Where did they all go?

[PigFarmer]

I just finished a frustrating 2 days on local creeks here in Western PA. Targeting smallmouth. Caught a nice rainbow 10 minutes into my day yesterday, then.................whole lotta nuthin’. Got a couple small taps, that’s about it. The water is low and super clear. I wasn’t even seeing any. I moved around a good bit, hit a lot of spots. Top water, small cranks, spinners, jig,trick worm. Anyone else getting shut out? Maybe it’s something I’m doing wrong?

[Scott F]

It sounds like the smallies have started their fall migration toward their wintering areas. Move down the creek to where it feeds into the river. Find their wintering area. They'll use it every year. Start there next spring and follow the bass back into the creek.

[Manly Studson]

Here’s where they are in Indiana‘s creeks. But they wouldn’t bite anything! Frustrating. They just congregated together.

[Cam R]

I fish in a creek in my backyard in NY and starting in September i never get any SM,pike,Carp or really anything. It’s very shallow

[HookInMouth]

20 hours ago, PigFarmer said:

I just finished a frustrating 2 days on local creeks here in Western PA. Targeting smallmouth. Caught a nice rainbow 10 minutes into my day yesterday, then.................whole lotta nuthin’. Got a couple small taps, that’s about it. The water is low and super clear. I wasn’t even seeing any. I moved around a good bit, hit a lot of spots. Top water, small cranks, spinners, jig,trick worm. Anyone else getting shut out? Maybe it’s something I’m doing wrong?

I've kind of run into the same thing (SW PA Apollo area). Had a really productive year chasing smallies and now it just kind of shut off on me. I'll find em though. Just need a few more casts... 

[NYWayfarer]

October has not been slow for me. Fishing the river I have caught 2 Smallmouth the whole month.

 

It has been a month of Fallfish. I have broke my PB Fallfish 3 times over the last 2 months.