Fall is a wonderful time to be on the Potholes. One of the difficulties is trying to figure out where to fish since so many places in the reservoir can be good and there are myriad opportunities.

Here's a brief rundown from my experience: The face of the dam is going to be good for just about everything until ice-up. Use small, deep-diving crankbaits for walleyes, rainbows, largemouth and smallmouth. The standard jig and bobber set-up, tipped with a bit of worm or a maggot is great for panfish.

The mouth of Frenchman's wasteway can be very good for just about everything as well. So will the mouth of Winchester and the area around Crab Creek. The perch used to gang up off Goose Island and back in the seeps area as well.

I would cruise around watching my depthfinder to locate big schools of panfish (and they should be established by the end of the month) and fishing in and near them.

This is the time of the year when most fish leave the dunes and creeks and head back for deeper water, and if you can find those schools, you'll catch all the fish you want.

Your trip makes me envious.

good luck,

Keith