Look out across any Kawarthas Northumberland lake this fall, and you may see the silhouette of an angler or two in the distance. It’s not just a visually appealing time of year—the seasonal shift makes a real difference to fish, and to the people trying to catch them. We asked Bobby Belmonte, the owner-operator of 2B Fishing Guiding Service, how his approach changes when the leaves start to turn.
“First of all, the lakes get a lot quieter,” says Bobby. “Once the fall starts coming around the lakes quieten down quite a bit, the air temperature drops but the water can still stay warm.”
It’s nice to know you won’t be fighting for a spot once peak cottage season is over, but the second point is actually the most important. “The fish typically start feeding at this point heavily to fatten up for winter,” Bobby adds, “so it’s debatably the best time of year to fish. It’s certainly my favorite time of year to fish.”
When they’re packed full of food and beginning to lower their metabolisms for the winter, fish will mostly stay stationary but be eager for every morsel that comes their way, making it easier to catch more in a single day. But where to look for those big catches, once the season comes around? Bobby identifies two main factors: healthy weeds on the lakebed, and warm rocks.
“In the fall, typically you’ve got all this weed growth that’s dying off, and the areas that stay good are those weeds that stay alive for a little bit of a longer time,” he says. “Those weeds play a huge role in every single species that lives out here… for the fall, live weeds are the key.”
Largemouth bass in particular gravitate to weedy areas. However, lest it sound like there’s a single recipe for success, Bobby says the season can still surprise you. “You know, you get some days where maybe the fish move to straight rock areas. Rocks hold the heat, so they’re gonna move to straight rock.”
The latter holds especially true of smallmouth bass, and Bobby finds Buckhorn, Rice, and Sturgeon lakes excellent overall for bass fishing. Fall can also open different fishing options. The heat of the summer applies additional pressures to muskie, for example, so he doesn’t fish for them until the temperature drops. The cooler weather makes them better able to withstand the stress, meaning one of the most challenging, exciting fishing opportunities in the region is best pursued in the fall.
“Muskie are super popular in the fall because that’s probably the best time to go trophy hunting,” Bobby says. “You know, a lot of diehard muskie anglers only muskie fish in the fall, because that’s when they’re going for that great big giant one.”
Of course, that includes Bobby himself. He grins and gestures to the muskie tattoo on his arm. “If you couldn’t tell, fishing’s a big, big part of my life.”
Visit 2bfishing.ca to book a fishing trip with Bobby Belmonte, or follow @2b_fishing on Instagram
