Fall pattern is on up here for shoreline fishermen.

Most docks hold some crappies and they tend to school up on the deep end, going down to at the bottom in 20' of water or so, laying there in the dock shadow.

We have been taking good numbers of average fish jigging tiny, deep and very slow, mostly very slow vertical retrieve. As 'witching hour' comes on (when the sun hits the tree tops in the west) bite starts to move up the water column and then in towards the weed line. Best size is generally about dark. It takes a light line and a little patience to get 1/32 down that deep, and often it doesn't make it due to greeters coming up to meet it just like when ice fishing. Others take on the bottom, just there when one first tightens the line, others follow, again in both cases just like through the ice.

This year's color seems to be white or pearl. The little Mr Twisters in those colors have been dependable for us in this type of vertical fishing, and continue to be. Also some of the inch and a half Lil Hustlers have been very productive. Smaller baits have produced the best numbers. The crappies are not actively chasing, pretty lethargic in general, with very few solid strikes, mostly little more than extra weight on the line or a tap with or without the the up bite. We have had quite a few quick spits and bite short of the hook this fall, too, especially on the larger tails.

Clear lines have produced best for us this year, and that conclusion comes from a number of side by side tests with both yellow and green hi vis lines.

Carp bite has slacked off, but some are still being taken. Only two last Tuesday evening for me but one was 29". There was also a bonus channel cat of about 3 or 4 pounds on the oatmeat. It has gotten to be a little too much sitting around for me; so we have gone back to working the dock crappies.

Work at 5 in the morning. Sleep now.