By Ronnie Parris
Hey folks! Hope everyone is having a great end of year and enjoying the colder weather. This is absolutely one of my favorite times of year, the weather is cool but not bone chilling cold, the water temps are great, the fish are bunching up and putting on their feed bags, the lake doesn’t have the number of boats that summer draws, and I’m finally getting some time to fish on my own without my beautiful new bride. Without the pressure of filling the live well with fish for clients, just a day on the water enjoying the time outdoors.
This is also the time of year you’re going to see the biggest schools of bait and fish. These fish are going to be looking for mainly threadfin shad, which in turn are looking for the perfect water temperature. This, in my opinion, is when your electronics can turn a good day into a great day. Look for subtle temperature changes-2 degrees can make a huge difference. Don’t get sucked into the ‘ol honey hole theory and go fish the same spot as the day or year before, these fish may move with the sun rising and only be 50 yards from you, but if you fly down the lake and start pounding water without scouting with your sonar first, you’re missing out. Watch for breaking fish even if the target fish are walleye and are going to be 70 to 100 feet deep. If I’m seeing breaking bass, I look hard at the deeper view and will usually find the white bass and walleye I catch this time of year.
When you do get on a hot spot remember to be courteous and try to practice good fishing etiquette. I usually troll and nothing makes me angrier than to be trolling over a school and have another boat, after seeing me catch a few fish, park right on top of where they see me working and try to block me. When fishing these deep fish, it’s hard to put them back after being brought up from the depths so fast so don’t continue to fish after your limited out. If you do hook a fish that you want to put back and it’s really deep take your time and bring it up slowly; you may lose a few but survival rate is much better.
Remember to dress warm, especially if your taking children, nothing can sour a kid more than freezing for hours on the boat. Remember to always take a kid fishing
Ronnie Parris is owner and head guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, N.C., heart of the Great Smoky Mountains www.smounlimited.com; (828) 488-9711.