Fall Bronze Backs

I wanted to fish both days this weekend, but it wasn’t meant to be. I caught a cold on Thursday that kept me on the couch yesterday which was a BEAUTIFUL fall day. I felt a bit better today so I wadered up and hit the stream. Before I left I had some choice to make. Do I head down stream and poke around the lower river for one of the first arrivals? Or, do I hit the upper river in the hope that the bass are still hitting?

A few steelhead have moved into the system and are hanging out in the lower river. Everyone is waiting for a big rain, which should present an opportunity for the first good push of fish. With the river flowing at 88 CFS, I opted for bass fishing. I figured I had a better shot at some bass that are beefing up for winter than a few lonely steelhead that are probably getting pounded on by everyone and their mother. A beautiful Sunday afternoon at the beginning of steelhead season is prime time for all the idiots to come out and flog the water for the few fish that have moved in. Low water, low numbers of steelhead, tons fishing pressure; it just wasn’t worth the drive. The chance of catching a steelhead today under these conditions was not nearly as good as the chance at catching some good bass. It just wasn’t worth the drive down river to rub elbows with all the idiots.

The water was a bit off color. There was about eighteen inches of visibility. The air temp was 57 degrees, and the water temp was about 60 degrees. The leaves have begun changing and bass are getting ready for winter. The fish are holding a bit deeper than in the summer and want a slower retrieve. I had to let the fly sink a bit and then strip it slowly, letting it pause for a long moment after each strip or two. There were a few leaves in the water, but not enough to be too annoying. I fished a black wooly bugger variation all day.

I caught several small bass to start the day off. I lost the first good fish that ate the fly after it leaped out of the water a time or two. Losing that fish was worth the acrobatic display and fight this fish gave. I caught a few other good fish, some rock bass, and a sunfish before I relocated down to another branch of the river where I had some good luck earlier this summer. Fishing on the other branch started off slow but quickly heated up. I caught several really nice bass, one was a real hog!

I had a great afternoon on the water. I love being on the water in early fall. The air is temperate, the trees are taking on fall colors, but things are still green and some of the wild flowers still remain on the banks. Its days like this that remind me how pretty North East Ohio can be.