[dropcap]F[/dropcap]all will bring cooler weather and this will make the shad start moving towards the creeks. They will also start to school up on flats. Bluegill will start to move in on the weed lines as well. As a fisherman you need to pay attention to these signs because the bass will be following their food source in as well.
Fall is a transitional time for bass. The water temperature cools because the days are getting shorter and nights are bringing in cooler air temps. The bass know that changes are coming.
Once the food sources start moving to the creeks, bass will soon be following and you should be too! Bass will start to feed up to bulk for the cold winter that will soon be following.
I like to use a variety of baits during the Fall to search for bass. For top water, I like to throw buzz baits. I always use a trailer hook made by Daiichi in the bleeding hook series. A trailer hook will help you catch those short striking bass. I usually use a slower retrieve in the cooler weather. I like to use Sufix Monofilament in the 17 to 20 lb. line size because you don’t hunt elephants with a BB gun! So go big and you won’t regret it.
A spinnerbait is a great bait to use during this time of the year because it will mimic shad. I like a ½ ounce model with the same Daiichi trailer hook. Use translucent colors for clear water and use white or chartreuse if your waters are stained. Don’t just reel it in, try stopping it and jerk it a few times as you are reeling the bait in. This mimics an injured bait and bass are always looking for easy prey.
Another imitation shad, is a lipless crankbait with rattles in it. Live Target makes a great life like lipless bait such as the Yearling RattleBait. I cast the bait out and quickly retrieve it trying to get a reaction strike or a yo-yo retrieve when the fish are a little deeper. I let the bait fall and then retrieve it up. This is also good when they are suspended. I use a 7:1:1 gear ratio. You want a reel that will bring your bait back to you fast. I use Sufix Monofilament line usually in the 14 lb. range. When I find the fish in areas that have primrose or any other form of weeds with hard stocks then I will spool up my RattleBait with Sufix 828 braid. The braid will allow you to fish through it and will allow you to rip the bait out of the stocks when you get stuck on them.
Another great bait to try is the Jerkbait. Jerkbaits are long and slender. I like to use the LiveTarget Yearling Jerkbait series. The BaitBall series simulates an elongated school of bait fish. It is ideal when bass are feeding on small bait fish. You can go to www.livetargetlures.com to check out their great line of baits. Just cast and retrieve with short twitch-like motions. I jerk it twice and let it sit and then jerk again and pause. A lot of the time the bass will be following it and when you pause and twitch they will smash it and about jerk your rod out of your hands!
If you will notice, I have discussed lures that will cover a lot of water while you are searching for bass. What is best to use when the fish don’t want to chase bait,? I will reach for a Jig made by Katch-Her Lures. You can go to their face book page to see their long line of the best jigs I have ever used! You can flip, pitch or skip their jigs to find that big fish that might be hiding in places that you just can’t get any other bait in. The jig is usually known as a big fish bait. I like black/blue or green/chartreuse to throw. I will also throw a Deep Creek Lures finesse worm hooked up with a Freedom Lures head. What I like about the Freedom Lures is that you snap on your own hook size that you want to be throwing. You are not stuck with using a smaller hook that might come on a shaky head. Black is my most favorite color to throw in a 5” or a 6.5” worm. What I like best about this combo is the Freedom Lure head allows the worm to move freely and combined with the Deep Creek worm that stands up makes for an awesome combination!
So remember October can be an awesome month to really catch fish. While others have put their boats up and have gone hunting, this can be a great time to be out on the water to enjoy a lake without the crowds.
See you on the water,
Hal Abshire
Tournament Fisherman
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