<b>Fishing</b> Report: Chilly temperatures slowing down morning action

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NAPLES — Windy weather over Thanksgiving made for some rough rides offshore, and some stirred up water inshore. As of Monday we were seeing water temperatures in the low 60s, which really slowed down the early morning snook and redfish bite.

By the weekend, the wind started to abate and conditions improved. Schools of live bait seemed to be holding well off the beaches, but on incoming tide, the "rivers" of small glass minnows could be seen along the islands in the bays.

Inshore, we are starting to see more sheepshead and trout being caught. While there are a few hefty sheepies being brought in, most of the shrimp stealers are undersized. Trout are roaming the bays, both in the deeper cuts and on the grass flats. Reds are not as active as they had been, but a lot of that depends on where you are fishing.

Down in the Ten Thousand Islands, there seems to be a better population, and more reds are being caught. In Naples and Estero, snook seem to have the greater numbers. Anglers working the cuts and inlets are coming up with some pompano, and they range from little guys to nice two- and three-pound fish. Small tipped jigs at this time of year are a great way to fish and come up with a good variety of species.

Offshore: Capt. Michael Avinon reports that recent trips on the "Findictive" have ranged anywhere from 10 to 45 miles off the beach. During the rougher days last week, half-day and three-quarter day trips produced fish, but Capt. Michael says the cooler water has started to move the red grouper out to deeper water.

On Monday, he ran a full-day trip with Gary Zera and other members of the Naples Fishing Club, and they went out to 90 feet of water, where the big red grouper were quite willing to eat a cut bait. They put 20 keepers on ice, and they ranged up to 15 pounds. Other keeper size fish were released. Avinon also states that the amberjacks are starting to move closer to shore.

Steve Conte and family went out with Capt. Ed Nichols for a half-day trip recently, and they had plenty of action. In addition to the four keeper red grouper to 25 inches, the group did quite well on snapper. About a dozen mangrove snapper to two pounds, and a whole slew of big lanes (14 to 17 inches) kept the anglers busy. They battled rough water too on their ride to about 12 miles off the beach, but the results were worth it. Capt. Ed said they used cut sardines as bait, and the water was somewhat stirred up, which helped the snapper bite.

Capt. Pete Rosko of Capt. Pete's Bait and Tackle in Naples reports that Pat Zilch hooked up with a giant redfish about 10 miles off Marco Island. Pat was using a Cripple Herring jig when the fish hit, and when it was boated for a picture, it measured over 39 inches.

Freshwater: Golden Gate Tacklebox reports that the cooler water has continued to help the bass and snook bite in the lakes. This full moon will mark the start of the bass spawn next month, and the best fishing months for largemouth bass.

Water in the Seven Lakes is very clear, and live bait on light terminal tackle is the ticket to success. Jess Edwards states that the water is so clear that the fish can tell the difference between one brand of rubber worm and another, and that artificials just don't work well now.

Ten Thousand Islands: Cold water has slowed the redfish bite, according to Capt. Aron Blaisdell. Fishing out of Goodland, Aron has been using jigs tipped with shrimp on most recent trips. Trout, small snook, reds and pompano are all hitting, but the better bite is later in the morning into the afternoon.

Later in the day, he has been working the back bay using a shrimp under a popping cork, and finding better-sized redfish. Fishing with Skip Brown of Marco and his grandkids from Maryland recently, they had a good day on a variety of fish. At the end of the half-day trip, they went into a back bay where they landed a 27-, 28-, and 30-inch red.

Naples/Estero: Capt. Neil Eisner says that the cold water has definitely caused a slowdown of fish activity first thing in the morning. As the sun gets up, the fish become a lot more cooperative.

He has been finding a lot of sheepshead around the oyster bars, and they range from the annoying bait sealers to nice keeper fish. Anglers are using a small quarter-ounce jig tipped with a shrimp.

Neil has also been getting reds from the shorts to low slot size on the same rig. Trout are roaming the grass flats, and he has his anglers use a shrimp suspended under a popping cork. With that setup, some of the bites come from large hungry jacks that are zooming all over the bays. A few pompano have also been caught.

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Fall <b>fishing</b> patterns evident with rising water and cooler temperatures

September 20, 2012|Gary Blockus

The Coldwater Heritage Partnership is taking applications for the 2013 Coldwater Conservation Grants Program, which is offering planning grants and implementation grants to help protect and conserve the health of Pennsylvania's coldwater ecosystems.

Applications can be found at http://www.coldwaterheritage.org/ and will be accepted through December 14, 2012. The Coldwater Heritage Partnership urges watershed groups, conservation districts, municipalities and local chapters of Trout Unlimited to apply. The partnership is a cooperative effort of Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.

Also, don't forget to find out about the delays in refilling Leaser Lake. The Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation will holdi a public meeting 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the Lynn Township Municipal Building on Route 143 to update the public on the dam repair, fish habitat, trail development, the handicap accessible fishing area and the wood duck box program. For more information go to http://www.leaserlakeheritage.org/

FRESHWATER REPORT

Wallenpaupack Sports Shop, Hawley (570-226-4797): Mark says anglers have been very successful catching stripers while drifting herring at Calico Point, Ironwood and Shuman Point. Walleye activity has turned on, and they seem to be going after nightcrawlers on worm harnesses while trolling. Smallmouth bass are going after crank baits and Kai-tech lures. There are a lot of big pickerel and pike taking live baits. With the air and water temperatures cooling, fishing has been excellent.

Pecks Pond Boat Rentals, Tackle & Bait, Dingmans Ferry, (570-775-7237): peckspondrentals@yahoo.com; http://www.peckspond.com: Charlie says bass and pickerel are becoming more active with the cooler weather. Soft plastic jerk baits, Zara spooks and other surface lures, and just-under-the-surface lures are working well. Try working 10-inch black plastic worms on the tops of the lily pads, work them across the tops and let them fall into the holes. This might be the last time this year the plastic frogs will work. The holes in the sub-surface weeds are producing excellent catches of perch. As a reminder, the shop is open weekends and by reservation. The shop is no longer accepting Minn kota motors for repair this season. It will resume repair service in the spring of 2013.

Mauch Chunk Lake Boat Rental and Bait Shop, 625 Lentz Trail, Jim Thorpe, (570-325-0100): Jeremy says that the fishing has been great again. Minnows and worms seem to be the best bet for catching fish at the lake. The fishing pier is active with pickerel and bass. Bluegills and crappies are active from the fishing pier to the beach area and are after the meal worms. Catfish are active now more through the day and are after chicken livers. Also, walleye are becoming more active with the cooler water and he's getting reports of them being caught on the left side of the beach by the camping area.

Willie's Bait & Tackle, Cementon (610-261-2767): Willie says the Canadian lake he spent time at least week was tough fishing, but he caught some good largemouth and smallmouth bass. He had a big 19-inch smallmouth, and Roger had a nice 19-inch largemouth, so it was a good trip for them. The Lehigh River isn't fishable after getting 8 inches of rain in Albrighstville and 5 inches in Lehighton. Mauch Chunk Lake has been fishing well. The Monocacy Creek was still doing well. The Salmon River in New York has been turning on.

Bob's Wildlife Taxidermy, 4642 Kernsville Road, Orefield (610-398-7609): Bob says the shop has been very quiet for bait, so he's not hearing many fishing reports. He's probably knocking off the bait business for the year as most of his customer base is shifting to hunting season. They're coming in with trail camera pictures and getting excited for some nice bucks. He's getting in his first order of deer urine next week.

Archery @ the Glenn, Allentown, (610-791-7665): Brian says area fishing has been great. Customers are reporting good catches from local lakes and streams. Live bait seems to be the ticket by simply matching the size minnow or worm to the targeted species of fish. Leeches will catch anything, but don't quit if you run out of live bait. Twister tails on jig heads and stick baits are sure to entice more bites. The fish are active, so get out with some friends or children and have some fun.

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After early ice-out, Minn. water temperatures near seasonal norms for Saturday <b>...</b>

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Anglers can talk about the early spring, ideal water temperatures and whether the fish have recovered from spawning, but the opening day of walleye season in Minnesota always comes down to getting out there and learning firsthand what the fish are doing.

That's Duane Peterson's approach, at least. And as a recent inductee into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame along with his brother, John, the co-founder of Bemidji's Northland Fishing Tackle Co. knows what he's talking about when it comes to walleyes and opening day.

The 2012 version of Minnesota's grand outdoors tradition gets under way Saturday.

"One thing about this fishing game is we can predict this and that and speculate what's going to happen," Peterson said. "I'm going to play it like I do every other opening day of walleye season. I will go to the best areas I know as a result of past experience and tradition, sample what's happening and adjust accordingly based on what my first few hours tell us.

"That's the beauty of opening day — we find out when we get there, and we adjust accordingly."

Pick a lake or river in Minnesota, and this year probably set a record for early ice-out. That had fishing prognosticators thinking walleye opener 2012 would be more like early June, which often serves up some of the easiest, if not the best fishing of the year.

Lawmakers in the Minnesota Legislature even went so far as to propose moving the season up a week. The measure died, and Mother Nature intervened with a mostly cool April that now has water temperatures closer to seasonal norms. Come opening day, anglers likely can expect water temperatures in the mid-50-degree range.

"I think it's going to be a pretty darn normal opener," said Henry Drewes, regional fisheries supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Bemidji. "It's not going to be like June 1 fishing, which some people were thinking. It will be more like mid-May, which is pretty good."

Drewes said walleyes, which typically spawn in 46- to 50-degree water, should have finished spawning most everywhere across the state this week. That means many walleyes likely will have recovered and backed out of the rivers where they spawn and returned to lakes where they spend most of the year.

"There's a nice size distribution on Red," Drewes said. "The abundance is high, there's lots of fish under 17 inches and lots from 17 to 22 inches. So, if fishermen are willing to spread out from the mouth of the (Tamarack) river, they should have no trouble catching legal fish and some fun-size larger fish."

As a result, Drewes said, the DNR didn't implement springtime closures on rivers such as the Tamarack, which flows into Upper Red Lake, and the Mississippi River.

"That doesn't mean rivers won't be good, but they won't have the excessive harvest that would necessitate closures," Drewes said. "We're going to avert those situations, which is good news."

Drewes said he expects large northern Minnesota lakes such as Lake of the Woods, Upper Red, Leech and Winnibigoshish all to be good bets for opening day. A recent spring survey on the Tamarack River produced numbers of 16- to 22-inch walleyes, Drewes said, along with occasional larger fish.

"There's a nice size distribution on Red," Drewes said. "The abundance is high, there's lots of fish under 17 inches and lots from 17 to 22 inches. So, if fishermen are willing to spread out from the mouth of the (Tamarack) river, they should have no trouble catching legal fish and some fun-size larger fish."

Opening day regulations on Upper Red require anglers to release all walleyes from 17 inches to 26 inches, and there's a four-fish limit. The DNR eases the size restrictions in mid-June.

Drewes said smaller lakes across northwest Minnesota also will be good options opening day. Lakes with particularly high walleye abundance, he said, include Lake Bemidji and all of the downstream lakes in the Mississippi River chain along with Otter Tail Lake closer to Fergus Falls, Minn.

"Otter Tail is just off the charts right now," Drewes said of its walleye abundance.

While current areas near river mouths might not be the walleye magnets they are some openers, they'll still be worth a try opening day. According to longtime fishing guide Brian Brosdahl of Max, Minn., anglers should explore other places if areas with current don't produce walleyes.

"Don't overlook shoreline-connected points that have shallows, rocks and weed growth," Brosdahl said. "That new generation of weeds is going to be hiding baitfish, and the walleyes are going to be in there."

He said many anglers make the mistake of fishing too deep on opening day. This spring, though, the fluctuation in both air and water temperatures likely means there's no wrong depth, he said.

"I think it's going to be a great opener," Brosdahl said. "I think we're going to find aggressive fish and not-aggressive fish. Go explore, don't just fish the classic spots. You're going to have a lot of fish all to yourself."

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