For sheer numbers of fish, autumn is the time to be on the water. Just as we know what time our favorite greasy spoon stops serving breakfast, our finned adversaries know forage will become scarce with the coming of winter.
Creeks, rivers, lakes, sounds, bays and beachfronts will be littered with migrating baitfish, creating that huge last-chance buffet. The days become shorter, the water cools, and the Fall Classic begins.
Just as big league ball clubs scramble for a veteran fireballer or slugger to get them to that final game, anglers arm their livewells and tackle boxes with a variety of baits to have that “epic day.” While conditions often set up well, they can also throw us that big breaking ball. Now is not the time to throw in the towel. There are a few things that go a long way toward getting on that great fall bite.
For live baiters and lure fisherman alike, there may not be a more important time to match the hatch. While shiners or shrimp may be what usually gets the job done, fish now are keying on specific forage. When a certain species of bait becomes thick in the fall, fish become selective. Downsizing or upsizing your offering at different depths and water clarity will be necessary. While lure fishermen may have more of a selection in size and color, those using live or cut baits do have choices. Using adjustable floats or altering trolling depths can be the key for live baiters in the fall.
One of the main obstacles or advantages during the fall can be water color and depth. Forage fish are in survival mode, and will vary their highways across the water column. Baitfish will use stained water and structure to avoid predators. Throw in moving water, rain runoff, lake levels, tide and wind, finding these hard-feeding fish can become a task.
When the Fall Classic arrives, my starting rotation consists of three common artificial baits in various sizes. I rely on topwater plugs, jigs and lipped divers, especially the suspending models. For topwater baits, I like a Rapala Skitterwalk. I’ll also use the Storm Chug Bug. More often than not, the topwater is my search bait. Once I catch a fish, I’ll use my other baits to work them over.
The choice on jigs can be fairly crazy, but I generally like those made with black nickel. I go as light as I can stand. A jig allows me to work the bottom in all depths and use a soft-plastic of almost any size. Depending on the forage, I may use as small as a 2-inch grub up to a 6-inch swimbait. A 5-inch soft-plastic jerkbait, like a Zoom Fluke, can be deadly all over the country when pegged to a ¼-ounce jig head. Finally, I rely heavily on the Suspending Pro Long A from Bomber. I typically give the jerkbait a couple of sharp twitches and pause, varying the length of the pause until I get bit.
With these three baits, I can work just about any structure at any depth. While it seems like a lot of info to process, usually it’s just a few tweaks on depth and bait size that will get the fish to eat. Once you dial them in, the fall truly can be Classic!
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