Midwest Iowa Outdoors® & Outside Iowa®
With Thomas Allen
(October 17th, 2011)
Is there ever a bad time to fish? I am a firm believer that a bad day of fishing sure beats a good day in the office, no matter how you slice it. What about fitting fishing time in between hunting outings? Now that’s a tough life decision, but one that you can’t loose with. Iowa has over 80,000 fishable farm ponds dotting its landscape and a fine day of fishing is at your fingertips. The first step is gaining permission from the pond owner, as 99% of those ponds are privately owned.
Farm ponds are typically thought of as great summertime escapes, and rightly so. Ask any dedicated 365-day a year angler and they will tell you fall fishing is some of the finest you will experience all year long.
This is the time of year where fish of all species are strapping on the feedbag in preparation for the cold-water period. Most fish can be caught through the ice, but as they are preparing for that time of year can be absolutely dynamite. While techniques in a farm pond really don’t differ all that greatly from summer to fall, there are some variances to consider that will help you put more fish on the end of your line.
For starters, upsize your presentation. For example if you have been throwing a ½ ounce spinner bait all summer, upsize to a ¾ or even a full ounce. The fish are looking to maximize their feeding efforts and are eating the largest bait they can get their lips around in order to build up their fat stores.
Switching from big plastic baits to a live bait presentation will capture the attention of the bigger fish in the system. In fact, if you are looking for some of the biggest bass in the pond, go catch a few four to six inch creek chubs and drop them beneath a bobber and hang on. Setting them on a miniature quick-strike rig will be your best bet. It is important that you don’t kill them when you hook them, run one of the trebles just below the dorsal fin so they will stay lively.
The same trick will work for walleyes this time of year. ‘Eyes are very aggressive fall biters and will fall victim to other presentations as well. Fathead minnows on a ¼ ounce jig set about a foot off the bottom or larger profile crankbaits will do the trick.
Bluegills and crappies go crazy this time of year; in fact this is the single best time of the year to connect with the biggest bull gills in the system. The large males are usually loners and can be extremely difficult to find, but they move in shallow during the fall and begin to feed heavily. If you are fishing for walleyes with minnows, don’t be surprised if you tie up with a bulky gill or crappie.
Don’t overlook catfish either. Fall kittens are as easy as they come and will abuse your equipment in short order. Fall cats are more active than they are in the summer. Because of this, I would suggest using a bobber to keep your bait off the bottom. A fresh cut-bait, chicken liver or stink bait will still grab their attention from quite a distance.
I say it a lot, but don’t think I can over emphasize it enough, take the kids with you! This is a great time to keep that fishing fire lit or to just introduce them to the sport. They are our future, get ‘em out there!
Good luck and don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.
Live it Up!
(Thomas resides with his wife and two children in Guthrie Center, Iowa. He is a professional outdoor writer, photographer, videographer, and outdoor talk radio show host; for more information visit www.outdoorpursuitsradio.com. If you have questions or comments feel free to email Thomas at tha481@gmail.com)
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