Fall is finally here in Central Iowa! In some regards I wish New Year’s Day was Oct. 1, because it is so much more enjoyable than Jan. 1. Just think, celebrating the New Year as the leaves are turning colors while you BBQ with your friends and family. Doesn’t that sound better than the dead of winter that Jan. 1 brings?

Oct. 1 brings a new season and much cooler temperatures. There is something about walking out in the morning and breathing in that crisp fall air! Needless to say most outdoors people like the changing seasons, for most it means a change to hunting for their favorite animal. While others, including me, it just means a different season to go out and catch some fish. Normally, for a few weeks during October the fishing can be the best of the year. Spring fishing is pretty hard to beat, however, the fall fishing is as good or better some years. This year is no exception.

Forty-degree nights and 60-degree days have blessed us for quite some time. In the world of a fish, that tells them that winter is around the corner. Most fish species are pretty active around the 50- to 60-degree water temperature mark. Local area lakes are hovering in the mid-50s right now making the timing perfect. Combine that with the nice sunny days we have been having with western winds, well that equates to perfect fall fishing conditions.

No matter if you fish for catfish, bluegills, crappies or bass this time of year, you should see an increase in your catch rates. The fish are on the move and they are feeding up. Most fish species can be caught using faster retrieves, such as crankbaits and spinners. Panfish love small spinners or “Roadrunners” this time of year and can be caught in good numbers from the shoreline. Rock Creek Lake and Union Grove Lake are the best in the area if you are on foot looking for a tasty meal of panfish. Same goes for bass, too. Both lakes mentioned offer great shoreline access and with fish moving shallow to feed on baitfish and crawfish, the timing is once again “perfect.” Most fall days, bass will be ready to chase spinnerbaits or a slow-moving crankbait. One little trick I like to use for fall fish is to increase the diving depth of the crankbait I am throwing, and reel it in very slowly. This will take the bait down into the strike zone and yet you can move it very slowly. For example, if I am targeting fish in less than five feet of water, I will tie on a crankbait that dives eight or ten feet deep. This allows the bait to be slowly reeled in which will trigger more fish to bite. This works well with crappies too as long as your bait is small enough.

Another great way to hone in on panfish this time of year is to use a jig and bobber set-up. I enjoy using this technique year-round, however it accounts for most of my panfish catches in the fall. It is really quite simple, attach a slip-bobber to a lead jighead. I will tip the jighead with a live minnow or worm most days. When the fish are really active, then a piece of plastic, or Gulp! bait will work well too. By using a bobber in this set-up I can control the depth of my bait at all times. I can quickly experiment with different depths of water and try to locate where the fish might be feeding that particular day. Using a bobber also allows me to cast the rig a long distance and allows me to cover a lot of water, whether fishing by boat or on the shore. I find that in the fall, sometimes the fish want the bait moving a lot, while other days just barely reeling your line in will trigger fish to bite. Using a slip bobber allows you to try different things to see what the fish like the best. This is true for almost any day of the year, sometimes you must experiment to find out what the fish want to bite.

The beautiful colors, the cool crisp air, and steam rising off the water are just a few reasons to get out there and try your luck at fishing this month. Add the perfect fall weather and wonderful seven-day forecast and you might just have the best day of fishing you have had all year.

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Contact Todd Reed at treedbass@yahoo.com and visit www.fishingwithtoddreed.blogspot.com