Page 26 - Discover Fall 2021
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Fisherman’s Almanac CONTINUED
F is he rma n ’ s Alma nac C O NTINUED
once that needed two buckets to slow it down on docks, points, in brush, and in drop offs.
sufficiently. I called it my "two bucket boat". I Plastic worms and jigs work well as do plugs,
didn't care what it looked like when our boat spinners and buzz baits. When a cold front
was catching the fish. shows itself, the fish will feed prior to the
front and after it passes, especially if the
Now we come to the baits and set-up. barometer falls. Fish know when a front is
You can troll hell benders, water-dogs, deep- coming in the same way that a person can
diving red fins, spoon-bill rebels or similar feel a weather change from a previous injury,
lures. You could also use down-riggers, which such as a broken bone or arthritis. Fish feel
allow you to troll various jigs and lures, and something similar! As a result, the bass may
control the depth. The easiest and least costly drop back 20 feet or more.... stripers will drop
method of trolling uses lead-core line... and 20 feet or more as well. Since they will be
you must have the proper rod and reel to at 25 to 35 feet deep prior to the front, this
handle this (your local tackle dealer can help could put them at about 60 feet down. I have
you with this; it is very simple). The lead-core caught stripers at this depth many times.
line has colored sections. Each section goes
ten feet down in the water; thus, if you have When the water temperature reaches 50
fish at 33 feet deep, you should be running degrees or less, the fish will be in the coves in
three colors, putting your baits just above the morning... that usually happens around
the fish. Fish can see better looking up as November 1st. When the sun rises, the fish
opposed to looking down, because of the move into the deep parts of the channel.
shape of their heads and placement of their
eyes. Catching these fish is easy, but take care to
dress warmly enough to withstand the cold.
Take a look at the drawing to see the best There are also propane heaters available for
rig for trolling. Start with a 3 way swivel and your boat for this season. You must be able
tie it onto the end of the line on your rod and to get to the cove you want to fish before
reel. On the second part of the 3-way, tie on a daylight and before the fog appears on the
line approximately 7 feet long. On the other water... about 4 or 5 in the morning. Be
end of the 7 foot line, tie on a Pet Spoon or careful driving your boat, as it will still be
something similar. On the third part of the 3 dark. When you reach the mouth of the cove
way swivel, tie on a 5 foot line. On the other that you want to fish, stop, shut-off the motor,
end, tie a lead head jig with a sassy shad (a and use your graph and your electric trolling
plastic grub in the shape of a minnow that is motor to ease back into the cove. When you
green, white or silver). This should be a great begin to see a lot of dots on your graph, ease
combination for catching a lot of fish and you into the middle of these marks as you can
can fish this way during the day until spring. best guess. Have a casting rod set-up with a
Remember, as the weather turns cold, the top running lure, Red Fin (straight or jointed,
fish go deeper, and therefore closer to or even 6 or 7 inches), or a Long A, or a Thunder
among the tree tops. Obviously, you must be Stick.
careful of the trees.
In October, the bass are feeding up Your eyes will adjust to the dark, and
getting ready for winter. They can be found soon there will be a little bit of light in the
24 Discover Smith Mountain Lake FALL 2021
