Fall Bass on Sparrow Lake

[joep]

Hi everyone,

 

I was wondering if anyone has been up to Sparrow this time of year. I did pretty good this past summer but to be honest I've never tried fishing anywhere in the fall in the 25 or so years since I first started fishing. I've done quite a bit of research on the topic and the only thing that seems to be consistent is that the bass (and all fish) are gorging themselves this time of year in anticipation of the lean times to come which are just around the corner now. I'm not looking for specific spots but really just some pointers on the general differences between where they are in the summer vs. where they are now and differnces in baits/presentations. Any help would be greatly appreciated and if I can be of any help to anyone I will certainly try to do that.

 

Thanks

 

Joe P.

[aniceguy]

Lake should have those green fish hunkered but the smallies should be turning on soon in the channels

[OhioFisherman]

I have never fished anywhere in Ontario after the end of September, and usually stopped here in Ohio after Thanksgiving weekend. Late fall, early winter bass can be unpredictable, for some people even more of a challenge because they limit themselves with pre-conceived notions on what will work.

 

My buddy won a small tournament in December here pitching a blade bait (vibee) to pockets in the dying weeds in 3 to 6 feet of water. He let it flutter down, ripped it off the bottom and let it flutter back down. Thin ice around the shores of the lake when they launched that day and never got out of the 40`s. He weighed in the heaviest bag of 5 fish, like 18 pounds, he had ever caught on that lake spring,summer, fall or winter, all L/M.

 

I have caught L/M late fall 20 feet down hanging with the smallies or 2 feet or less pitching to boat docks, trees, pockets in weeds, rip-rap stone along bridges, causeways.

 

Perfect lure? The one that works, again don`t limit yourself by thinking this or that has to work, it may or may not, stay flexible in your thinking an approach. Jig and pig, carolina rigged worm dragged along weed edges, rattle trap thrown near schools of bait fish, spinnerbait, in- line spinner like a mepps or rooster tail can all work.

 

First frost, spell of cold weather can get them feeding for the winter, and not always down deep.

[BillM]

If/when the lake turns over they could be anywhere, but most likely shallower then their summer haunts.. I've caught a lot of smallmouth on top water in the fall, go figure..

[jediangler]

Fished Sparrow once and had good luck in the mouth of Deep Bay.