Moose Lake anglers caught a big muskie. Photo by Mike Mladenik.

"By late September, smallmouths start to move shallow and will chase chartreuse and white spinnerbaits," he said.

To be successful, anglers should refine their retrieve to adapt to conditions. If the water temperature is dropping, slow the retrieve, but if the water temperature rises even one degree, speed up the retrieve. In November, smallmouths move as shallow as 2 feet, with swimbaits being the hot lure. Late-season hotspots include Gills Rock and the bays on the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Walleyes are also a popular target after Labor Day. Alexander said last September walleyes remained in a summer pattern hitting crawler harnesses all month. He likes to troll crawler harnesses on the reefs in the lower part of Green Bay. When walleyes move into their fall pattern, trolling stick baits over the reefs after dark is tough to beat. The best action usually occurs between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.

The Sturgeon Bay ship channel offers a chance at big pike, trout and salmon. Alexander likes to troll the Lake Michigan side of the channel with large silver spoons on downriggers. On any given day, anglers may expect to catch pike up to 20 pounds mixed in with brown trout and salmon. On the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula, North Bay and Rowley Bay also produce big fall pike.

Recently, the lower Fox River has been producing huge muskies that seem to get bigger each year. You may have to endure crowds as they troll crankbaits, but it's hard to argue with the results. For more fishing information, call Bret Alexander at (920) 851-4241. For accommodations, contact the Door County Chamber at (800) 52-RELAX or www.doorcounty.com.

LAKE DUBAY & WISCONSIN RIVER
Lake Dubay, a flowage on the Wisconsin River, is located 10 miles north of Stevens Point. Other tributaries entering the 6,830-acre flowage include Johnson Creek, the Big Eau Pleine, Little Eau Pleine and Little Eau Claire rivers. The primary fisheries are walleyes, crappies and muskies.

Walleyes have excellent growth rates and 30-inch fish are present. In fall, they put on the feedbag and once you locate them, the action is fast. Minnows and crankbaits are the most popular walleye baits. In fall, most walleyes relate to deeper channels, but some feed on the rockpiles. Look for submerged wood at the edge of river channels to be fall hotspots.

The best muskie action occurs on the north end of the lake near Big Island. Many local anglers like to cast orange and chartreuse bucktails and bright-colored crankbaits around timber and in the creek channels. There is potential for a trophy muskie. For crappies, drift in 8 to 10 feet of water with a small minnow under a slip-bobber. Beside crappies, Lake Dubay also has a good bluegill and perch population that gets little fishing pressure in the fall.

The Wisconsin River north and south of Lake Dubay also offers quality fall fishing. Anglers can expect a mixed bag consisting of smallmouths, walleyes and muskies. For more information, contact the Wausau Chamber of Commerce at (715) 845-6231 or www.wausauchamber.com.