Fall fishing?

[Smoltz]

I know spring they move in to warmer water. Then spawn. Then go deep again.. how deep the majority of the fish go idk. Have not learned that yet. I know where they are through ice.

But what happenes as weather cools in September? You start getting pretty cool nights. Do they move more shallow again to warm? How is the fishing at this time of year? What can I expect? Or how to target them? I know the predators put the feed bags on in the fall. Especially smallmouth and walleye. This true also for panfishes like crappie and gills? Thanks.

[Slip Sinker]

It’s strange you didnt get a response to the subject discussion until now from this group... usually, we'd be all over this. Slipped thru the cracks… I was doing some searches for fall fishing and stumbled on this discussion… sorry, I missed it last year!...so here goes on my take for September fishing…

September is one of my best months for the lunker and trophy bite. I still find them on the flats at 6-9’… clumps of weeds are still green and the B.Gills are in between. September 2017 found me on one of my favorite flats with 3 certificate fish in (3) straight days… Earl tags a P.Seed on the 20th and I follow with two consecutive trophy B.Gills long casting the Micro Jigs on the 21st and 22nd.

September 2018 found me fishing the same flats with continued trophy certificate production. Same methods including a nice trophy on the slip/float/fly/waxie in the same area. This year I tagged three certificates on the 11th 24th and 25th playing the New Moon and Full Moon Solunar strategies.

I have not really found the deep bluegill bite pattern with any real productive totals in the fall throughout my history. In my area, it seems the food source is in that magic 9’ foot avg. and the B.Gills seem to stay put.

Now when the water temps fall into the 40’s is when my production steeply falls off. Going to try some new strategies today (20181024) so we’ll see.

[Slip Sinker]

...Smoltz how did you do last fall? and how well are you doing recently?