oinkuhzfpu

Fall normally means the beginning of football season. To the Lake Erie bass angler it means jumbo-size, `football' shaped smallmouth bass. August to late October/November is when Lake Erie's fat-n-sassy bronzebacks begin to put on the feed bag and begin to stock up for winter. Now is the time to catch one of the lake's best game fish and certainly regarded by many as Erie's best battlers.

With the unexpected introduction of the Zebra Muscle in the late 80's, the Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass really took off into something just short of spectacular. With the cleaner and clearer water resulting from the zebra muscles, bass will encounter with a vengeance any preferred bait when presentedcorrectly. Tip: Smallmouth bass are generally sight feeders. Which means once the bass visualize it's prey, it will attack and devour. Unlike Lake Erie walleyes, smallmouth generally are not boat shy and are not bothered bysunlight. This makes them an accommodating and easy target when located in both shallow and deep water most any time of the day.

Catching Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass takes nothing more then a bait box of soft-shell crayfish, a bucket of minnows, leeches, or a tackle box of properly selected artificial's (tube baits, crankbaits, spinners, etc.). While you can anticipate summer walleyes to roam the open, deep water flats, smallmouth preferhard structure. Bass in most cases are easy to locate. If you can find rocks,you'll find smallmouth.

Tip: A little pre-planning with a lake chart, a couple minutes of questions at the bait shop, or simply book a charter and pick your captain's brain for information, will remendously add to your success. Remember to always have a game plan whensmallmouth or "Jumper" fishing.

Some great areas to begin searching for fall Smallmouth Bass would be around the famous Bass Islands, Kelley's Island, Ruggles Beach off Huron, and of course the angler's choice at Pelee Island in Ontario waters. Tip: Remember whenlocating bass they are territorial fish. Smallmouth rarely roam open waters and will not migrate twenty miles like walleyes do each fall. When the bass move, they tend go deeper or even shallower around their home! If you find structure that is good for bass, expect to find them in the neighborhood again and again within close proximity on your next trip or even next season. If you locate a prime bass spot mark it with your Loran/GPS, landmarks or a means that will allow you to return another day. Good smallmouth spots aren't here today, gonetomorrow like walleyes! Keep in mind you'll not want to tell other serious bass anglers!

Once you have located a suspected prime bass hide-out, where do you begin? You have to decide if your going to anchor or drift. Drifting is preferred and you can drift with any bait that can be presented to a hungry smallmouth bass. If it's to windy in the area your fishing or your boat drifts so fast to properly present your bait, anchor safely at your spot and fish your areathoroughly. To cover more water while anchored, occasionally release or bring in anchor line. It's best either to fish shallow then move out to deeper water or deeper to shallow water, never in-between. This important step allows you towork over areas to eliminate unproductive waters. Tip: There is never any water to shallow or to deep for smallmouth. Any day of the fall season smallmouth could be found in any depth ranging from a shallow 8ft. to a deep 30ft. or at adepth in-between. Locate a good school of bass and to duplicate the drift each time, drop a marker at the beginning and at the end of your drift. This will keep you in preferred water and allow you to be more productive.

Markers or floats that are visible to boats are like a blue-light special. They tend to attract alot of people looking for a bargain or your easy fish! Tip: When in a crowd or around unwanted uncourteous anglers is to use your Loran/GPS to mark your spot when you reset your drift.

When fishing live bait such as soft-shelled crayfish, minnows, or leeches, you'll need proper hooks and have sinkers of various weights. Use of a sharp #1 to #4 hooks are the most common. Due to the rocky structure and occasional snags, wire hooks work best. The type of weight you use is optional. Slipsinkers, wrap around sinkers, and rubber core sinkers all work well. Placement of the weight should be 12" to 18" minimum above the bait for best results. Tip: Use only enough weight to keep the bait near the bottom. To big of weight for the conditions will result in lost strikes from the fish feeling theweight and dropping the bait before the hook set.

To avoid loosing bait to snags and bottom, drop your baited offering over the side of the boat until you feel bottom, shut the reel and simply fish. Remember, smallmouth are not boat shy! You'll often catch them right under your driftingboat! Occasionally lift and lower the bait to allow for extra movement similar to perch fishing. Wait for the pickup, feel the weight of the fish for a second, and set the hook! Tip: When using live bait, don't set the hook to hard. Inother words, don't use what I refer to as the "Bassmaster Whack". Use just your lower arms, keep the line tight, and have a correctly set drag. To much hook set with a heavy action rod can pull the bait and hook right out of the fish's mouth. To tight of drag will cause many broken lines or pulled hooks.Keep your drag on the loose side. Don't be greedy when the hard-fighting fish need line. In most cases your only lip hooking the fish. A good rod of choice would be nothing heavier them med/med-heavy or a rod action with a moderate to fast tip spooled with 6 to 10 lb. test line. If you do miss a strike,immediately drop your offering back. Many times there's competition for food within the bass community and there may be following fish which may strike any offering remaining on the hook. Tip: Bass anglers should constantly check yourline for nicks or cuts resulting from zebra muscles. These small scratches will weaken your line and you'll breakoff many fish! You are fishing a bottom covered by the muscles. Line can be weaken by the sharp edges of the mollusks shell. After each fish is landed, run your finger over the line a couple inches above the weight to the hook to check for bad areas. I've seen many big fish lost to damaged line.

In the Fall months, smallmouth generally prefer a more natural live bait presentation. As the water begins to cool, bass begin the stock up for the long winter. This is when these little `footballs' put on the weight and really show their muscle. If the angler is hardy enough, and doesn't mind missing alittlehunting, the angler can catch a real trophy. The 1994 fall Smallmouth Bass season was spectacular with the average fish falling between 14" to 16", with many over 17 to 21 inches and four pounds plus! Why miss out on the "best" of the "best" when it comes to fishing Lake Erie.Lake Erie's fall football season is just around the corner.

Fantasy football players rarely pay much attention to National Football League rookies, during their fantasy football drafts. Rookies, you see, are not usually worth much to fantasy teams. It takes most rookies a year or two or in many cases even three or four to get fully acclimated to the NFL. Consequently, competitive fantasy football people usually steer clear of them.

This year may be different. More NFL rookies will likely appear on fantasy rosters than in the past decade, because this draft is rich with impact players. Thats right, rookies that can actually play this year and contribute to fantasy football rosters some even as starters. I see at least seven players taken in the first round of the NFLs draft that can start on fantasy teams, depending on how many teams are in your league. Obviously, smaller leagues (8 and 10 team leagues) will be too rich with veteran talent to have rookies as starters. Following is an assessment of these players and others to keep an eye on as you prepare for your fantasy draft. Notice the QBs are left out, as they wont contribute much, even if they start.

The seven NFL first-rounders to target are: Ronnie Brown, Braylon Edwards, Cedric Benson, Carnell Williams, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams and Mark Clayton. Brown, Benson and Williams are potential starters in any fantasy league. In one of the best running back classes in recent memory, these guys will enter their rookie campaigns as feature backs for Miami, Chicago and Tampa Bay, respectively. These teams have proven that with the right guy toting the mail, they all can produce fantasy stars.

Although not the best player, Benson is probably the best pick of all the rookies, in terms of fantasy football value. He is a no-brainer in basic scoring leagues. Hell be the starter from day one, and some experts have called him the best goal line runner ever to come out of college. If healthy, Benson could easily rush for 12 or more TDs in his inaugural NFL season.

Edwards is an immediate starter for the Browns, and this guy is a true stud. Although he can start in some fantasy football leagues, youll want to get him later, as Cleveland is a team that hasnt shown much in recent years. Edwards is a steal, if you can get him in later rounds. Then, let him sit for a few weeks, and watch his production. The same goes for Williams, taken by Detroit, and Clayton, selected by Baltimore. Both of these receivers will likely start for their new teams, but a wait-and-see attitude is indicated, as both teams are in weak passing offenses, although the sky is the limit for the Lions who have selected a wideout with their first pick in each of the last three seasons.

Aside from these seven, there are several players taken after the first round of the NFL draft that are worth drafting on fantasy football teams. Most notably is J.J. Arrington, taken at number 12 in round two by Arizona. Dennis Green loves this guy and hinted on draft day that Arrington will be his feature back. This guy is a compact runner and has a nose for the end zone. A feature back on an improving Cardinals team could be a big scorer for fantasy teams.

The easiest steal in your fantasy football draft will be Ryan Moats, taken in the third round by Philadelphia. Moats, a smallish tailback from Louisiana Tech, could surprise for an Eagles team in need of a star at the position. Although hell likely be relegated to special teams and third-down use early on, watch for him to emerge, especially if someone gets hurt. He is a quick slashing runner and a real workhorse, despite his 5-8, 210-pound frame. An eye-popping senior season saw him log 288 carries for 1,774 yards and 18 touchdowns. His 1,890 all-purpose yards set a school record, as he proved he can catch the ball with nearly equal acumen. With a career average per carry of 6.4 and 28 TDs, Moats is definitely worth watching. Grab this hard worker in the late rounds of your draft, and wait for him to get his turn. If the stars align in Philadelphia, you might just get yourself the steal of your fantasy football draft.

Here are a few other notables you may want to watch for a late selection or a free-agency pickup, as the season moves ahead:

1Heath Miller, TE taken by Pittsburgh: Would be ranked higher, because hell probably start, but tight ends are always a big question mark. If you are in a fantasy league that requires you to take a tight end, Miller is a good one.

2Vernand Morency, RB selected by Houston: Watch for an injury to Domanick Davis and grab Morency the second it happens.

3Maurice Clarett, RB taken by Denver: They love him and would like to see him prove all of the critics wrong. Hell get a chance to play.

4Matt Jones, WR selected by Jacksonville: Many feel the former QB is the best athlete in the NFL draft. At 6-6 with 4-5 speed and great hands, who knows?

5Roddy White, WR taken by Atlanta in the first round. Very fast and underrated. The Falcons saw little from Michael Jenkins last season, so keep a close eye on White.

6Chris Henry, WR taken by Cincinnati. Very big and fast. Could be a factor around the goal line in three and four receiver sets.

7Reggie Brown, WR selected by Philadelphia. The Eagles have a few question marks at the position, not the least of which is the bizarre antics of Terrell Owens.

8Ciatrick Fason, RB taken by Minnesota. With running back being so unsettled, Fason could emerge as the starter. Watch this one very closely.