Alright so yesterdays trip to South Lancaster was a total flop again . Its the second time I have launched here and have come up totaly empty handed .
We where on the water by 6 am and starting working shallow flats...Nothing
So we started working shallow flats within 10 feet of the drop....Nada
So we worked deep....Zilch
We even went for a good ride andd found this area that was just tall tall reeds with little channel zig zaggin through it in the middle of the river.
All we saw where perch and carp and suckers.
The only thing that saved my hide from the big skunk was tucking into the raisin river to fish some slop . Only fish of the day came on a white cane toad on the edge of a mat .
So I have come to the conclusion that I should hire a guide for the area and see if I can figure the smallies out . I could not care for exact spots just once I can see the type of structure that holds fish I can go and find them myself .
So far Mark Currie is the best rated guide in the area any suggestions?
P.S if anybody is lookin for a netman on the St- Lawrence let me know .
John
St - Francis Guide?
Re: St - Francis Guide?
JohnSeabass81 wrote: So we worked deep....Zilch
How deep did you go?
Firstly - I'm no biologist... nor am I a top-end angler 
I would have thought you would connect with a few between 25-40 FOW yesterday. Surprised you didn't. Were you working the shoals?
Here's my experience... FWIW
I usually start picking up daytime Smallies in shallower water end of August / early Sept . However, this year has been warmer than normal, and they're still down deep on the bright days, coming shallow in the evening.
If the surface temps are hot and it is bright sun, then look for the 65-70deg water (deeper). But overcast days will break the norm, in heavy overcast they'll come up to the shallows mid-day even if water is >75deg.
One exception, I did pull a decent SM out of 10FOW early Aug on a bright day, but it was in thick cover which I presume darkened the sun enough.
I was expecting a LM!!
To answer your question... the dates when they move shallow daytime will be specific to each waterbody.
Once the surface cools to 70degF SM should be feeding shallow regardless of sunlight. Once the night-time lows go single digit Celsius, the lake will lose heat quickly and they'll be up in the daytime. Next week is heading that direction - 3 weeks from now I expect to be plucking them off the shallow rockbeds in the local lake. Cool foggy mornings on "warmer than the air" flat water = awesome.
As the surface keeps cooling further and the lake begins to turn over, they'll move back deep following the 68deg water back down. That's usually late Sept - mid October timeframe on our local lake.
I would expect in cooler water like the St Lawrence the bass would move shallow sooner than on the lake, weather dependant. I don't know - do sections of the Larry like St Francis stratify?
DropShotR would know for sure... he's the Larry SM King around here
Cheers
I would have thought you would connect with a few between 25-40 FOW yesterday. Surprised you didn't. Were you working the shoals?
Here's my experience... FWIW
I usually start picking up daytime Smallies in shallower water end of August / early Sept . However, this year has been warmer than normal, and they're still down deep on the bright days, coming shallow in the evening.
If the surface temps are hot and it is bright sun, then look for the 65-70deg water (deeper). But overcast days will break the norm, in heavy overcast they'll come up to the shallows mid-day even if water is >75deg.
One exception, I did pull a decent SM out of 10FOW early Aug on a bright day, but it was in thick cover which I presume darkened the sun enough.
I was expecting a LM!!
To answer your question... the dates when they move shallow daytime will be specific to each waterbody.
Once the surface cools to 70degF SM should be feeding shallow regardless of sunlight. Once the night-time lows go single digit Celsius, the lake will lose heat quickly and they'll be up in the daytime. Next week is heading that direction - 3 weeks from now I expect to be plucking them off the shallow rockbeds in the local lake. Cool foggy mornings on "warmer than the air" flat water = awesome.
As the surface keeps cooling further and the lake begins to turn over, they'll move back deep following the 68deg water back down. That's usually late Sept - mid October timeframe on our local lake.
I would expect in cooler water like the St Lawrence the bass would move shallow sooner than on the lake, weather dependant. I don't know - do sections of the Larry like St Francis stratify?
DropShotR would know for sure... he's the Larry SM King around here
Cheers
