retrieves with topwaters would account for ALL of my hardbait bites. But only a particular topwater. A different style or even colour of the same bait wouldn't record a sniff, but as soon as this bait went on, it was Go Time! The remainder were on plastics. Tubes, grubs and dropshot baits. Senkos and other stickbaits worked, but I think I had more fish turn away from them than actually took them. So the previous softbaits got the nod more often than not. Especially drop shots. even in water you might think too skinny for a technique like that, it would perform. First cast in August. I was afraid that the fish gods would allow only this for the month when I first saw it! Reverse bass thumb when she clamped down on me... My old self would pick up and go whenever I got up,again knowing(thinking) I knew where the fish were and how to get them to bite... That also changed. The cottage faces East, but the lake is in all directions... I had inner turmoil taking the pictures of that last bass. Looking at the pic the fish looks like its smaller than it is, and you can't really see the personality... This guy was smiling the whole time. Say Cheese! September didn't allow me to get out as much as I wanted. I had to work 3/4 of the weekends in the month and have really been itching to get out. So I'm hoping the Honey-do list is complete and cant wait to get out for the best time of year! Thanks for reading and Tightlines folks!!!

Some sweet fish there guys! Those two smallies are rediculous!

That brown is awesome!

I second that^^

From what I understand,its more of a mixing and restabilyzing of the water column. The dirty water can be a sign and, like others have said, it seems early. Rethinking it, theres usually a more drastic swing in temps. Water is most dense at 4degC, i believe. Thats roughly 39degF. Once that mix happens, the water temps are uniform for the most part. Once the debris in the water clears, you can bet that the water has started stratifying again. Geez, i hope that description is accurate! If any of that is inaccurate, please let me know! Could be what singingdog is seeing is the start of the turnover period?

Thanks for the update sd. Post turnover is the best time of year IMO.

Looking back on it brings a smile to my face . Looking at the lake that day, not so much so...

Nice kitty!

Nice fish Lucg! I fish solo 95% of the time and dont mind one bit. Dont get me wrong, fishing with others is great, it just happens this way more often than not.

I fish my muskie lures 100% barbless and am starting to think ill go barbless on my worm hooks as well. Got a few bass this year that absolutely inhaled senkos. Even going through the gills and reversing the hook out, i found the barb was a big hinderance. More than one met the knife because the damage was too significant.

Fall can be tricky during and shortly after turnover. Bass will group in predictable places once the water stabilizes. Totally agree with Mike about rocks and warmer water. The bigger, the better.

I believe you...I see a Boga. Nice fish man!

I have a particular skitterwalk thats been cranked off rocks and was taking on water. I cant seem to find the same colour of lure anywhere. So late July i siliconed the cracks in the lure and started throwing it again and havent stopped catching fish on it. Absolutely the first and last lure im throwing if the conditions call for it.

Cant say i saw that coming! Thanks for the good times! Youll be welcome on my boat when the relapse comes. Take care.

Dont know How to embed off my iphone, this is a great morning song... http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=CA#/watch?v=VCbJoFwX_Lw

Personally, id rather read a report like yours that tells a story. You might be into small fish now, but you get out often and are bound to get into some quality size and numbers in the future! Always great to share a first with someone, i bet your cousin will be beating down your door to go again!

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=CA#/watch?v=xQ_Ywk1g6PU

I take time to commune with nature. Watch the trees blow, the birds flying... Putter about from spot to spot, and leave areas slowly incase theres a potential honey hole on the way elsewhere. It may seem like im actually wasting my time but have found lots of unmarked spots and unmarked fish this way! Coffee ready for the morning and a siesta midday keeps me in a fresh form for the later bite. Pre-trip, i keep a close eye ont the weather for the area im fishing. Prevailing winds especially.Some great tips guys!

Unreal. Another one gone so soon. My thoughts go out to his family.