By Scott Norton
When I think about fall, I think about bass feeding on shad. This time of year, bass are trying to pack on as much weight before the winter. All the fish start schooling up and you will see lots of action as bass focus on shad. When fishermen are hunting this time of year you can take advantage of being the few that are out there. Fall also mirrors the action you see in the springtime as the need to feed is at its peak.
Typically, I like to use shad pattern baits. Baits, like A-rigs, swim baits, spoons, blade baits, lipless crank baits, jerk baits and spinner baits are a few rigs I always have on deck. You would also say that warm weather is for topwater baits but on the contrary now is the best time for it, especially walking lures. Deep crank baits are a great selection on rocks in the morning when the sun warms up those types of shorelines
The temperatures are falling but the days are getting shorter, so your time out is also limited. The cooler water temps make bass more active throughout the day so those mid-day shutdowns, like you experience in the summer, are over. You will also experience more aggressive bites than any season of the year. For some anglers it is their favorite time to catch new personal best records.
Bass have already moved from the main lake points to the creek channels looking of pockets and secondary points to ambush forage. If you stick to the key features, you will run across some impressive numbers of catches. The reason for the numbers is that these schools of bass get so fired up during a frenzy because of the competition between other bass. Right now, they are at their peak of aggression trying to winter up before it gets too cold. Do not be afraid to take a kayak out because all the feedings are going on all around the launch areas. All the recreational boaters are done for the season and even most bass fishermen are hunting right now so, fish to your hearts delight.
Keep your eyes on the shad and do what they do. Match your lures length to what they are keying in on. If you see schools of three-inch shad, use the same size lure, and use something that stands out from the rest of the shad like rattles and flash. Keep an eye on the clarity of water so you will know what color of lures to use. Mainly you will be using a natural color with a variation of ghost and opaque lures, due to the sunlight available.
It is so fun in the fall that some fishermen do not hunt, they cash in on the opportunities. Take people who are not advanced anglers so they can experience what we avid anglers experience all year. They may get to taste what it’s like to be experienced and end up being good fisherman like the rest of us are later.
Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler, and weekend warrior.