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Old 10-17-2019, 09:57 PM
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Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
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Default NSR in October.

Nothing important and maybe not even interesting. Thought I would write a short story about today and share it to encourage other to still get out fishing.

At 3:30 today I took a 20 minute walk down to the river for a moment of downtown urban river fishing. Beautiful day. River is going lower and not a one power boat to silt up the shoreline. One bald eagle hunting over the river. He stooped for a meal and connected on a nice sized goldeye mid stream. A flock of 200 or more gulls lifting from their watery shallow perch midstream as the eagle hit the water. I can hear and see the traffic rushing by on a bridge going to and from downtown only 200 yards upstream.

I was drawn to fish this one spot a month ago when I noticed an active beaver house from the bridge one day. Now mid October the beavers have started their feed pile which extends out into the deeper water in front of their house. The winter feed pile needs to be in 6 feet of water so I know the river has good enough depth and the feed pile creates a nice eddy behind it too.

Today I decided it was me and Len Thompson fishing together. I snapped a yellow with black 5 of diamonds No. 0 spoon on to my leader. With the first cast I felt the urban stress release and felt better with each cast. A long cast into the current and I felt that familiar tug. Moments later I gave the big fall goldeye a name and released it. Casting again closer to the feed pile I felt a different kind of tug revealing a 22 inch walleye. After a couple more casts into the current and old Len Thompson gets another yank. Low and behold a big mooneye was released back to the currents. Yet again after not more than 6 casts later I feel a pull. And it strongly pulls again clicking the drag on my reel. A few minutes later a 32 inch pike gave me a toothy smile when I pulled old Len Thompson from his lip and set him free. Len wanted to get back in the water and Len showed me a few more fish over the course of the next half hour.

At 5:30 I decided to head for home. In an hour and a half I caught 4 species with one trusty old Len Thompson spoon. All the fish were nice sized, healthy looking and easy releases. 6 goldeye, 3 walleye, 2 mooneye and one pike.

The NSR in fall is a true gem. Especially within walking distance. These little day breaks during the shortening days of October are precious. Middle of the week and not many boats. Better than a power nap. Halloween afternoon and night has been good fishing in the past so I'm looking forward to that hallowed night and luring the toothy beasts from the depths after dark.
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
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Old 10-18-2019, 10:59 AM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is offline
 
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Sounds like the perfect fall afternoon!.

BW
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Old 10-18-2019, 12:05 PM
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Such an under-rated (and quiet) time of year.
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Old 10-18-2019, 01:25 PM
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Fantastic story. Love it! Been busy and stressed lately.... thinking an afternoon like this is just what the Dr. ordered. And I'll invite our good friend Len Thompson!!
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Old 10-18-2019, 06:14 PM
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Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mooseknuckle View Post
Fantastic story. Love it! Been busy and stressed lately.... thinking an afternoon like this is just what the Dr. ordered. And I'll invite our good friend Len Thompson!!
Make sure Len has yellow. I suspect orange might be good too. Twitch your rods tip while retrieving. Find a good eddy off of the main current or a beaver house. Good luck. The fish like the current on calm edges of eddies.

A really nice spot to fish in the fall is upstream by Berrymore bridge. Seems the pike follow the rockies up because I've had some great days for pike in Late October. And a few nice rockies.
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
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Old 10-18-2019, 06:30 PM
trigger7mm trigger7mm is offline
 
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Default NSR in October

Nice story. Middle of September and October truly is the greatest time to be out on the river.
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Old 10-18-2019, 06:32 PM
338Bluff 338Bluff is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bullets View Post
Make sure Len has yellow. I suspect orange might be good too. Twitch your rods tip while retrieving. Find a good eddy off of the main current or a beaver house. Good luck. The fish like the current on calm edges of eddies.

A really nice spot to fish in the fall is upstream by Berrymore bridge. Seems the pike follow the rockies up because I've had some great days for pike in Late October. And a few nice rockies.
Are you targeting the Rockies or incidental on the smaller spoons?
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Old 10-19-2019, 06:03 AM
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does it ALL outdoors does it ALL outdoors is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bullets View Post
The NSR in fall is a true gem.
Not just in the fall, for three out of the four seasons.

We are blessed to have such a great fishery cutting our city in half.

I usually bring my DeWalt radio when I go fishing, anytime I hit the NSR (2-4 times per week) I leave the radio behind and just enjoy the silence.

Serenity now
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Old 10-19-2019, 12:54 PM
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That’s crazy. I haven’t caught a goldeye or moon eye in over a month. Over a hundred walleye and nothing else. Getting sick of eyes.
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Old 10-19-2019, 04:33 PM
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Teamprotz Teamprotz is offline
 
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My sturgeon have moved or they just hate thanksgiving. They only excitement last weekend was almost getting run down by a big whitetail buck that really wanted to get to the other side ! Did a less than impressive nose dive when he hit the soft muddy shoreline
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