You don’t have to put that “yak” away yet! As I fished a local lake yesterday from my Emotion “Stealth” the water was exceptionally clear and calm. With the recent Trout stockings the Largemouth could be seen patrolling the three to four feet depths in pursuit of a Rainbow “snack.” I caught several Trout using a small Mepps Spinner in these areas. The air temperatures are lowering fast as the days get shorter. The water temps are approaching 50 degrees in most ponds and lakes.
We are still catching Largemouth Bass, Smallies, Wiper, White Bass, and Walleye in good numbers by targeting with specific lures. It depends on your location and what area you fish but around here we have had success on slow moving cranks, suspended jerk baits, and jigs or spoons. Plastics can be effective as well fished “Texas Rig” style. Some fishermen are even harvesting live Shad with a cast net and using them for bait. The water clarity at the local larger lakes is not as clear with visibilities of less than one foot. Any pond spring fed will be very clear.
The Crappie are in a full blown bite along the borders of structure in 5-9 feet of water. We have been landing many in the 10-12 inch range using Crappie Jigs. Red/Green or Yellow/White are the favorites from our kayaks.
There are many who are jigging the depths with slab spoons and large jigs. This can be done effectively if you can find the baitfish. The imitation of a dying Shad can get a good bite from the Walleye or Cats below the bait fish. So don’t put that fishing kayak away yet! Enjoy the golden Fall colors and the serenity of the outdoors while fishing from your kayak.
