Autumn is a time of power-eating for largemouth and smallmouth bass, as they pack on as much weight as possible in preparation for the coming winter. It’s also a beautiful time to be on the water. The trees are in full color and pleasure boat traffic is minimal. Add to that the fact that bass ought to be pretty cooperative and you’d better get out there before the snow flies.
Five lures cover the bases for fall fishing. Starting off the day with these five, a big topwater, a shallow running crankbait, a big deep running crankbait, a spinnerbait and a jig, anglers can rest assured they hit every level of the water column to locate fish and identify a productive pattern. Here’s a quick guide on each of the lures and somewhat of a “script” for a good day on the water.
Big Topwater
Everything is bigger in the fall and your lure-choice should reflect that. A big topwater like a Heddon Spook, Rebel Super Pop-R or a Cordell Boy Howdy if you’re fishing schooling bass, make a ruckus and provide a big meal for fall bass. For searching, start off the early morning by working the Spook quickly and covering water. Depending on your conditions and situations, a switch to a larger sized popper or chugger may be called for, especially if you get a few strikes while the Spook is motionless. A prop bait like the Boy Howdy is great for throwing into the fray of a school of bass tearing up baitfish.
Also see: YUM Money Hound. This new soft plastic cigar-shaped topwater can be Texas rigged and thrown into thick cover and weeds.
Shallow-Running Crankbait
Fall is a great time to fish a shallow running crankbait like Bomber’s Balsa Model B, Cordell Big O or the XCalibur Wake Bait. Shallow runners are best fished in relatively shallow water and woody cover, as well as shallow rocky humps with current flowing over them. Experiment with the retrieve speed to find what the bass are looking for on that day. Look for shallow-crankbait largemouth bass in creek arms as the fall wears on, and smallies just about anywhere from the main lake to secondary points in creek arms.
Also see: XCalibur Twitch Bait and Jerk Bait, Smithwick Rogue, Bomber Long A. These shallow-running jerkbaits aren’t just for springtime. Retrieve with a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve.
Big Deep Running Crankbait
Say you’ve worked the top and maybe had some success early, but the surface fish have turned off. A big, deep running crankbait such as the BomberFat Free Shad BD7 gives the angler so much versatility that it has to be tried in various areas. The Fat Free Shad BD7 dives to 18 feet and should be worked across points and wood cover. Ledges, bars, shell beds, and any other similar structure also are prime areas for the big deep runner. Try baitfish and crawfish color patterns. Retrieve should be varied until you hit the right one, from cranking fast to slowly dredging. Pause when you encounter cover to mimic a stunned baitfish.
Also see: Cordell Super Spot or XCalibur XR or XRK One Knocker Rattle Baits. Let them get down to the bottom and retrieve with a lift-drop motion. This is especially effective during the shad kill after an extreme cold front.
Spinnerbait
Sometimes bass just want the blade. Several techniques are involved when talking about fall fishing with spinnerbaits – burning for smallmouth bass and “thumpin’” for largemouth. In fall, reeling a chartreuse spinnerbait as fast as you can is a great tactic for smallmouth bass. Willow blades allow the bait to move faster, and try one with a little color on it like the Booyah Glow Blade. For largemouth, a big spinnerbait in any combination of blade styles can be the go-to. Retrieves can be quick and shallow or deeper when fishing cover. White or a combination of white and chartreuse are good color options.
Also see: Booyah Boogie Bait. Combining the big-fish attracting profile of a jig with the flash of a spinnerbait, the Boogie Bait can be the right bait when bass won’t take the spinnerbait. Try a YUM Money Minnow trailer and work it at a constant, medium speed.
Jig
Some say there are two kinds of fishermen, jig fishermen and the rest of us. Many anglers always have a jig tied on, and they should, because the jig-and-trailer has probably caught more big bass than any other lure. Again, think big and go with at least a ½-ounce jig or heavier in traditional black/blue or a crawfish hue. A jig with a pointed head, such as the Booyah A-Jig comes through remnant weeds well, and the football-shaped heads like on the Pigskin Jig are intended for fishing rocky bottoms because they snag less in the cracks and crevices. Try a crawfish-type trailer like the YUM Money Craw or Craw Papi for added water displacement and action, and experiment with colors. Some anglers match the color of the jig (black/blue jig with a black/blue trailer) and others think that contrasting colors help the bass see the lure better. These anglers are using brown and orange trailers with black jigs or a watermelon/red flake trailer on a craw-colored jig.
Also see: Booyah Jig Head with a YUM Gonzo Grub trailer. The Gonzo Grub features a necklace of tentacles around the head and a twin curl tail and can be great when bass won’t take the bigger offerings.