Copyright © 2008 Blue Horizon Sport Fishing
Article published in September 2006 Issue of Great Lakes Angler
Extend Your Season
Diehard trollers will find plenty of hungry kings offshore right into winter.
By Dan Keating
Diehard trollers will find plenty of hungry kings offshore right into winter.
By Dan Keating
If you’re not too distracted by hunting season and football, why not try a few late-season fishing trips? Most anglers follow an outdated schedule-after mature kings hit the shoreline, deepwater trolling gear and boats get put up for the winter.
That’s just way too soon, because fast action with immature kings in the 3- to 14-pound range can be found throughout the fall. Most places, these fish may never see a lure after Labor Day. Yes, this is a weather-sensitive fishery, but if you pick your days you can fill the cooler well into November.
That’s just way too soon, because fast action with immature kings in the 3- to 14-pound range can be found throughout the fall. Most places, these fish may never see a lure after Labor Day. Yes, this is a weather-sensitive fishery, but if you pick your days you can fill the cooler well into November.
Before you begin fishing you must hunt. Location is everything now. Wind direction and velocity is critical to help you locate fish. Your search criteria are very similar to summer fishing. Locate the bait and cold water (42 to 48 degrees).
Late season kings are highly mobile and will move around. Some years they will come into relatively shallow water of 30 to 60 feet. Other years finds the biggest schools offshore suspended miles from shore.
If high winds and unstable weather dominate your region, then stable offshore waters will hold the kings. Alewives and kings suspend out there. These kings will use the entire water column and at times will be way deep-like 100 to 170 feet down on Lake Michigan; sometimes deeper in Huron, Superior and Ontario.
Late season kings are highly mobile and will move around. Some years they will come into relatively shallow water of 30 to 60 feet. Other years finds the biggest schools offshore suspended miles from shore.
If high winds and unstable weather dominate your region, then stable offshore waters will hold the kings. Alewives and kings suspend out there. These kings will use the entire water column and at times will be way deep-like 100 to 170 feet down on Lake Michigan; sometimes deeper in Huron, Superior and Ontario.
Basic fishing techniques and lure selection during the fall are not much different than the summer. However, you must consider lure size and “match the hatch.”
Check the stomach contents of fish to determine what size bait they’re eating. Often, young-of-the-year alewives and perch migrate offshore in large schools. These small baits, less than one-inch long, are a favorite food of late season kings. If kings are feeding on small baits, you must use small spoons and well-worn flies to score. Start with the standard size Michigan Stinger and Grizzly spoons. If these don’t work, drop down and use smaller spoons such as the mini-Streaks, Streak Juniors or Stinger Scorpions.
For flies, use the well-worn flies that you are thinking about throwing away. I often take the beads off the leader and use a sliver of tinsel.
Again, hunting is a major component of success. If you want to hit a home run, you need to pick up the bat and step up to the plate. If you want to extend your fishing season and catch a bunch of nice fish, you need to put in some time on the water.
GLA
Check the stomach contents of fish to determine what size bait they’re eating. Often, young-of-the-year alewives and perch migrate offshore in large schools. These small baits, less than one-inch long, are a favorite food of late season kings. If kings are feeding on small baits, you must use small spoons and well-worn flies to score. Start with the standard size Michigan Stinger and Grizzly spoons. If these don’t work, drop down and use smaller spoons such as the mini-Streaks, Streak Juniors or Stinger Scorpions.
For flies, use the well-worn flies that you are thinking about throwing away. I often take the beads off the leader and use a sliver of tinsel.
Again, hunting is a major component of success. If you want to hit a home run, you need to pick up the bat and step up to the plate. If you want to extend your fishing season and catch a bunch of nice fish, you need to put in some time on the water.
GLA
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Location is everything during the fall. Share information with other diehard trollers in your region, report the locations of success, and failure and everyone wins. Networking helps determine schooling patterns of late-season fish. A great place to find and share info is on our own GLAngler.com in the various lakes’ fishing reports forums.
-D.K.
Location is everything during the fall. Share information with other diehard trollers in your region, report the locations of success, and failure and everyone wins. Networking helps determine schooling patterns of late-season fish. A great place to find and share info is on our own GLAngler.com in the various lakes’ fishing reports forums.
-D.K.
Matching the hatch is critical in fall when fish key on particular sizes of bait. Check a fish’s stomach as smaller spoons may be closer to what you find. From left are mags from Moonshine, Savant, regular-sized Silver Streak, Dreamweaver and Stinger, a Northern King NK 24, a small Glowmate and a Stinger Scorpion.
Come on out on the
Magazine Article by Dan Keating
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