Fall Presentations

[zepman]

About this time every year I switch to chasing walleyes again. Water temps dropping, fish becomming predictable, and not many people on the lake. I have enjoyed bass fishing so much this year that I want to continue up until ice-up this year. My question is simple: what are some of your favorite ways to catch bass in the Fall. Do bass migrate from deep to shallow or visa versa? It would be great to get some opinions and advice on how everyone targets and approaches this time of year. Thank you.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Zep, you pretty much nailed it.. much like the spring, there is a migration to shallow water. Do your best to find either rock/wood/green weeds and you should do fine. Most lures should still catch fish.. as the bass put the feed bags on, larger lures can be very popular!

Good luck!

[RK]

Hiya -

Right now is one of my absolute favorite times of year to bass fish...

Like Dietz said, a lot of the shallow weeds die off this time of year - mostly the 'junk' weeds I can't positively identify but positively hate because it's hard to fish through. You get left with some green cabbage here and the re, and often a lot of coontail clumps both up on flats and on the edges.

Pre-turnover can be a great shallow bite. It's probably the best buzzbait bite of the year for big fish. Especially as the water clears up, fish will come up a long ways to smack a buzzbait so it's not just a 2-3 feet of water deal. Crankbaits like Rattle Traps can also be super this time of year. Count them down so they're just ticking the weed tops and hang on. They're great because you can cast them a mile and cover water. Big flashy spinnerbaits over the flats can be good too.

If the fish aren't up shallow - if a front has pushed them off - I start looking on deep weedlines, especially inside turns, with either cranks or jigs. Jig and pig can be good, and the same jig with a big redtail can be even better. Creature jigs like Brush Hawgs on a football jig or Carolina rig seem to work pretty well.

Bass bite has been very good on my home lake this summer, so I'm pretty jazzed for fall. Don't know why but I love the way big bass seem to fight in slow motion in cold water...it's cool.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Bobby Bass]

This time of year I like to toss a buzz bait and make long cast over the weed flats and just keep the bait up on top. There is always a devil horse ready to be tossed at missed hits. Also like to go to bigger spinner baits and just slow roll them across the tops of the weeds. Don't overlook docks this time of the year as what few ones that are still out can be magnets for big fish. I hit the corners with a spinner bait then move in and skip worms to the back corners. Water is starting to cool down and this week when I have been out the fish have been hitting hard, no mistake they are getting aggressive again and heavy. Even the Northers are appearing. Look to shallow flats out of the wind and in the sun. They are back there basking. Nothing like watching that Vee wave coming at your lure. Of course if you don't go fishing you can't experience this fun time of the year. Like spring search out warmer water and look for green..

[zepman]

Thanks guys-that's some great info.

[bucketmouth64]

I've done real good using cranks. I like to use the larger ones that have some kind of metallic shine like copper, chrome on sunny days. If the water is clear find any weed beds in the shallows and just run the cranks thru the weeds and around them. I've caught fish in less than 5 feet of water to 10 feet. Flipping any docks works great too. Just be careful on approach since the water is clearer. There can be several bass under docks and boat lifts.

[Flaco651]

A lot of things are working now. I was out this past saturday on Prior lake and was out tonight on a 12 acre pond in Dakota county. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, plastics, topwaters everthing seems to be catching fish. Crankbaits did well on Saturday morning on Prior in 8-12 feet of water.One fish came on plastics and one on a spinnerbait also. It was cold and windy but we managed a dozen on cranks. Today on the pond they were taking plastics when we first got on the water, and before sunset topwaters and spinnerbaits did well. On the pond we were catching them shallow and deep(2-10ft), but max depth is only 12ft out there... Man it's fun seeing the agressive explosion on the topwaters.

[Wiskers]

See Deitz, I can catch Bass too..

I have been switching to floating jigs tipped with a leach and a split shot up about a foot. Just before the jig I put on about 3 small beeds then a walleye blade. Has been working great as you can see.

[rippinlips]

Hey what city is that pond in I think I know which one your talking about it's a blast out there.

[Deitz Dittrich]

nice Rusty.. that looks like fun...I dont think thats a pond.. I think that is a river.. and if I had to guess its close to home for him up in Crookston!

[Ole the Guide]

Hey Wiskers,

You look pretty excited in those photos catchin' them Bass! Great job!

Ole

[Wiskers]

Awwwwww they are only Bass.. Kinda like catching suckers, just put something in the water and you can catch them.. LOL LOL.. JKidding. Well at least that is how it was that day.. I could sight fish them in schools of many... Red Lake River but not by Crookston..