Page 7 - Fishing Report | 11-22-17

Fishing with Lefebre

(Tip from Bassmaster Elite Angler Dave Lefebre of Erie, PA)

Late fall…it’s a minnow thing! About the time most anglers are
grudgingly putting their boats up for the winter, I’m just getting
excited about one of the best largemouth bass bites of the en-
tire year. Mid November through ice up is my favorite time to
go for largemouths in the northern natural lakes and the big
deepwater bays of the Great Lakes. Bass are eating minnows –

big minnows. Depending on the particular water, these bass
may be dining on gizzard shad, emerald shiners, alewife, or
smelt. With water temps in the 40-something range, baitfish are deep and so are the bass. I use
my electronics to locate baitfish schools and larger marks (hopefully bass) hovering near the
bottom in 18 to 25 feet of water – usually not far from deep weed edge. These bass are eating
baitfish – but not willing to chase. Therefore lure presentations must be slow.

Here are my four favorite late fall “Minnow” baits:
 3/4-ounce Terminator Spinnerbait with a swimbait trailer. I use
silver blades in clear water and gold blades in dingy water.
Slow roll above the bottom or at depth of large marks on
screen.
 1/2 or 3/4-ounce Fish Head spin jig with a Yamamoto Swimbait
for the body. Slow roll just above the bottom or at depth of
large marks on screen.

 1/2-ounce Steel Shad. The Steel Shad is a relatively new blade
bait, featuring a larger size blade than other blades, and an ex-
tremely tight wiggle. Fish it like a crankbait – slow and steady
above the bottom, or vertically with a lift and drop jigging re-
trieve.
 3/4-ounce Storm Wild Eye Shad Swimbait. Again, fish it slowly at the level fish are ob-

served.

Thanksgiving Weekend Best Bets

By Darl Black

Yes, I know there are all sorts of family events going on over Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, as
well as hunting. But I also know a good number of you are considering where to go fishing, too,
with all that time off. Well, based on both recent fishing reports as well as long-standing late fall
patterns on certain waters, here are the Best Bets: