Fish Are In The Docks

Fished LOZ last week (9/22-9/24), caught roughly 40 over the 3 days, about half were keepers (<9").

Fished closer to home at the small private lake my dad lives at over the weekend and caught 20 Friday night in a couple hours, and 10 more Saturday in about half the time. All were keepers.

Both lakes the pattern was the same. Find docks, fish 8-12' down depending how deep the water is. Basically just a couple feet off the bottom. Caught them on minnows, crickets, and white/chartreuse hair jigs.

With the live bait, I just dead sticked close to the edge of the dock. With the jigs I was dead sticking them at the depth for maybe 30 seconds, giving a small twitch and getting bit. If I didn't get bit after letting them sit and then twitching, I moved. Sometimes moving as little as 24" away was enough to get bit, so fish slow. As the water continues to cool, I imagine this pattern will be hot for a month or so.

There are better/different daily patterns for having singlular monster days, but this pattern produces fish to clean nearly every time out in the fall for me.

Thanks for the good report at LOZ. It is supposed to get cooler this weekend and hopefully they will move in in a couple of weeks.

Nice report and welcome.

Great report!!! Thanks for posting

Off topic, but I caught a couple of what I believe to be goggle eyes on crickets at night fishing near some lights. Anyone have any idea if LOZ has a population and if so where can I catch some more of them? Great little fighters on a 5'6" ultra ultra light set up.

They eat pretty good also.