Hot and dry: conditions cast pall on fall season

Most who spend much time in the outdoors would agree, I think, this has not been an average year, a trend that surfaced in spring.

Although we saw our fair share of spring showers, I can recall bank-fishing for white bass along sections of water that we usually fished from a boat. And although a rainfall of magnitude swelled to a normal level, the spawn was all but behind us.

And then came the year’s most anticipated fishing opportunity, when water temperature cued black bass to begin their annual spawn. Once again, the weather threw a curve.

We actually experienced success and boated several nice largemouth bass during that short window of time but it was more of a challenge than normal to find their nests.

We noticed a few nests in shallow water, slowly dropping a floating worm deeper than we could see. Although this technique proved productive, it only worked consistently at a few locations.

In the little time that I spent on the water as spring season, I was sorely disappointed in the breaking action, or lack thereof, during early morning and late evening. I heard a few positive stories of anglers catching breaking fish but also accounts of anglers like myself who noticed a decline in breaking action.

A busy schedule dampened my excitement for fishing during the summer months, Some things I can’t put on the back burner and must not be delayed any longer.

But that’s OK, suspecting the weather would adversley affect many outdoor excursions. Even with ample rain to sustain a healthy looking forest canopy during early summer, the fall season is in danger of being bland.

A recent lack of rainfall has caused a portion of our hillsides to lose their vibrant green. And without a stretch of cool, crisp mornings, many of the hardwoods will appear drab in lieu of transforming into vibrant oranges, yellows and reds.

One hears that the lake is many feet below normal pool with hardly any water cutting through smaller streams. My pond is in dire need of significant rain, and even the larger rivers are adversely affected by the unseasonably dry and hot temperatures.

With a little luck and lots of perseverance, I will finish my chores before the opening day of deer season. And I’m hoping that cooler temperatures and wetter days will arrive before that much anticipated day.

Then again, we might be hunting in short sleeves and still fighting the relentless buzz of mosquitoes into mid-November. If so, I’m prepared to move my stand to a location where water is not so scarce and a natural food source is most readily available.

I’m most hoping for those mornings with a nip in the air and the sky threatens of rain. But even if the miserable conditions continue, I suppose that will be OK.

I’m sure my long walks will be less frequent, and my hunting time will be limited to the coolest parts of the day. But I expect to savor the opportunity to step away from the hustles and bustles of everyday life and enjoy my solitude while perched against a tree.

Come to think of it, I don’t really care when the weather finally changes. Regardless of conditions, I find a sense of peace in the wonderful outdoors.