Andrew Ragas splits time between the Chicago area and Wisconsin's Northwoods. Based in Minocqua, WI, he specializes in trophy bass fishing and offers guided trips from May thru October. While big bass is the passion, he dabbles in multi-species as well. He may be visited online at www.northwoodsbass.com
September is a month of transition and changing of seasons. With shortening daylight and colder nights, the entire food chain reacts and acclimates to these changes. On many clear water fisheries with sand bottom composition, trophy smallmouth return the shallows where they are most comfortable in cooling waters, and roam sand beaches.
Most smallmouth die-hards have September and October blocked off on their calendars as the best time to catch giants. Meanwhile, a select few do the same for November until waters freeze over, if the weather and fishery allow. From the world-renown Great Lakes fisheries to the inland waters across the north country, smallmouths are
As water temperatures gradually cool, the lakes eventually turn over. Smallmouths slide deeper to the point of wintering, and the tackle box closes. As these events simultaneously occur, my boat’s tackle selection lessens each week – and the majority of gear and tackle I’ve carried up to this point will no longer be needed.
During the past decade, I’ve prioritized learning and focusing my time on open water fishing tactics for smallmouth bass. Prior to then, this was something I hadn’t done much of. What spurred me to this was the realization of how lakes and smallmouth fisheries are cyclical and slowly evolving. Lakes that might have been