Late fall transition from open water fishing to early ice action is one of my favorite times of the year. Any given day could offer one or the other. That is until everything finally freezes over completely, and we are on to full blown ice fishing.
With that said, I do my best to take full advantage of the remaining open water days as much as I can. This can be some of the best fishing of the year and not only for numbers of fish but some of the largest fish of the year as well.
When the water temperatures drop down into that mid- to lower-30 degrees range, fish become more predictable and accessible, not only with their location but their feeding habits as well. At this time of the year, you will find fish in deeper water haunts and in some instances, you will want to search out and locate the deepest water in the system.
Presentation at this time of the year can be slowed down to almost a crawl as the fish are more lethargic and less likely to chase your bait.
