11/9/21-11/13/21

[biomedman]

found water temp between 60-63 degrees in Roanoke side. Alot of bait in creeks from Betty's to Hardy. Couldn't land any Stripers. BlueBack Herring must be keeping Stripers on the bottom of main Lake. Although we were able to land a few nice Large mouths.

Will we ever see the Stripers run up the river like they used to? Did the BlueBack Herring ruin this?

[herringbone]

I wish I had enough knowledge of the lake to answer this (new to the lake). Can’t wait to hear the feedback. Will be there in a couple of weeks for 4 days.

[hilljack198]

No I don’t think bluebacks ruined it. Though I think they may have changed their feeding habits certain times of the year (not the fall). We’ve had alewives for a long time and they are open water/deeper bait fish too. I’ve caught some big bluebacks above hardy in the last few weeks, so even they are up the river but not “a lot” of fish like the old days. It’s the fishing pressure I’m afraid. The number of quality fish are just not there like they use to be and I don’t think they will be for a while (certainly hope I’m wrong). But the other note is the water temp you recorded. It’s been a very mild fall and I think that has played a role this year too. I’ve only been fishing the lake for 12 years or so. Maybe some guys with real moss can chime in with their opinion. That’s my 2 cents.

[johnr]

Nov 15, 2021 20:13:19 GMT -5 hilljack198 said:

No I don’t think bluebacks ruined it. Though I think they may have changed their feeding habits certain times of the year (not the fall). We’ve had alewives for a long time and they are open water/deeper bait fish too. I’ve caught some big bluebacks above hardy in the last few weeks, so even they are up the river but not “a lot” of fish like the old days. It’s the fishing pressure I’m afraid. The number of quality fish are just not there like they use to be and I don’t think they will be for a while (certainly hope I’m wrong). But the other note is the water temp you recorded. It’s been a very mild fall and I think that has played a role this year too. I’ve only been fishing the lake for 12 years or so. Maybe some guys with real moss can chime in with their opinion. That’s my 2 cents.

Agreed. Plenty of pelagic bait prior to blue backs.

Fall can be a difficult time to fish here because the fish have endless options and nothing external driving them yet; just the desire to eat. And they can pretty much choose to eat at anytime and any place in the fall. Bait is available throughout the water column, and the fish can use all of the water column as it has cooled enough to support them at all depths. Also in fall, bait populations are at the yearly highs. It’s tough to compete with that. Either gotta fish in the bait and wait for the fish to come eat for a few minutes(and hope they eat your bait instead of the thousands of other options), or try to hunt them down and force them to eat when they’re mostly just cruising and relaxing.

Compare this to spring fishing when they have only a couple options. Eat gizzards shallow(which are only there due to warmer water), or starve trying to eat what’s left of the alewives which are still deep until late April.

Summertime, they’re holed deep in areas of thermal refuge. No choice, they’re stuck. This removes a lot of water they can be in.

Winter, mostly holed deep again with the pelagic bait. Seeking thermal refuge in the form of stable water temps. This eliminates a lot of water they could use.

Just like any other time of year, you must be in the right place at the right time with these fish. Just because it’s Fall doesn’t mean it’s going to be any easier.

[herringbone]

Johnr, with this said, do you think this has made a dramatic change on the shallow planer type bite? Last year around early December I saw a lot of super shallow activity, basically super small bait that was struggling I think as far back in creeks as you could go. Small groups of big fish circling the area feeding on top, not aggressive, just rolling. Fish were hard to catch, because they were gorging themselves on something I couldn’t match the hatch on, live or artificial. Saw this in numerous creeks, but did have a good day pulling boards shallow in another creek further down lake.

[johnr]

I don’t think it’s changed the fall bite. Fall is and always has been a time to show them a little bit of everything at once, at least until you develop a local pattern. While the shallow planer bite can be a part of the fall bite, I don’t think it’s the only or the biggest part. The fish aren’t forced to the banks like they are in springtime, just because they have so many options in the fall.

That action you saw in the creek backs is typical. Usually by mid November, the creek backs start holding a lot of bait, various sizes, kinda depends what creek. The fish come and go as they please, just get a mouthful and head back out. It’s hard to compete with the real deal, especially when it’s plentiful. They’re not targeting single baitfish, so much as they’re targeting bait clouds.

You gotta pick your poison. Compete with bait where the stripers are eating, or try to feed your bait to fish that aren’t actively feeding and are away from the plentiful bait clouds.

We spent more than a few evenings competing with all the bait you mentioned….

[coheasion]

Nov 15, 2021 21:21:51 GMT -5 herringbone said:

Johnr, with this said, do you think this has made a dramatic change on the shallow planer type bite? Last year around early December I saw a lot of super shallow activity, basically super small bait that was struggling I think as far back in creeks as you could go. Small groups of big fish circling the area feeding on top, not aggressive, just rolling. Fish were hard to catch, because they were gorging themselves on something I couldn’t match the hatch on, live or artificial. Saw this in numerous creeks, but did have a good day pulling boards shallow in another creek further down lake.

I think this behavior increased last year with the threadfin population rising substantially. The small threadfin will die off easily in a cold snap and it just becomes and easy all you can eat smorgasbord for the striper.  

[cmstower]

I figured this thread would blow up! I have noticed a difference in the last three years! Three years ago we was doing good up the river in September and I looked up that way several times the last two years with nothing major to show for it. I also hunt so I will take a few weeks off from fishing unless it gets hot. Plus after it gets too cold to throw the net without freezing I stop, years ago we caught a pile of them just throwing flukes after it got that cold but I reckon I am just getting old. I plan on hunting the next week and the back to fishing hope everyone has some luck!

[herringbone]

Love all of the input here guys. This is also giving me knowledge of where I should begin my quest in a couple of weeks, so thanks to you all.