By Tim Moore
The fall striped bass run is all but over and lake trout season has ended. That won’t get us down though. Some of the best fishing of the year happens in October. Cooling water began triggering big pike to move shallow and feed during September, but October and November is when they really put their feed bags on. Lake turnover causes crappie, bluegill, and white perch to school up, and walleye feed more aggressively. There is some amazing fishing to be had this month.The main focus of our guide service will be northern pike, with a few guided trips for walleye and black crappie scattered throughout the month. Pike are warmwater species, and with the impending winter, they need to feed before the water gets too cold for them to exert the energy needed to chase prey. We will be running as many as two trips per day for northern pike on Moore Reservoir in Littleton, NH. The fall pike fishing isn’t a numbers game. Some days the number of casts made is staggering, but when a big pike commits, it’s pandemonium. Juice bucktails and Straight-Wire Spinnerbaits from Bigtooth Tackle are our go to lures. We never caught a pike under 36” last fall, and we’re hoping to keep that momentum going again this year.
Lake turnover is the phenomenon of surface water cooling and settling to the bottom, which forces warmer water to the surface, and the cycle repeats until the temperature stabilizes. Lake Turnover is the catalyst that drives panfish to school up and feed, sometimes all day. We love guiding these trips, because the action is often non-stop all morning, and again in the afternoon. Black crappie are delicious, making them a favorite of anglers who want to fish in the morning, and fry in the afternoon. Yum!
The walleye bite on the Connecticut River will pick up as well, also driven by cooling water. Dragging a jig along shallow weed lines at first light is as effective in the fall as it is in the spring. When that doesn’t get their attention, trolling a bottom bouncer with a crawler harness sure will. Walleye are arguably one of the most delicious freshwater fish in North America. With so many great opportunities, we expect to be quite busy this month.
FORECAST BY: Tim Moore is a professional hunting and fishing guide from New Hampshire. He is the owner of Tim Moore Outdoors LLC, offering ice fishing charters, fresh and saltwater kayak fishing charters, and freshwater boat charters. He is a member of the New England Outdoors Writers Association and the producer of Tim Moore Outdoors TV. Visit Tim Moore Outdoors for more information.