Fall Cutthroat Fishing
By Don Allphin
September 13, 2007
Over the past 10 years I’ve taken scores of friends and family fishing on Strawberry in the fall. Teaching my guests to cast and retrieve a lure is the easy part; the tough part is coaxing the fish to bite. I believe that “seeing” fish is the first step to catching them.
If you can spot individual fish, many times you can entice them to strike, so I never launch my boat without first putting on a pair of polarized sunglasses. Polarized glasses remove the glare from the water and isolate your eyes so you can see into the depths. The funny thing is that many of my guests bring polarized glasses, but still don’t seem to be able to spot the fish. So, bear with me as I suggest a specific brand of eyewear to solve that problem.
I wear Cocoon polarized sunglasses in the amber color. Though I’ve tried every brand from Costa Del Mar to Solar Bat, and have paid upwards of $200 dollars for high-end glasses, I always return to Cocoons. They cut glare and protect my eyes. And, for comfort, durability, and price, there simply isn’t a better pair of sunglasses on the market. Cocoons can be found at Cabela’s, Camping World and other leading retailers, and they sell for around $45 dollars. Visit them on line at www.liveeyewear.com.
Originally, I needed sunglasses that would fit over the top of my prescription lenses, and for that purpose nothing beats Cocoons. But now, since I’ve had corrective eye surgery, I still wear Cocoons because they are extremely comfortable do a great job.
Next, learn to throw and retrieve jerkbaits. I recommend Pointer Minnows made by Lucky Craft in Ghost Minnow, Brown Ghost, or Rainbow Trout. Rapala makes great suspending jerkbaits in the same basic colors for about a third of the cost. Either brand will work. The key to throwing jerkbaits is to vary the retrieve. The more erratic the retrieves the better they work. During the retrieve, stop the lure and wait—wait for up to 10 seconds. Curious trout will appear out of nowhere to inspect the lure. Then, twitch the lure once, then again; sell the presentation to the fish. Eventually, the trout won’t be able to stand it any longer and will attack.
Look for fish on and around major points first. If you don’t see any chasers or curious followers, then carefully and methodically work your way towards the backs of the coves. Fish run in schools this time of year. See the fish and you’ll catch them, I guarantee it.
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