Cool weather; Warm fishing

Fall fishing is picking up. Fishing has been slow for the past month or so. Cooler temperatures make it more fun and comfortable to fish (with the exception of those past two 28 degree mornings) and fishing results are warming up. A lot of folks that usually fish are now hunting, so it makes for more room on the lake for those who stick with it. Notwithstanding temporary weather bumps in the road like today (rainy, foggy, etc.), things should be good the next month. There’s also about a 40% chance of rain Sunday, but other than that, it looks like cool temps early and comfortably warm days for the next week or so.

You would think that big front that swooped through the area would have slowed things down a bit, but the water and temps are stabilizing and fishing should be good today and this weekend. It will be cooler early, but warm during the day. Here’s a look at the latest fishing report:

Good news for white perch fishermen on LAKE D’ARBONNE. The fish have started moving into deeper water and are biting. Fish are in the deepest part of the channels suspended anywhere from 12-15 feet deep. They are still scattered and seem to go on feeding sprees, then disappear for a while.  Most of the fish are small to medium sized. A good jig fished at the right depth with a double dose of patience is the best recipe for cooking up a successful trip. Major boat ramp parking lots have been full this week, too, so save some of your patience for launching and loading!

Bass fishing has also been fairly good on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and plastics. The fish are feeding getting ready for the long, hard winter. Fish are on the move. You may catch them in 6-10 foot flats or you might catch them chasing shad up in the shallows. Catfishing near the bank seems to have slowed a bit for the first time in months. This is also a good time of the year to try the wobble-head worm.

There are some good bass being caught at CANEY LAKE. Shad imitation lures are working best, but again, spinnerbaits and worms are being used, too. Bigger fish seem to be coming on crank baits. White perch fishing here is fair.

LAKE CLAIBORNE white perch fishing is also picking up, although reports show the fish are not quite as deep as at D’Arbonne. More fish seem to be moving to the channels, so if you aren’t catching them in medium depths, try deeper. Fish are still submerged around tops in 12-16 feet of water for the most part.. Bass fishing is fair, although most of the fish being caught are running on the small side.

The white perch fishing on the OUACHITA RIVER was picking up, but all the recent rain made it unstable the past week or so. Submerged tops in the river or deeper water in backwater lakes and sloughs seem best. No reports on bass fishing. One thing is for sure, even if you don’t catch any fish, a ride up the Ouachita River with your eyes open is a sight to behold this time of year. The fall foliage is absolutely beautiful — Mother Nature at her finest. Try it sometime.