By Scott Norton
Falling temperatures means changing patterns. Bass will be scattered from shallow to deep so covering water is essential. Good news is you can power fish to locate active feeding bass. Baits on deck of your boat should be crank-baits, topwater baits, spinner baits, jigs, worms, and finesse baits.
You will be able to change gears based on the mood of bass with a good line up. If you have front facing sonar you will be able to fish more efficiently by judging how they react to your presentation. Being able to see activities underwater can help paint a picture of what type of pattern to use as well. Technology has allowed us to use what we already know to cut down on time to get down to business.
Now is a great time to be fishing just knowing that bass are in the mood to feed up for winter time. As winter approaches you find that bass are at their heaviest in the beginning of winter. This can be a great time of year for those trophy hunters. Smaller bass will eventuality start to hibernate with cold temperatures while large bass will still have to feed to maintain their own mass. You will always find a trade off with the changing of seasons but you will always have something for all types of anglers.
Today, with the explosion of streaming platforms, information is free at will. Learning secrets of many different anglers comes easy to the ones that seek it. Fishing in general has gained so much with technology and competition of bait companies that make it is fun to just try new things. We can go back to where it all started and use original baits from the past that are tried and true to reintroduce something bass has not seen in a long time.
This sport brings friends and family together, whereas the fast pace of life separates us. Nature provides that fulfillment we seek with God and his creation. So get out there and make new memories.
Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler and weekend warrior.