The Fall Feeding Frenzy?

[Al Agnew]

You've heard it over and over again; fish, especially bass, feed heavily during the autumn to put on fat for the winter months. It's conventional wisdom that fall fishing can be great because the fish somehow instinctively "know" to feed like crazy.

I've always questioned this. As easily as I could catch fish, and big fish, from smaller but floatable Ozark streams such as my home river, Big River, in the summer months, once autumn rolled around I started finding the fishing considerably slower. In general, until about September 15th, the fish were still in a summer pattern, but between mid-September and late October, the fishing declined significantly, and I seldom fished from November on.

Granted, the conditions can be tough in the fall. The days tend to be bright and sunny, the water is as clear as it gets, and the falling leaves make fishing most lures an exercise in futility. But even so, it just didn't seem like the fish were there anymore.

Once I began spending more time on the larger streams like the middle Meramec and middle Current River in October and November, I began catching more fish, and the occasional big one. But even then, the numbers were always less than summer fishing. Where was this fall feeding frenzy?

I studied, as well as I could, the biology of stream bass in the autumn, and realized that there are some fallacies and confusion related to the activity levels of bass in the autumn.

First of all, bass are cold-blooded animals, so their body temps are always very close to the temperature of the water. And the warmer the water is, the greater their metabolism is and the more they NEED to feed to maintain their activity levels and put on growth. This is a bit of a two-edged sword. If the water gets TOO warm, they become so stressed that they seek out any colder relief they can find--I've seen them nosed up against the downstream edge of gravel bars where water seeping through the gravel emerges cooler than the rest of the river. But in general, in water temps up to the mid-80s, they are not particularly stressed, and must feed just to maintain their high metabolism. Their normal range of temperature in which they are highly active is from about 60 degrees up to 80 degrees, so they feed well during the time the water temps are in that range.

Cold water fish like trout, by the way, are adapted to being most active in cooler water, with different enzymes in their cells that boost metabolism in cold water. There is not a whole lot of difference in their activity levels in water from the low 40s to the mid 60s, but once the water temps reach 70 degrees they become highly stressed.

So what this means is that during much of the warm weather months, bass must feed heavily to maintain their metabolism. In fact, they may lose some weight during the summer because so much of their nourishment goes just to maintaining high metabolism, and perhaps adding some length, instead of putting on weight. So once the water temps begin to drop but are still well above that 60 degree range, they can put on some weight (and the weight is more muscle mass than fat, by the way) with the same activity level. So they do not get MORE active as water temps drop in the fall, but until the water reaches around that 60 degree mark, they remain active.

But sometime in October, usually, the water temps begin to consistently drop below 60 degrees. By that time, the bass are moving toward their wintering areas. They still feed, of course, but they are not as active as during the summer.

When you factor in all the variables, such as dropping rather than rising temperatures with temps below 60 degrees and how it affects their metabolism, the water conditions that make fishing tougher, and the fish transitioning to wintering areas, it's no wonder why I find fishing more difficult in the fall. The surprising thing to me is that so many anglers continue to say the fishing is so good then. Don't get me wrong, I've had some good trips in October, and once November comes around and the leaf fall is about done, and the fish have begun to concentrate near their wintering areas on the larger streams, the fishing improves again significantly for me. In fact, if there is a warm spell in mid to late November and the water temps climb close to that 60 degree mark, the fishing can be terrific then for big fish. But for the most part, October is simply my toughest fishing month.

So what say you? Have you REALLY found fishing on the Ozark streams to be as good or better in October than in July?

[Ham]

Most articles in magazines are geared more towards lake fishing than stream fishing. Often convention wisdom in these articles starts with a common belief and comes up with semi plausible explanations that have almost no basis in science and an emphasis on anecdotal evidence.

The fish do feed heavier in certain areas of the lakes in the fall, but I think that may be because of baitfish locations as much as anything else. The fish may or may not instinctively feed heavier in the fall. Bass feed heavier when there is a ton of baitfish available.

I catch fish good in creeks until the water temps drop as fall really sets in. I transition to lake fishing then.

[bfishn]

Flatheads are the only Ozark fish I've personally experienced in a "fall frenzy". I just attribute it to the fact they become relatively dormant thru winter, and have to bulk up a bit to maintain. Smallies in the northern range may do the same (the yanks sure claim they do), but the abundance of springs and more moderate temps around here allow them to feed year 'round.

[fishinwrench]

Like Ham, I don't enjoy an uptick of bites on rivers/streams in the Fall but I certainly do on impoundments.

I assume that a good portion of that is because deep structure fishing is definitely not one of my strengths. More active fish in the shallows equals more bites for ol'wrench, but that doesn't mean that the fish are more active as a whole. They are just more actively feeding in the areas where I am better at finding and catching them.

It is probably the same with rivers. In Summer you're likely to catch fish all along a 6 mile stretch, whereas most days in the Fall/Winter there will only be a few good zones on that same stretch of river. And if fish are concentrated then they'll get nervous and wary after a few of their brothers have been caught. A lot of times when you catch one several others will follow it to within sight of you...Now they "know" something just ain't right and it will take awhile for them to let their guard down again. That's why LO dock fishermen seldom catch more than one good bass from a dock on the same pass.

You don't have to worry about that on rivers in the Summer because for the most part the fish are more spread out.

[fishinwrench]

White bass are ones that are really said to "frenzy feed" in the Fall, but the truth is that white bass frenzy feed all year long. They just do it where they are easier for anglers to get to during the Fall.

[LittleRedFisherman]

Flatheads are the only Ozark fish I've personally experienced in a "fall frenzy". I just attribute it to the fact they become relatively dormant thru winter, and have to bulk up a bit to maintain. Smallies in the northern range may do the same (the yanks sure claim they do), but the abundance of springs and more moderate temps around here allow them to feed year 'round.

I agree with Al on the Smallmouth take on this. But i'll back you up on the Flatheads, October is a great month for flatheads, I think they really do "fatten up". I've had my best catches in that month on the St Francis here at home. Next time i'm rained out of work, i'm chasing some, that's one fish I don't mind stocking the freezer a bit....

[Mark]

Like Ham, I don't enjoy an uptick of bites on rivers/streams in the Fall but I certainly do on impoundments.

I assume that a good portion of that is because deep structure fishing is definitely not one of my strengths. More active fish in the shallows equals more bites for ol'wrench, but that doesn't mean that the fish are more active as a whole. They are just more actively feeding in the areas where I am better at finding and catching them.

It is probably the same with rivers. In Summer you're likely to catch fish all along a 6 mile stretch, whereas most days in the Fall/Winter there will only be a few good zones on that same stretch of river. And if fish are concentrated then they'll get nervous and wary after a few of their brothers have been caught. A lot of times when you catch one several others will follow it to within sight of you...Now they "know" something just ain't right and it will take awhile for them to let their guard down again. That's why LO dock fishermen seldom catch more than one good bass from a dock on the same pass.

You don't have to worry about that on rivers in the Summer because for the most part the fish are more spread out.

That reminds me of something I heard or read...

I've heard or read that fish have about a 20 minute memory. Meaning, if you catch a fish in one spot and disturb the water, fish may be scared for a while, but return to normal patterns after about 20 minutes. Fact or folklore?

[J-Doc]

I too have found it tougher in the fall. And in the winter, an impoundment becomes super small. The fish go so deep and hide that your graph stays blank for most of the trip in dead winter. I have yet to figure out winter fishing with great success for bass.

[Flysmallie]

That's why they call it fishing!!

I do agree that the fall bite is better on the lakes than in the rivers, but like has already been stated I think that comes from fish moving up from the depths of summer into areas that are easier to target them. Plus the water has cooled a bit so they have a little more energy to chase and eat. But it's not a guarantee either. Fall fishing can be some of the toughest fishing you will find.

But I don't buy into the fact that in the winter months all the fish go deep. I have too many good days fishing shallow in the winter to ignore that water. You might not see them on your graph because they are sitting on the bank. One of the best days of fishing that I have ever had was one winter on Pomme de Terre. It was cold. 28 degrees when we launched, spitting sleet, surface temps steady all day at 44 degrees. We started fishing deep and caught a few fish. But it really got good when we were throwing spinnerbaits right up on the bank and burning them back to the boat. And this wasn't in one concentrated area. We caught fish all the way from Wheatland ramp to Bolivar landing. It was crazy good.

Sidenote, maybe it's just the fish in that lake. I also caught a ton of fish one very hot summer day fishing the same pattern. Spinnerbait on the bank. Air temp was pushing the hundred mark and the surface temps were in the low 80's. Won that tournament by a substantial margin.

We will never truly understand why a fish does what it does. And sometimes we get too hung up thinking they are going to be where we "know" they will be. That's when failure can set in and really punish you. Now I just go when I can, catch what I can and have a smile on my face every time.

[fishinwrench]

He's not lying, I've seen him stand there fishless for hours....just smiling like a retard on pudding day.