Another Labor Day Weekend passes, the best time of year begins. Year-39 for me. Smoke on the water, sunrise by 630. The air’s crisp and cold in the upper 40’s, and we’re now officially entering Simms outerwear season.  Squirrels are binge gathering, while smallmouth anglers and trophy hunters like us go binge fishing at every opportune moment to big fish destinations where beautiful northern highland inland lake landscapes and porker smallmouths captivate our dreams, minds and motivation. My wife wonders how we can continue to stay so excited about fishing when the last 10 years of my life and guiding career has turned so predictable, ritualistic, and repetitive. When seasonal fishing and its processes become predictable and repetitive like it has, to the point of becoming boring but always reinforced and saved when 5-pounders visit the boat daily, it defines a successful September fishing program. I’m obsessed and it never gets old. One of the best lessons I’ve ever learned as an angler is NEVER commit to the lake(s) or destination(s) until the morning of - which is conservative – or as you hit the road to pick up the day’s custom