By Allen Hamrick, Clay County Free Press
The meltdown of Summer 2025 is coming to a slow but sure end. The heat has melted and the sun drenched our get up and go. However, there is a subtle change happening in the air…it is getting cooler. The morning air is somewhat crisp, and coffee seems to taste better on the porch swing. Breezes are picking up and carry the promise that things will change soon, and our pace will quicken. All this is not just an indication that fall is on its way but an invitation to use the opportunity to get out and enjoy, to experience yet again the world beyond the air conditioner, to once again become a part of the outdoors.
The heat has been our anchor, forcing us to find a cool spot, and it made getting outside more like a chore instead of enjoyable. With a cool down on the horizon, opportunities are coming to trade melting pavement for a trail through the woods or swap the humidity for the chill of the morning air. All those trails you wanted to hit and those secret fishing holes that you may have avoided due to the heat will now be calling your name. The cool temperatures will invigorate your sense of adventure, for sure, and will make outdoor sports more of a joy as opposed to heat exhaustion. Soon, we get beyond the coolness of the indoors and see again what lies beyond the distant horizon. With fall now on the downside of the summer calendar, soon the rustling of dry leaves and the scent of the earth will fill the air, and all your senses will be ready for change.
Fall is the best time of the year to communicate with nature and become a part of it whether you fish, hike, camp, chop firewood or otherwise engage in a cooler air activity. Summer crowds will be thinning out on the lakes and waterways. The cooler air will allow for more time on the water, and an all-day fishing trip is not punishment. Fall is one of the best times for fishing – the crisp air cools the water temperatures, and many species of fish become more active and start an aggressive pattern of feeding. They must get the fat stored up for the winter months, so it is a win-win for an angler.
