Fall Fishing Question

[Josh]

Few days ago I posted a message about getting skunked for the first
time in a long time. And was somewhat puzzled about having been skunked on a
day when according to all the fishing Gods we should have slammed them.
Today while rehearsing last Saturday's debacle to a good friend of mine who
always finishes in the top 3-4 of my old club, gave me an answer for it. But
I'm struggling with it a bit.

He said he'd just had a horrible tournament on the same weekend and that
the reason so few fish were caught in general was because on a full moon
with dipping night time temps like we've had (after high seventies/low
eighties in the daytimes) that the bass go on feeding frenzies at night.
Become real lethargic during the day.

Now my buddy Ron is a great fisherman. Like I said he always finishes in
the top spots in our 50 man club. . . well at least he did when I was a
member. He's very good, but I've never heard of such a thing. I'm thinking
fish are gonna be cold at night, water temps on clear skies and temps
dipping down into the high 30s and low 40s gotta slow em down.

Anyone have a thought or two about that night time feeding frenzy
theory?


--
God Bless America

Josh The Bad Bear

[RichZ]

Josh wrote:
> Anyone have a thought or two about that night time feeding frenzy
> theory?
>
It's not unusual for daytime bass fishing to be off during the full moon
period at any time of the year. This is supposed to relate to heavy
night-time feeding activity, and I don't guess there's any real reason to
question that theory. Species that are not known as heavy night biters (eg,
pike/musky) don't suffer this diminishment in daylight activity on the full
moon. Coe to think of it, I fished one weedbed on the CT River this
Saturday that usually produces plenty of LM, and never saw a bass, but we
did catch 14 pike out of it. Luckily, we were fishing for northerns -- or
so we convinced ourselves when that was the only thing that seemed willing
to bite.

Don't make the mistake of thinking bass don't feed at night this time of
the year. Tom Seward -- bass researcher and crankbait designer
extraordinaire -- used to be a big proponent of night fishing late into the
fall/early winter period. I've had a few really good night-time full moon
bass fishing experiences late in the season, too. Once on a perigee tide
full moon on the Hudson in November, when the tide went so far out that we
couldn't get the boat out of the water and had to wait it out. The later it
got, the better the bite got. That was in 39 degree water, and the bite
kept going strong until we were able to get the trailer wet and the boat
out, after 11pm.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

[Josh]

Thanks Rich. interesting info.

--
God Bless America

Josh The Bad Bear

[BemidjiBassMan]

Josh,

I live in Northern Minnesota which has been cold for about the last 4 weeks.
Surface water temps around 50 degrees. Since the weather has turned cold,
I've had little luck at dusk and done well in the morning. In fact I've
stopped fishing at dusk. Seems to track with what your friend said.

Clyde

"Josh" > wrote in message
...
> Few days ago I posted a message about getting skunked for the first
> time in a long time. And was somewhat puzzled about having been skunked on
a
> day when according to all the fishing Gods we should have slammed them.
> Today while rehearsing last Saturday's debacle to a good friend of mine
who
> always finishes in the top 3-4 of my old club, gave me an answer for it.
But
> I'm struggling with it a bit.
>
> He said he'd just had a horrible tournament on the same weekend and
that
> the reason so few fish were caught in general was because on a full moon
> with dipping night time temps like we've had (after high seventies/low
> eighties in the daytimes) that the bass go on feeding frenzies at night.
> Become real lethargic during the day.
>
> Now my buddy Ron is a great fisherman. Like I said he always finishes
in
> the top spots in our 50 man club. . . well at least he did when I was a
> member. He's very good, but I've never heard of such a thing. I'm thinking
> fish are gonna be cold at night, water temps on clear skies and temps
> dipping down into the high 30s and low 40s gotta slow em down.
>
> Anyone have a thought or two about that night time feeding frenzy
> theory?
>
>
> --
> God Bless America
>
> Josh The Bad Bear
>
>

[John Kerr]

Isn't Bemidji where they have that big ole statue of Paul Bunyan in the
middle of town:)? I was up there years ago with the Blue Angels when we
did an airshow there. A group of the locals took us fishing for
Walleye...the fishing was great, but the "eating" later was even better
<g>. Great little town, very pretty and right on the lake, but it's
summer time only for me up there:)!
JK

[RichZ]

John wrote:
> Isn't Bemidji where they have that big ole statue of Paul Bunyan in the
> middle of town:
>
I believe that's in Brainerd.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

[J Buck]

<Isn't Bemidji where they have that big ole statue of Paul Bunyan in the
middle of town?>

Bangor, Maine

[John Kerr]

Reckon they got then statues all over the "north" <g>. I am pretty sure
I saw one in Bemidji though.

[RichZ]

John wrote:
> I am pretty sure
> I saw one in Bemidji though.
>

The one in Brainerd (it was in adjoining Baxter, actually) was moved
earlier this year.

http://www.startribune.com/images/embed/3944246_61995.html

There is one in Bemidji, but it's crude by comparison to the ones in Baxter
and Bangor.

Heck, there are Paul Bunyan statues everywhere...

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/bunylist.html




RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing