Fishing report

With the arrival of Labor Day, my fishing enthusiasm starts building again. Some of the best fishing of the year will occur in the next two months and I hope to take advantage of it.
And if we have a warm season, I might still be fishing Thanksgiving weekend. Last year, I was fishing in shirtleeves on Nov. 21 and I can remember another fall when I was catching bass on crankbaits at Dillon the weekend before Thanksgiving.
I have known people who hang their rods up when September arrives because hunting seasons start, but, not being a hunter, I have never understood why. Why not do both?
Anyway, it means less fishing pressure on the water and, best of all, less pleasure boat and waterskiing traffic.
I've been out twice so far this month. Gary Frazier and I hit the Muskingum River above Zanesville the afternoon of Sept. 1 and had a decent trip. The river was low and there was no surface activity, but we managed t boat 13 bass, a mix of smallmouth, spotted bass and largemouth.
The largest was a 15 1/2-inch smallmouth I caught on a black/blue flake senko-type bait. We also caught fish on crankbaits, jigs and craw worms.
If you want to have fun catching bass and you don't care if they're not trophy fish, I recommend the McConnelsville and Rokeby Lock pools. Fish for spotted bass with surface lures, small crankbaits and spinners, as well as worms and jigs, and you can have a lot of fun.
Especially watch for spots chasing baitfish around sandbars and throw a Pop-R or Baby Chug Bug to the action.
On Labor Day (Sept. 6), my daughter, Lindsey, and I headed to Delaware Lake, where I have a tournament this Sunday. The lake was a little low, but not enough to be a problem, but the water color was odd. Although not bad in the lower lake or in te river, it was murky at mid-lake.
But that wasn't a problem. What was a problem was the strong south wind blowing constantly out of the south. It was a pain to work against it and it moved you too fast to work with it.
Also, the schools of shad you normally see on the surface this time of year were not in evidence. (They were there, just not on the surface or being chased by bass.)
We only caught one bass each, but I have a good idea what I'm going to do Sunday. I just hope the weather cooperates.
We did spot some osprey and an eagle, so it was still a good day on the water.