Late Fall Browns

The photo is Tom Frohna with a nice Brown to get November started. It was a fatty!

We had a few bad weeks in a row and I was starting to wonder when this would all turn around. I have always looked forward to November and early December because of the consistency. There are times throughout the year when you really wonder if there is anything around at all. And sometimes I don’t really think that there is. But in November and December, I rarely feel that way. There is usually something around; it’s just a matter of finding them and finding what trips their trigger.

This weekend was a perfect example. Browns present, captive audience. What do they want? Just about anything, right? No. Spoons, no. Pearl tube jigs…Mr. Automatic, no. Fluke body on a dart head, no. Deep crankbaits, bingo! Crankbaits were the ticket. It didn’t seem to matter what color or style, they all got looks, but don’t let them get bored. Keep changing colors or styles and you keep getting action.

It’s so typical of late fall. Dialing into what they want. It’s half the fun. They follow like Muskies and drive you crazy. Then all of a sudden they eat.
The fish are out there now, just find them and figure out what they want.
I mentioned earlier, wondering if there were fish around at certain times of the year. The key is learning presentations and getting 100% confidence in your abilities. As I have said at times, the shore angler has to play the hand that is dealt every day. Sometimes the fish are there and sometimes they aren’t. If they aren’t, there is nothing you can do. If they are you need to be versatile and figure out what they want.

A lot of guys cast spoons and when they want spoons a lot of people catch fish. When they aren’t hitting spoons, these guys struggle and don’t have other skills in their arsenal.

Learn how to work spoons high and low. Master the deep diving crankbait. Twitch minnow baits like shallow Thundersticks till you figure out that magic combination of reeling and snapping. Master the tube jig. Snap jig a dart head and fluke. Swim a deep tail spinner. Yo-yo a blade bait. Get the feel of a Carolina rig and plastic or even a drop-shot rig. And last but not least, become one with the jigging spoon. When you do all this and have 100% confidence in these presentations, you will get to a comfort level about your success or lack of success on any given day.

You won’t catch fish on every trip. Remember, there are times when they just aren’t around. But you will get to the point where you will have enough confidence in all of your presentations that if you don’t catch fish in a particular spot, there is probably a 90% chance that there was nothing there. Master the

presentations!

Next time I will talk about the legend of Shadzilla. Using Musky baits for late fall Browns.

Till then, tight lines and smooth drags. Put on the under-armor and get out there. Things are ramping up!

Marc