Will Poston for SPLIT REED
Some things just feel right: fishing in the summer and hunting in the fall, for example. But for us at Split Reed, hunting and those early morning fall flights are always on our minds. So, what can you do now for a better hunting season, you may ask? Obviously, go out and try to secure new properties and maintain your blinds and boats. But one of the best ways to learn as an outdoorsman is just being outside and taking it in. You may be surprised to realize all the little tidbits of information that you pick up from being outside. Much of that information can be directly applied to hunting season and, when applied correctly, can lead to more full straps and birds on the deck. So, here are four reasons to go fishing now for better hunting this fall.
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Finding New Spots: One of the most obvious benefits of treating that fishing trip as a scouting mission is finding new spots. Whether it’s a backwater cove where largemouth bass are hitting topwater that would hold birds on an East wind or river sandbar that would make for an action-packed cold-front hunt, fishing can help you find these spots. This summer, it may be prudent to check out some new water. Who knows, you may hook into that ten-pound Largemouth or find your new honey hole.
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Locating Duck Food: This one is a no-brainer but deserves some attention. If you’re fishing and see a big oak tree that looks to have a big acorn crop in the works or low-water area that will give puddlers tons of vegetation and seeds, remember those spots because they will almost surely hold birds come Fall. And if you can find an area with high-quality food sources AND good cover, then you’re really in business. So keep an eye out for oak trees, seedy vegetation, seagrasses, and invertebrates as you’re fishing.
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Resident Birds: A lot of times when you’re fishing in the spring and summer, you encounter a lot of waterfowl. Most of the time it’s the young of the year broods and pairs. Most hunters will look this off with, “they’ll migrate out, come opening day.” But if you live in a state that has an early resident goose season, then this intel on where the birds have been frequenting or roost can lead to unbelievable action. The same goes for ducks. Some ducks are resident, and even if there is no resident duck season, patterning them now can most definitely lead to more mallards belly up this fall.
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Do you really need a fourth excuse to get off your couch and get outside this summer? I thought so. If you’re like me your hobbies–or in reality, obsessions–change with the seasons. So, you don’t really need too much pushing to get out and fish, but why not pay a little more attention to improve your upcoming hunting season! This summer, get out on the water–heck have a couple of cold ones–you’ll reap the rewards this fall, and I know everyone can use a COVID distraction these days.
