A Tough Call in the Fall

January 28, 2009 by admin

Plenty of hunting opportunities to choose from this time of year

Did you ever have to make up your mind? Those words from the Lovin’ Spoonful seemed to run through my head most every afternoon during this season. Of course they are sung quietly in my off-key karaoke voice as I face the dwindling hours of the work day. Decision time: what to do…what to do?

It is a tough time of year. Hunting time is a precious commodity. The daylight fades much faster than a month ago, and most evenings are spent chasing the setting sun back to the truck, while hoping for the last minute flush of a covey of grouse or partridge.

Then again, on warmer days – say 65 and sunny with no wind – the water calls me back. It’s hard not to focus on visions of reinvigorated smallmouth gorging themselves on crayfish and walleye schooling up in a feeding frenzy. Cooler water temperatures signal the end of summer’s buffet and heightened fish activity. As a result, good fishing is just waiting to be had.

So what’s a guy to do? Go after grouse or smallies? Try for trout or perhaps partridge? Some last minute doves or some fine fall walleye? As of late, it has been a game time call; bouncing ideas off family and friends via email and phone throughout the afternoon to figure out what the plan for the evening is. What is nice to know is that the opportunities remain open as the clock ticks closer to 5 p.m.

Abundant birds

Locally, I don’t think I’ve seen this many upland birds in my life. In my journeys down gravel roads, even those north of my hometown of Valley City, the number of pheasants has been staggering. The west has seemingly moved east as bird populations look more like McKenzie County than Barnes. But those brightly-colored birds will have to wait.

As for grouse and partridge, the improvement in populations is clear too. The local natives seem to be on every quarter section in incredible numbers, waiting to be flushed by a bird dog from ditchgrass, CRP and slough edges. If that doesn’t sound like a worthwhile walk after work, nothing does.

Couple these seasons with deer bow hunting, an approaching waterfowl opener, antelope, elk and moose hunting opening soon and decisions that seem tough to sportsmen now, will really get difficult in a few weeks.

: Fall fishing rivals any day in the spring as water temperatures drop

Aggressive fish

Fall triggers a bite in nearly every fish species. Some of the best days of angling can be found in early fall. September’s cooler temperatures bring summer-heated waters down a notch and trigger fish activity.

Ask any muskie angler when the best bite starts and the answer will most likely be September. For walleye, the fall bite is second only to the pre-spawn bite. Pike, perch, trout and other fish that prefer cooler water are spurred into action, joining the feeding frenzy.

The freedom and comfort of a boat will soon be a thing of the past as lakes and rivers ice up in a few months, the long wait for spring will begin, broken up only by some cold days of ice fishing. It is a good idea to get out there now, and an even better one to target waters with a variety of species to fish for. At least then, whichever fish are biting can help make the decision for the day.

With all these options, thank goodness there are five evenings to work with each week, and two whole days on the weekend. Even more amazing is the number of different fish and game species that can be pursued in this area. Though picking one or two is not often easy and not often kind, it often ends up as a win-win situation…in our outdoors.