The Great Outdoors
by Larry Whiteley
GET READY FOR FALL
September is usually the month to say goodbye to summer and get ready for fall.
The lakes become quieter after Labor Day as many boaters, skiers, tubers and jet skiers call it a season. The fish are still there. Early September they usually stay in their summer patterns but by the end of September they go on feeding binges getting ready for fall too. Get out there and take advantage of it.
Campgrounds so packed with tents and RVs during summer start thinning out. If you don’t like crowds, Septembers a great time for camping. It’s also great for floating a river or wetting a fly. Chances are you will have the campground or river all to yourself.
Tell yourself to go take a hike. It will be a lot more comfortable than it has been for a while. It’s a great way to get away from computers, smart phones and TV’s.
The exercise will be good for your body and the nature that surrounds you will be good for your soul.
Those who hunt are dove or teal hunting. Deer gun hunters are scouting or hanging stands. Western big game hunters are packing or already there. Bow hunters are practicing and ready to go climb a tree. Upland and waterfowl hunters are working with their dogs.
So many great outdoor things to do in September, so little time to do them.
OLD BOONE’S FISHING TIPS
As fall fishing season begins it’s good to re-spool your reel with “fresh” fishing line. Sometimes we forget to do this, but after a spring and summer of fishing, it’s good to put on new line so it doesn’t cost you a fish.
If you weatherproof your house this fall, save a few pieces of self-adhesive weather stripping for your angling needs. When applied to the side of a boat or tackle box, the foam rubber stripping makes an excellent lure holder.
STRIP PIT FISHING
Strip pits are those taken-for-granted reservoirs and impoundments created when incredibly large amounts of minerals and other products of the earth were removed by huge machinery. There are open mine pits across America and probably near you. They provide fabulous fishing opportunities for those who find them. The biggest crappie I have ever caught came from a Missouri strip pit a few hours from my house.
Most pits have been reclaimed for use as recreational areas and most have been stocked with many species of fish. Some are managed by state fisheries staff and some belong to corporations or individuals. Most are accessible if you ask permission. A little work to find them and a little courtesy can open the gates to some incredible fishing you have to experience to believe.
CRAPPIE OF SEPTEMBER
September can be a great time to catch crappie. Afternoons can be the best time to catch them. They move to shallow areas to feed as the water cools in the evenings.
Deeper water around bridge pilings and wood docks or piers will also hold September crappie. These areas are usually covered with plankton which attracts baitfish which attracts crappie.
September is also a great time to catch a mess of crappie for deer camp fish fry’s.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
“Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman’s job is simple: Pick out the best parts.” ~ Charles Waterman, Author
