Fall Bite Just Around the Corner

Been pretty quiet on the Rock thread.Must mean that Jeff’s been catching lots of fish LOL.
I haven’t been on the Rock since late spring, but that will change soon. Fall is my favorite time out here to chase eyes, all the way till it ices over. I’ll be dusting off my secret orange catalpa and chartreuse pepper paddletails soon, for a late September start to my Rock River “opener”. And while I do not target white bass, I’ve found that the big 16 to 17 inchers seem to be the first ones that come out to play in early fall, with the more typical 12 to 14 inchers gradually taking over. Add an occasional unexpected but fairly common pike, a hard digging cat, and off course the carp and buffalo that also seem to enjoy paddletails, coupled with cool breezes and turning leaves, and you have the formula for some good action. Might even have a Bola or Wefish sighting. And on some days, I might start chasing big gills early in the morning on some Madison lake, then trailer over to the Rock on my way home about noon, and finish with a cold one cleaning a few fish in my garage to finish off the day. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Good luck out there to all anglers.

First fall outing yesterday on the river with my 20 year old grandson, 7 till noon. slowwwwwwwww. I boated two white bass and he got one nice eye, a fat 25 incher that’s still swimming. I’ll never hear the end of that story…..grandpa got skunked on eyes. I reminded him that it was my dead-stick with weedless 1/8 jig that I convinced him to hang over, caught that fish. Don’t matter…bragging rights are his for sure. lol.
Water temp 65 degrees, and not much current despite the recent rains. Off to Petenwell at end of week, so back to the Rock in a couple.

Been out a couple times in the past week just for 3 to 4 hours, and the typical fall bite I’ve enjoyed in the past isn’t on yet. I’m thinking that the water temps are still too warm, hovering around 54 degrees both outings. Boated 6 and 8 eyes on these outings and missed some good plastic hits, plus a few obligatory goats and rockies. No white bass oddly enough.Eyes ranged from 14 to 18.5 inches, with most 16 and up. Plastics and jig/minnow both caught fish. More trollers on the water than usual, and heard of reports of nice catches by that method, including some big fish.
Taking a beak for a week while travelling to visit family, but back at it in November. Should start seeing some much better action.

Fished a couple more times since last report and have not found a fast and furious bite yet. Managed to boat 10 to 15 eyes or so on each outing, and actually got 3 legals two days ago, but that’s slow compared to the more typical fall bite I’ve enjoyed out here in the past. Hope to make it out a couple more times before ice.

Anyway, seems like posting on this thread has gone by the wayside, so may it R.I.P.