Do you think river/creek smallies will still be biting this late in the year?

[Ohioguy25]

Sunday it’s going to be 73 and partly sunny, is it too cold/late in the year to be worth messing w it or could I still catch some fish?

[Black Hawk Basser]

Oh yeah, I've caught some hogs late in the year.  Definitely give it a try.  If there are walleyes in your river, this is prime time for them, so maybe you'll get some bonus fish.

[Ohioguy25]

15 minutes ago, Pickle_Power said:

Oh yeah, I've caught some hogs late in the year.  Definitely give it a try.  If there are walleyes in your river, this is prime time for them, so maybe you'll get some bonus fish.

Where should I be casting, shallow/deep/current?

[Scott F]

This the time of year when the biggest fish are often caught. They probably won’t be in the same places you got them during the summer. Move downstream from the creeks to the bigger rivers the creeks flow into. Find their wintering areas. 

[Ohioguy25]

22 minutes ago, Scott F said:

This the time of year when the biggest fish are often caught. They probably won’t be in the same places you got them during the summer. Move downstream from the creeks to the bigger rivers the creeks flow into. Find their wintering areas. 

So they won’t be in the 3-5 ft holes at the bottom of riffles? 

[Scott F]

42 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

So they won’t be in the 3-5 ft holes at the bottom of riffles? 

Could be, if they use that as a wintering area.

[a1712]

Since when has 73° been cold? We break ice to dump boats in the Suskie. Brian.

[Black Hawk Basser]

I haven't had to make drastic moves from summer to late fall to find fish.  Generally, areas that may lack oxygen in the summer can now be fish-holding areas.  An example would be above low-head dams.  By low-head dams, I mean just a smattering of boulders from bank to bank that creates a small pool above, and a small scour hole below.  I do not catch many fish above these dams in the summer.  I think this is due to a combination of poor oxygen levels and perhaps scarce food.  However, in the fall, I have caught numerous big smallmouths and walleyes above these dams, whereas I'd be better off fishing right below the dam in the summer.  That's not to say that I still won't fish below the dam now.

 

The thing about late in the summer and usually fall too, is that the water levels are at or near their annual low.  I believe that low water in rivers/streams tends to scatter smallmouths, making it difficult to pinpoint areas where you may catch multiple fish.  I think once current is really lacking, they start to treat the river like one big, long pond.  I think it is best to cover a lot of water, and make long casts with baits that are efficient to do so.  Crankbaits, jig/twisters, and inline spinners come to mind.  But, by covering water, I don't really mean casting blindly all over the place.  Even though the current may be slow, I still concentrate on anything that may create a break, like a downed tree, a boulder, etc.  Make your best effort to make the perfect cast and presentation to these current breaks.  I often find that when I get that perfect placement, that's when I get strikes.

[Bird]

I catch more and better fish in October than any summer month.

[Ohioguy25]

1 minute ago, Bird said:

I catch more and better fish in October than any summer month.

Where are you casting and what kind of bait?

[Bird]

1 minute ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Where are you casting and what kind of bait?

50's - 60's here in VA and been catching LM on spinnerbaits, jigs, buzzbaits and drop shots. 

In the lakes that I fish a lot they're holding on points leading to coves.

Smallies are smashing baits on the river as well. 

 

[Manly Studson]

To me it seems like October and April are the same, because the water temperatures are similar. SMB will bite in deep water. The bite has been off in shallow water (2-4 feet), but still on in deeper water (5+ feet).

[Cam R]

Here in NY starting in September the SM and Pike and Carp bites are gone in the creek by me. I wade in the creek so it’s very shallow. May and August are the best time to catch them for me.

[TnRiver46]

20 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Sunday it’s going to be 73 and partly sunny, is it too cold/late in the year to be worth messing w it or could I still catch some fish?

I’ve caught them when it was 33, I think you’ll be fine at 73

[Ohioguy25]

On 10/16/2019 at 7:54 PM, Bird said:

I catch more and better fish in October than any summer month.

How’s that?

[Bird]

3 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

How’s that?

We had a very hot and dry summer and fish were lethargic. 

As the water temps started dropping with cool rains this month, fish activity increased.

I've been out a lot in October and catching better fish.

April-May-October....my favorite months to Fish for quality around these parts.

[Joe_w1234]

Oh they are...

[moguy1973]

Caught the one in my avatar in October a couple years ago in a local river.

[Ohioguy25]

57 minutes ago, Sweet Tater Pie said:

Oh they are...

In how deep of water though, and current or still?

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

In how deep of water though, and current or still?

Well they don’t all move to the exact same spots . Where I’m at right now they are all roaming around eating tiny threadfin shad off the surface water temp about 70. I’ve caught them trolling crankbaits     At 2 mph in water temps down to 47 degrees In flowing rivers. In lakes you can catch them no matter how cold it is, even through ice. In rivers I quit getting bites when the water temp is below 45. They don’t leave per say, they just don’t bite as much

[soflabasser]

I have caught some nice smallies this time of year when the water was in the low 40's. Find where the fish are, fish slow, and you will catch them eventually.