Cooler water temperatures increased fish activity on all our area lakes, rivers and Old Rivers.

Last weekend, several fishermen enjoyed two days of great bass fishing. The size was not that good but the numbers made it fun. It is all about water temperature this month.

For the first time since this past May, surface water temperatures has dropped below 80 degrees. This weekend the average water temperature by mid-day was 75 degrees. Water temperature plays an important role in determining how the fish will react on any giving day.

Fall is major transition period for game fish, second only to spring. In our area the absolute worse condition is hot water. We struggled all summer under a hot, relentless sun to catch very few fish.

I limited my fishing trips, for the most part, to an occasional bass tournament. There’s nothing fun about sitting out in a boat smelling your skin cook. That’s behind us now.

For the next eight months or so, the fishing will be much better. Cooler water temperatures pushed the baitfish toward shallow water. Where there is baitfish you will find the game fish.

Bass, sac-a-lait, bream, catfish and white bass as well as hybrid and sea run striped bass are starting to show up on the business end of lures and bait. For small bass you can beat the banks with shallow diving crank baits — like the Bandit 100 and 200 series.

Another local favorite lure helped me win a tournament last Saturday and place second in another event on Sunday. Old River Lure Company’s Mr. Hooty spinner bait is one those time tested lures that has not changed in the 35-plus years I have used this small compact fish catcher.

Over the past few years, the lure market was flooded with “new and improved” spinner baits and other lures that cost anywhere from $10 to $20 each. You can still buy Mr. Hooty spinner baits for $4 and I can assure you it will out fish the high dollar new lures and last longer.

The big deal with a Mr. Hooty is the small size and rubber skirt. Just about all spinner baits now come with silicon skirts. Sun shines through silicon and when fishing dingy or stained water the fish can’t see it as well. The old style rubber skirts are more visible as well as durable.

I used the same lure for four days now, and with exception of looking a bit chewed up, it still catches fish. The Bandit crank bait story is about the same. The only thing that has changed on this proven fish catcher is an improvement in hooks and new colors.

I still use the old school colors. I see no reason to change when something is working.