Get Outside

by Tim Moore
Contributing Writer

Autumn is a big deal in New England. November is the point at which most New Englanders begin thinking about winter. Cold nights turn into warm days, shorts and t-shirts have turned into pants and sweatshirts, and the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees. It is impossible to ignore fall in New England. It is one of my favorite times of the year. The sights and smells of a crisp New England day are unmatched anywhere else in the world…in my humble opinion.
The New England fall foliage is enough to stop most normal folks in their tracks. The sheer beauty of an evening sunset above a horizon of reds and yellows is absolutely breathtaking. It turns even the locals into tourists and creates revenue that the New England states have come to rely on. Sporting goods stores and area lodges are buzzing with excitement over hunting season, good fishing weather, the abundant hiking and walking opportunities, and the sight-seeing that fall provides. It’s a great time to be outside no matter what you are doing.
In New Hampshire, November marks the beginning of deer season. There is a definite change in the woodland air. The flora has passed its peak color change and you can hear the few remaining acorns falling throughout the forests. There is also an obvious buzz in the woods right now created by critters busily looking to fatten up and store food for the coming winter.
Next to ice fishing season, fall is my favorite time of the year to be on the water because cooler water temps means fish such as pike and walleye begin moving back into shallower water, making them more accessible by kayak or from shore, and crappie are schooled up over basins in large numbers. The weather is cooler, the bugs aren’t too bad, and many anglers who also hunt have quit fishing for the season and turned their attention to hunting season so there isn’t as much fishing pressure. This is heaven in my book.
If all that isn’t enough, all you have to do is look around and the little effort that it took to get where you are will pale in comparison to the beauty. The scenery in New England is second to none. Anyone who has experienced the mirrored reflection of fall foliage, broken by a rising fish on the end of their line, will agree that this can be an almost spiritual experience and one not to be missed. In fact, I’m probably in the woods or on the water as you read this.

Tim Moore is a full time professional fishing guide in New Hampshire. He owns and operates Tim Moore Outdoors, LLC. He is a member of the New England Outdoors Writers Association and the producer of Tim Moore Outdoors TV. Visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com for more information.