By Dave Webb

We fished Strawberry on 9/22/21 and had great success. Fish were aggressive, hitting almost every lure we tried. Our best action came long-line trolling lures just under the surface. We caught fish on Rapalas and various spoons. No particular one seemed to stand out, since fish hit virtually everything we tried.

We launched at Renegade about 5 pm and fished until dark. Skies were partly cloudy and the air was warm, very pleasant, when we launched but it became chilly as soon as the sun went down.

The water is obviously cooling now and that allows fish to range freely and be more active. We tried fishing deep but the aggressive fish seemed to be just under the surface and our lures reached them without the use of downriggers or special gear.

Typically, fishing gets better and better as fall progresses. During the heat of summer, fish seek cooler water and are somewhat lethargic. When the water cools they come up close to the surface and move closer to shore. The fish seem to sense winter is coming and they feed voraciously. Effective techniques during fall include trolling, as we did, and also casting. Many people have great success casting Pointer Minnows near shore. Action can be very good from boats and also from kayaks and tubes. Fishing from shore can be effectively, casting lures and bait fishing.

Air temperatures will get colder and colder. Dress in layers, so you can adjust according to conditions. It is very important to have clothing that keeps you dry – including your feet. During fall, conditions can change quickly from pleasant to dangerously cold if you get wet.

I’ve often done well for nice fish during mid and late October, when pressure is low because many sportsmen are out deer hunting. Fishing will remain good until conditions become so unpleasant that anglers stop trying. That usually happens in early November, when boat ramps become icy and temperatures are chilly even during daytime.

It is usually late December before the lake is safe to ice fish.