Changing weather affects fish patterns

By Bill Bartusek

What a big change for anglers since the Labor Day weekend.

After a warm and humid summer, autumn-like weather had a large impact on fishing. Water temperatures were in the high 70s until high winds, cold rain and cool temperatures arrived. I found water temperatures just over 60 degrees this past weekend. This put fish in a funk. They started to move and actually quit eating. All the pike I cleaned last weekend had completely empty stomachs. Adding to the weather the summer weeds died and the lake levels are way up.