By Scott Norton
Fall is one of those special seasons, much like the spawn. Bass will be gorging right now to feed up for those cold winter months. When those nights start getting cold, their instinct takes over and their metabolism ramps up. Bass will start to school and work together to corral forage so that feeding is efficient and effective. You will notice a change in pattern from week to week. Some lakes start sooner than others because of elevation and that is why fishing in the mountains is so special. You can choose to prolong a season or end it faster based off of your strategies in the elevation game.
Let us talk baits. This is the season where all baits will work. It is a perfect mirror of the spawn season. If you ever wanted to turn someone on to fishing the fall is the best time for that. There is no question if they are feeding the question is what bait do you want to catch them on. You can choose to use your favorite bait or you can try something new and work on your confidence. You can fish fast or slow it does not matter. Those bass are hitting anything that moves. I still love those topwater bites especially now. I also have a blade bait tied on as well. When shad gather real thick you will have to compete for the attention of those bass. Something with a blade is always going to stand out. Be sure to match the size of the shad in the water and that will also carry over to baits that do not mimic a shad.
When the fall pattern starts they will start hanging around what’s left of healthy grass and when that dies out they hang around hard cover. The deeper the season goes you will see them school up and start to work together to corral shad in the pockets. Some are in the backs of creeks where they are easy to trap. You will also encounter those blowups where your walking baits will work great.
If you are new to the sport you will need to prepare for the morning chill and the hot afternoons. Dressing in layers is a good way to stay comfortable. Not all people can own the best gear to wear but having a knowledge of the weather patterns will help you know how to plan out your day. You will want to stay as long as you can. I hope that helps, it’s time to fish.
Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler and weekend warrior.