Things Are Cooling Down

It’s currently Tuesday morning and 62 degrees outside. I’m chomping at the bit to get out on the water and see what bites.  I’ll have to wait anxiously a few more days, but the milder weather has me incredibly excited about getting back in/on the water.

If you’ve read previous posts then you know it’s been slim pickin’ round these parts. Not that fish aren’t biting, but the bigger fish have disappeared. Yeah, I don’t have access to any deep areas on the Cumberland, and every fisherman I’ve run into always talks about how detrimental the floods were to fishing on the Harpeth River, which includes all my current options. I’ve caught plenty of fish on the Harpeth, but I could easily be snagging into the rebound population.

Poppers seem to be the fly of choice near the washed out banks. The fish won’t discriminate between poppers and wet flies, but the wet flies tend to get lost and don’t stimulate the knee-jerk strike topwater anglers cherish. Plus, let’s just be honest with ourselves for a moment. I don’t care who you are, you love topwater action. Even if the fish is the same size as your fly, the pop or roll on the surface is just too much fun.

Just admit it.

Top water action is always one reason I love fly fishing for pan fish. Yeah, they’re easy to hook, but they’re also a lot of fun. They hit hard and (for their size) fight like crazy. Also, pan fish (bluegill in particular) will find their way into a bathtub with sitting water if you leave the plug in long enough, so once you’ve hooked one you’ll hook a thousand more.

I’m particularly excited about the impending cooler weather because the bass bite will pick up. I’ve caught ’em this summer, but I wouldn’t say they’ve been easy to come by. When the water temp rises to just below boiling the bass seem to go deep. Unfortunately the areas I have access to may have, at best, 6ft of water. Not much depth to work the vertical water column.

 We’re getting closer and closer to cooler weather. I know a few sub 70 degree mornings won’t bring the water temperatures down to where the bass start moving in more, but it’s still enough to remind me of what’s around the corner.

Drew continued to tell me that the leaves that fell on his picnic table were a sign of fall coming. I assured him it was only because they were being incinerated  by the 100 degree outdoor temps (I’m still right about that one too). But I appreciate where his mind was. Who knows; he may not be too far off. Fall may be just around the corner.