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Finding Fish in the Fall

Fall fish finding is an exercise in trying to read big river water to find deep holes. It is within deep holes of at least 15 feet where catfish, and other species, may stack up and just get into the mood of hanging out until next spring. That is a long wait indeed, but is what they are adapted to. Fall fishing can be productive as the finny critters may try to pack in as much food as possible before their metabolism lowers and interest in feeding slows way down. At this time of year, many fish in the Iowa River locally may have or are moving downstream to the Coralville Reservoir near Iowa City to wait our the winter season. Today’s image was made at an Iowa Taxidermist Show several years ago. It depicts a channel catfish and gizzard shad, a popular forage fish for catfish.

Channel catfish are on the move toward deep holes in big lakes or rivers, if they are not already in those deep pools, getting ready to wait the long wait of another Iowa winter. Still, fall is a great time to go fishing, and it provides unique challenges for the angler to locate deep pockets of water along big river bends or below rock riffle structures. As the water temperature cools, fish will become more active for a short time to locate and eat as much as they can. Soon enough the water will get colder, and the metabolism of the fish’s body will slow way down. That way, they maintain life, but at a much slower pace.

Many fish seek out deep water with little current. The waiting game is just that, allowing many types of food sources to slowly drift past them. With minimal action, they are able to gather up those morsels for consumption. Many fish will travel toward pools and/or deeper water sites such as the Coralville Reservoir. They started in late October and will continue to make that journey this month.

Deep holes of at least 15 feet, if available, will ultimately accumulate lots of fish. Walleyes will use the same techniques to find deep pools. Smallmouth bass like holes where a rocky substrate can be found. In area lakes, artificial sunken tree habitats, or accumulations of rocks in deep holes, will hold fish. The Iowa DNR has a website with information about access points. It is www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Where-to-Fish/Interior-Rivers. Check it out.

The weather in November is highly variable. If you have lived in Iowa for one year or one hundred, you already know that. Some of our friends are headed to the snowbird lands of Florida, Texas or Arizona. Were they chased away by the turn in our weather this weekend? Perhaps so.

It did not take long for our Indian Summer weather to turn sour. Mother Nature is reminding us that she is in charge. If you don’t like it, all complaints should be sent to her. I’m sure she will read all correspondence and just call us humans a bunch of misfits for not adapting. Her lessons can be nice and calm or severe and deadly. How we adapt is critical. A good mental attitude of adapting goes a long way to make the most of weather events that are always out of our control.

In 1991, we had a storm from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2. That isn’t too long ago. Some of the most severe elements happened on Halloween. Snow moved into southern Iowa on the afternoon of Oct. 30, changed to mixed precipitation and ice on the morning of the 31st, and continued to raise a ruckus into November. Ice accumulations were noted at one to two inches from southwest Iowa into north central Iowa with two to three inches of ice. Power lines snapped due to the heavy weight on the lines. Snow at Estherville added up to 15 inches with lots of areas surrounding that location with eight inches of white stuff. Mother Nature added strong winds just for a bonus. The result was that 52 of Iowa’s 99 counties were declared a disaster area.

This storm system made headlines for our Minnesota friends. Duluth was dumped on with 36.9 inches of snow, the largest record for them at the time. A few years later in 1994, another Mother Nature surprise broke Duluth’s record.

Back in Iowa, the 1991 storm brought very cold air temperatures. Nearly every reporting site in Iowa had single digit air temperatures that dipped below zero every night. On Nov. 7 and 8, 1991, the thermometer readings showed Des Moines at -3, LeMars at -14, and Hawarden at -19. The atmospheric conditions and location of that long time known entity called the jet stream, high altitude high speed wind currents that circle the earth, had developed a big southward bulge into the upper Midwest. The jet stream helped to funnel an intense low pressure system all the way into Texas. Texas was cold, but not as cold as Iowans had to experience.

Another storm story that has been repeated often became known as the Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940. I will not repeat all the data and death toll numbers of that intense November weather event. It was huge, and it took a lot of lives. In essence, the day started out warm and balmy. But the air temperature and winds changed suddenly, catching many duck hunters off guard as they were not dressed for the weather. The ducks were flying fast and coming into the Mississippi River and any marsh wetland complex in the Midwest. The ducks were smarter than people to get ahead of the storm as best they could. Remember, storm reporting radio newscasts and weather reporting in 1940 was not like it is today. There were no satellite images to warn observers.

On Nov. 10, 1940, the center of the intense low pressure system was located over Iowa Falls. Areas west of Iowa Falls and all those western states were seeing blizzard conditions. East of Iowa Falls, warm air still existed that lure duck hunters outside to hunt skies darkened by mallards and other waterfowl. As the day progressed, warm moist air from the south dumped two to three inches of rain in Davenport, and air temps were in the 50s.

When the storm center moved fast into Wisconsin and Michigan, the warm air quickly vanished, blizzard conditions prevailed, and people suffered in huge numbers. Waves on the Mississippi River were reported as 15 foot high swells. Any duck hunter on the water with a little row boat was swamped quickly. On the Great Lakes of Superior and Michigan, large ships could not handle huge waves. Many sank, and many lives were lost.

Weather events can be forecast now with more accuracy, but it is still a science that does not have all the answers. We have to adapt as best we can. We live and learn from the past.

Rain fell Wednesday and Thursday. Forecasters knew what was coming and informed us of another Mother Nature event. Snow followed even though it was a minor amount compared to what potentially will come our way sometime this fall and winter. Rainfall is welcome in that it helps to recharge the soil profile for next year’s crops. Rain even helped to refill farm ponds that were low from last summer’s drought-like conditions. The Iowa River responded slowly to new inflow from area tributary streams. Deep holes in river bends became a bit deeper as the river level rose slightly. All of this is a gentle reminder that we are into the month of November. Anything can happen.

RAINING LEAVES falling from any deciduous trees happened this week with a vengeance. Those nice red, yellow, gold and brown leaves have weak attachments now. Any slight breeze makes them fall off. Any rain from the sky makes them heavier and they fall. The ground is now covered with a carpet of color. Walking in those leaves to and from my deer stands is an exercise in trying to be quiet and finding my footfalls impossible to do so quietly. One aspect of fewer leaves on the trees is my ability to see further into the forest. Mother Nature’s mulch now adorns all soil surfaces. Southern Iowa may be at a peak tree leaf color now. However, those leaves will soon begin to filter and flutter to the ground.

Pheasants Forever held their fundraising banquet one week ago. It was a tremendous success. Over 370 people attended, including lots of families with kids of all sizes. Door prizes were offered in abundance. The meal was fantastic, and the fellowship between guests was top notch. The live auction had bidders going well into their bank accounts to make purchases for the long term good of conservation projects. Hats off to the PF committee and membership for stepping up to the plate in support of habitat for all wildlife.

” I am a great admirer of spectator sports, especially on television; it keeps the riff raff off of trout streams.” — Paul Quinnett, author

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