Nebraskaland Magazine
Fall is definitely here. The leaves have begun to show their colors, a chill is in the air, and the water temps are dropping every day, varying between the low 60s and high 50s. The excess water from Colorado has made areas such as Johnson Lake and the corresponding canal system dirty and dark. Though it has cleared up a bit in the past two weeks, it’s still dirtier than what we’re used to.
I spent one day at Lake McConaughy in search of walleyes with my friend Steve. Between us, we managed 4 walleyes from 13″ to nearly 21″. We also caught two channel cats, a bullhead, one small largemouth and three pike, the largest measured at 33″. Most fish we encountered were aggressive, showing that they’re wanting to eat before winter arrives. As the water temperatures continue to drop, this kind of activity should pick up.
Johnson Lake was not as hospitable to us later in the week – catching the sunburn was the easy part. We tried a variety of tactics, from throwing crankbaits to large jig/swimbait combos to light crappie jigs. We came away with two smallies, one largemouth and one crappie. The funny thing is, the crappie hit a large 4″ swimbait on the first cast.
If we are able to get a stable weather pattern or two, I believe fishing in the next couple of months will be productive. As I try new baits and tactics, I hope to learn a few new things to pass along the way. Get on your sweatshirts and bibs and get out there, it’s going to be a great fall.
