Fall Bass Fishing Tips

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Copyright 2009 Jim Hickey http://bassfishingtips-tactics.com


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A Bass Fishing Tips & Tactics Publication

Bass Fishing Tips & Tactics Goal:

Provide useful and actionable educational material to thosewishing to enhance their knowledge and improve their fishing

skills

Fall Bass Fishing Secrets Revealed!

Jim HickeyBass Fishing Tips & Tactics

Maryville, Missouri

http://bassfishingtips-tactics.com

Copyright - Jim Hickey 2009All rights reserved.



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This report has been written to provide information that will help you learn some

alternative Fall bass fishing strategies. Every effort has been made to make thisreport as useful and accurate as possible however there may be mistakes in textor content.

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Fall Bass Fishing Tips & Tactics

If youre like me,

strong feelings with

mixed emotions start

to creep in when you

first notice the earlier

sunsets and cooler

temperatures as

Summer gives way to

Fall. Just as the

bright colors of

autumn leaves yield to the dull hues of decay, so vacillates my spirit as

I witness Fall bass fishing flow then ebb as Winter approaches.

Amongst all the turmoil of the seasons transitions, one fact rings loud

and clear

Fall bass fishing provides the best opportunity for hopeful anglers to

catch not only large numbers of bass but also the opportunity to hook

that trophy fish of a lifetime we all dream about.

Setting the Stage the Summer to Fall Transition Period

Anyone used to fishing ponds, lakes or reservoirs with fairly deep water

should realize many summertime bass reside in main lake areas.

While residing in main lake areas, summertime bass typically relate to

main lake points, offshore bars, submerged structure, deep weed beds

and creek channels.



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The reasons bass prefer these summertime locations are simple; the

deeper water areas offer a combination of cooler temperatures (hence

relief from summertime heat) and presence of forage since many

baitfish such as shad or herring.

Just as bass prefer areas with cooler temperatures and plentiful food,

baitfish also live out in the main lake for similar reasons. As

environmental conditions change, the Summer to Fall transition kicks

off and usually occurs between mid-September through mid-October

depending on your latitude.

When the calendar passes autumns equinox, a combination of

shortened days and cooler air masses work to lower water

temperatures throughout the aquatic system. As temperatures fall,

signals are sent out to the fish causing both bass and baitfish to slowly

start the migration from their summertime, deepwater haunts into

shallower creek arms and bays.

Though many bass start

their movement toward the

backwater areas, changing

weather patterns can

quickly alter water

conditions and force the

fish back towards deeper

water. In turn, bass are

often very transient, scattered and difficult to pattern during the switch

from summertime to fall habits and patterns. Accordingly, fishing

during this transition time can be slow but persistence often yields

decent fishing and great insight into the beginning of the true Fall

migration.



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Fortunately the summer to fall transition is relatively short (a few

weeks at most) ultimately leading the way to multiple weeks of

absolutely great fishing as the bass prepare for the winter slow-down

and period of near dormancy.

Special Fall Bass Fishing Tip/Tactic - 1:

Actually this is a Late Summer to Early Fall bass fishing secretI employ in ponds and reservoirs with populations of schoolingbaitfish like shad (South & Western US) or herring (EasternUS). As the Summer starts to wind-down, schooling baitfishstart to congregate in the main lake area and bass often do aswell. The reason simply to take advantage of ambushsituations where they can corral baitfish quickly and grab afast meal (a healthier version of McDs I guess!).

I have had some great days on western reservoirs catchingunsuspecting bass as they thrashed at shad on the surface.Some of the more memorable days, however, were catchingbass herding herring on a number of fertile, vegetated lakes ofthe East. The diagram below depicts a common situationwhere this situation often occurs.



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As the baitfish schools cruise the water searching outplankton, they would frequently encounter blooms in watersaround and over submerged weedbeds like coontail andpondweed.Though the weedbeds may appear dense and impenetrable, a

fairly open system exists within the internal structure creatingperfect hiding places for bass to wait in ambush. When theschool of herring swims around and over the weedbeds, thebass then start to herd the baitfish against the surface. Takethe time to position yourself in the area of the weedbeds andhave rods rigged with jig & worms, tubes, lipless/shallowrunning crankbaits and small Spinnerbaits and the action canbe fast and furious in spurts of a few minutes at a time.

The Fall Trilogy Early Fall, Mid-Fall, and Late Fall Periods

The Early Fall Baitfish Factor

During the summer, baitfish such as shad and herring reside in

deepwater, main lake areas just as many bass do. Once the water

temperatures start to slowly decrease, baitfish start to migrate to the

shallower bays and flats in the lower portions of creek arms in search

of forage (plankton) as they prepare for the coming winter period just

like the bass.

It should be of little surprise that the bass will be hot on their tails as

the bass also start to strap on the proverbial feed-bag to prepare for

the winter doldrums.

Both the baitfish and bass tend to remain sections of major creek arms

and bays closest to the main lake during this Early Fall period. As a

result, bass are somewhat scattered and are sometimes hard to

pinpoint while in a pseudo-transition state. Structures and weed beds

located near the entrance to creek arms and bays as well as deep

weed-laden flats are typical haunts used by Early Fall bass and baitfish.



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If aquatic weeds comprise a significant structure fish relate to in the

lakes, rivers or reservoirs you fish carefully monitor the pattern of

dying vegetation. Remembering to key in on deeper, more vibrant

weed beds and weed-lines as shallow vegetation dies off can often

provide excellent dividends in both the quantity and quality of the bass

caught in vegetated waters

Even though bass are still transient in nature and are typically

scattered during the Early Fall period, they are already starting to feed

heavily and can be readily caught when located. A definite plus for the

Early Fall bass fishermen

Fishing Tactics for Early Fall

Since bass are scattered and roaming in Early Fall, a prime objective is

to target fish associated with shallow structures. These shallow bass

are actively feeding therefore it is usually easy to take advantage of

their aggressive behavior and experience some truly exceptional days

on the water.

Lure selection should focus on baits that can cover water and structure

as quickly as possible since the goal is to pick off any aggressively

feeding bass in the area.

Fish are typically keyed on larger forage to prepare for the slower

conditions during the winter season. Not only do you want to select

lures that can cover water quickly but you also want to use larger

profile artificial baits.

Primary candidates for Early Fall artificial lure selections include:

Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits with big blades,



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Larger shallow and deep running crankbaits in baitfish patterns,

Jump-baits and large topwaters,

Lipless crankbaits and

Light colored swimming jigs.

Theses lures can all be productive when presented to early fall bass

under the right conditions.

After refining your lure selection there are a couple of key points to

remember about Early Fall bass location. First, Early fall bass are often

on the move and scattered so isolated structures are often more

productive during this time than areas where structure is more densely

packed. Additionally, remember to note the condition of aquatic

vegetation you are planning to fish and shift to deeper weed beds as

shallower vegetation shows signs of stress.

Also since the fish are targeting schools of baitfish, Early Fall bass will

often suspend in the upper parts of submerged structure (tops of weed

beds, bushes or suspended over rock piles. It is important to keep

your lure presentations higher in the water column since the bass are

usually NOT relating to bottom structures.

Early to Early-Mid Fall Bass & Weather

During most of the Early Fall and into the Mid Fall period, both windy

and rainy weather can play a key role in increasing bass feeding

activity. The effect of both conditions on surface results in lower levels

of light penetration, adding increased levels of dissolved oxygen (DO)

and slightly cooling temperatures. Even though these same conditions

tend to shut-down bass fishing in the Late Fall, all three factors can

significantly enhance bass feeding activity during these times.



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Note - the timing of these facts and tactics will vary depending on your

local climate and may not even apply to the far southern portions of

Florida since it never really gets cold there!


Heres a little Early to Mid Fall bass fishing secret I firstdiscovered while fishing reservoirs in the Western U.S. thensubsequently verified on several natural pond systems in theNortheast. Most of us cringe when we hear the weatherperson on the evening news start talking of impending coldfronts and the brisk, windy weather that follows. I know I diduntil I encountered a situation where bass were herdingbaitfish (shad out west and herring in the east) in the rolling

surf of wind-swept shores.

Normally the post-front winds blow from the northwesttherefore the area where this condition exists is typically onthe southeast side of the lake. When conditions are right, thebass are in an absolute feeding frenzy and I have personallycaught numerous largemouth and smallmouth in excess of 16inches with the largest being 23 and 21.5 inches, respectively.The fishing can be absolutely insane with lures such as jigsand lipless crankbaits leading the way!

The Heart of the Matter The Mid-Fall Period

When they refer to fall bass fishing the Mid-Fall period is the one they

are talking about. By this time, water temperatures have fallen to the

low sixties/upper fifties and the bass have really strapped on the old



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feed bags. The techniques will be similar in nature to the early fall

period but the location of your quest shifts further into the back of

creek arms and bays.

The reason for this is the fact that the bass are following the schools of

baitfish which are searching out their primary forage plankton.

Plankton tend to thrive in the upper end of creek arms and backs of

bays since those areas are usually receiving more concentrated levels

of nutrients they feed on. One indication of a rich phytoplankton

population is the presence of a greenish coloration to the water (the

phytoplankton are green due to the presence of chlorophyll for

photosynthesis).

As the creeks discharge water into the creek arms, the water is often

laden with the requisite nutrients derived from fertilizer runoff thereby

feeding the phytoplankton which in turn feeds the baitfish with the

bass hot on their proverbial tails!

Which creek arms might be best?

Simply the creeks with an active in-flow of water since the influx

carries both the nutrients required to feed the plankton and it provides

a constant source of dissolved oxygen helping offset the oxygen

depleting effect of dying plankton and other vegetation.

Mid-Fall Fishing Techniques

Lure selection and presentation methods are similar to early fall but

the location has shifted to the back of creeks. Once the bait and bass

move into the upper portions of the creek arms and backs of bays, you

still want to focus your lure presentations on isolated structures



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scattered across the flats, especially those near some sort of break-

line.



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An even better situation occurs

when you locate scattered

structures in creek arms with

well-defined creek channels and

migration pathways between the

structures and the creek channel.

The more well developed creek

arms contain both the channel (a

major break-line) and adjacent flats. The best flats are usually those

with scattered structures opposed to those with extensive structural

elements.

Narrow creek arms tend to have limited flats adjacent to the channel.

In this situation, bass often use the confined area of the narrow creek

environment to corral the baitfish into tight pods thereby making them

easier prey. When this condition exists, it is very common to see bass

busting schools of baitfish in these confined settings.


When you encounter bass busting schools of baitfish on topthrow a variety of lures (jigs, tubes, topwaters, crankbaits)into the action and strikes are often fast and furious. Manytimes the bass working the surface are the smaller (12 14);nice but bigger fish would be a nice addition. The larger fishare often sitting below the surface feeding activity waiting toslurp-up any stunned or injured bait falling beneath themain school. Though it can be difficult to get a bait throughthe smaller bass feeding on top, switching to heavier lures andtargeting the edge of the surface activity will often get thebaits to the deeper (and larger) opportunistic fish!

Lure selection during the mid fall period should be the same as in Early

Fall. Larger profile baits that can be worked quickly around shallow,

isolated structures are often best.



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Prime examples include:

Spinnerbaits with large blades in baitfish patterns;

Buzzbaits in baitfish or bright patterns (my personal favorite);

Thick bodied, weightless worm or stickbait as a follow-up to

misses on buzzbaits;

Lipless crankbaits in baitfish patterns;

Shallow, square-billed crankbaits; &

Large-profile, light-colored swim jigs.

When starting your search in the creek arms for bass in the Mid Fallperiod, one approach to maximize your time on the water is to motor

up into the backs of the creek arms and then slowly work your way out

toward the mouth. Once youve located the main concentration of

migrating bass and baitfish, you can then focus your efforts in that part

of the creek to optimize your results.

One other thing to keep in mind, during this period, though the bass

still relate to isolated structure (i.e., scattered tree pods over the flat

rather than flats covered with standing trees), the fish tend to be more

concentrated on the structure theyre relating too. After locating the

section of the creek holding the greatest numbers of fish, keep working

each structure since multiple fish are likely holding on or near it.

As the mid fall period starts to wind down and make the transition into

the Late Fall, the appeal of the larger, faster moving baits wanes. This

means it is time to re-define both your approach and tactics when

seeking Late Fall bass.



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The Beginning of the End The Late Fall Period

When the late fall period starts, the migration patterns of the early and

mid fall periods are reversed as both baitfish and bass move back out

from the creek arms and bays into the main lake area.

Bass will still be actively feeding; they are more prone to be feeding

later in the day when surface water temperatures are warmest. This

response is related to the actions of the baitfish whose activity is

closely tied to the activity of phytoplankton in the open water

environment.

During the latter mid to late parts of the day when the Sun is highest,

phytoplankton activity increases in the upper portion of the water

column drawing the baitfish up as well.

The concentration of baitfish near the surface again creates a situation

the bass can capitalize on since the water surface becomes a barrier

the bass can use to corral the baitfish making feeding more effective.

During the late fall, it is quite common to see pods of baitfish suddenly

busting on the surface in the main lake area as the bass are basically

herding them against the surface.

Tactics to catch schooling bass include the use of

topwaters and stickbaits as long as the water

temperature is over 50o F, lipless crankbaits, or

weighted jigs and grubs.

Once the surface schooling action dies and bass

drop back to deep creek channels or weed beds,



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the best approach for late fall bass turns to slow, subtle presentation

techniques involving hair jigs and spoons.

When fishing hair jigs, adding small profile pork trailers and using a

slow, steady and very subtle retrieve is a key factor when effectively

presenting these baits. Another approach can be to use a spoon and a

slow vertical jigging presentation around deep structure.

The late fall period is often the slowest and most tedious part of the fall

season though bass are usually tightly schooled and some days can be

truly exceptional. This is especially true when you come across those

concentrations of larger bass. Even though their cold-blooded

metabolisms are extremely sluggish, well executed, slow presentations

of lures such as hair jigs and pork eel combinations can yield excellent

results.

Late Fall Bass & Weather

Unlike the attraction of bass to foul weather conditions in the Early to

Mid Fall periods (when water temperatures are still above the mid

fifties), Late Fall bass are generally turned off during the same

conditions. Optimum weather for enhancing Late Fall bass activity is

associated with calm winds and afternoon sunshine which warms

surface waters often triggering baitfish activity and bass activity is

close behind



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Added Bonus Figure: Lower half of a Midwestern reservoir with indications of

bass and baitfish locations for each of the Fall seasons discussed in this

special report


Fall Bass Fishing Tips

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