Septober Sessions: The Best Fall Fishing Adventures from Coast to Coast
From coast to coast, on rivers and lakes, inshore and offshore, September and October may be the best time of year to be on the water. Welcome to SEPTOBER—a 60-day stretch packed with some of the year's best fishing opportunities. From lake trout and walleye fishing to redfishing, steelhead fishing, and offshore tuna fishing, these are our Top 5 fall fishing adventures to put on your hit list.
#5) Lake Trout
A bit of a misnomer, lake trout aren't actually trout—they're members of the char family. These predatory salmonids prowl deep, cold-water lakes from Utah to the Arctic, but fall changes everything.
As fall spawners, lake trout—also known as Mackinaw—move shallow during SEPTOBER, creating some of the best lake trout fishing of the year. Soft plastics, crankbaits, and flies can all be effective when targeting shallow-water fish. Highly underrated as table fare, lake trout are delicious on the grill and are also considered invasive in many Lower 48 fisheries.
#4) Redfish
One of the premier light-tackle gamefish, redfishing combines elements of hunting and fishing. Prowling the flats in search of tailing reds is about as fun as it gets.
As long as the weather cooperates, the fish typically do too, and SEPTOBER brings some of the most favorable conditions of the year to the marsh. Mullet, shrimp, and menhaden migrate through inshore waters, drawing big bull reds into shallow bays and flats. For anglers looking for fall fishing opportunities, redfishing is hard to beat.
#3) Walleye
Once prized as a North Woods and Canadian delicacy, walleye are now accessible to anglers throughout the Northern Rockies and inland Pacific Northwest. This expanded range extends into latitudes south of their traditional waters, where longer growing and feeding seasons can produce trophy-class fish.
During SEPTOBER, walleye actively look to upsize their prey, making larger, jigs and flies effective ways to target trophy-sized fish. As water temperatures cool and fish feed aggressively ahead of winter, September and October can offer some of the best walleye fishing of the year.
#2) Stripers
As massive schools of baitfish migrate along the coast, hungry stripers move out of their deep summer haunts and into shallow bays, inlets, and surf zones. SEPTOBER creates highly active and accessible fishing conditions, often resulting in spectacular daytime surface-feeding blitzes close to shore.
For anglers looking to extend their fall fishing season into October, few experiences rival finding a school of feeding stripers within casting range.
#1) Tuna
On both coasts, fall can create a perfect storm for tuna fishing. Cooling water temperatures and massive concentrations of bait can trigger intense, aggressive feeding behavior and bring albacore, bluefin, and yellowfin within reach of anglers.
The combination of abundant food and declining autumn boat traffic can make SEPTOBER one of the best times of year for offshore fishing. Whether you're planning September fishing or October fishing adventures, tuna fishing offers the potential for exceptional catch rates and some of the year's largest fish.
OLI (Outside Looking In) # 1) Steelhead
Were it not for the fact that steelhead numbers continue to decline throughout much of the Pacific Northwest, this incredible fish would certainly be in our Top 5 fall fishing adventures. Fall has traditionally offered some of the best steelhead fishing of the year, particularly for anglers swinging flies on iconic Pacific Northwest rivers. Unfortunately, low returns have resulted in restrictions and closures on some renowned steelhead waters, including Oregon's Deschutes and North Umpqua rivers.
The future of these remarkable fish depends on healthy, abundant runs. Until then, we'll continue to pray for snow—and steelhead.
OLI #2) Brown Trout
Like char, brown trout are fall spawners. As water temperatures drop into their comfort zone, trout migrate from deep lakes or major rivers into shallow, gravel-bottom creeks and tributaries, making them highly concentrated and accessible. Driven by pre-winter hunger and intense spawning aggression, territorial male trout eagerly attack large streamers, lures, and egg patterns, offering anglers some of the most exciting action of the year. Be mindful of spawning beds and don't walk on or drop your anchor on redds.