Hey BR! Hope all are doing well. 

I got out last night here in MN and got on a decent flipping bite. I was using a smaller tube craw to get those bites, but fall is known for those big girls putting the feed bags on and I couldn't seem to get anything to go over 2lbs.

 
I then pull out a bulkier profile bait that included a punch skirt & 3/4oz tungsten. Right away I got nice bite that ultimately got herself free before ending up in my boat. 

 

Long story short, does anyone have a strategy with bait size in the fall whether that is smaller or bigger baits? 

When it comes to fishing baitfish patterns like shad, I've always heard that the young of the year have had all year to grow, so bigger is better.

In my opinion, depends on what you are searching for! Quality .vs quantity. This time of year, I'm going to target larger fish, so I'm not worried about the number of bites, I want bigger fish so I'm throwing larger baits in areas I know bigger fish tend to be. Drop offs and transition areas with deeper water close by. I'm also looking at big, isolated trees that extend into creek channels. Nurse a big jig or full size brush hog as close to the main part of the tree and hang on! This technique can be risk reward based as the big fish will want to drag you down into the nastiness!!

I had some luck with throwing a large frog on top of floating leaves, and this was on a lake that had turned over.

The wind was oxygenating that part of the water and blowing downed tree leaves against that bank, as well.

The bass were HONGRY!

Josh

The prey bass fed on during the summer period were young of the year, those baitfish, crawdads etc have been growing all summer and so have the bass. Sometimes you need to look into the water and see what size the majority of prey is. It's not a match the hatch statement, it's using a size the bass are eating at the moment to put the odds in your favor.

Bass matabelism or how much food is needed is based on water temperature, warmer water they eat more often, the water cools they slow down. Big females are fattening up all their life span, big bass eat more than small bass and even eat small bass. Pre spawn following the winter cold water period, the water is warming and bass instincts urge them to eat more often to get ready to fast during the spawn.

The fall I tend to use larger size crankbaits, worms and use the same jigs or swimbaits year around.

Tom

In my neck of the woods, the fall is all about finding the BIG gizzard shad. Like the size of your hand.

When it comes to fishing baitfish patterns like shad, I've always heard that the young of the year have had all year to grow, so bigger is better.

This. Everything spawns early in the year and their fry have now had a full growing season to get bigger, so the average size prey item is getting larger every day. Not saying they won't eat small baits, but bigger does seem to be better in the fall, especially for the bigger fish. 

I fish big Jigs or surface baits, Frogs, Toads 70% of the time. I like Square Bills in the rocky area's for small mouth. It's rare I throw a T rigged 6" worm anymore, I don't like finesse fishing or drop shoting.

I like big bass in hard area's whether is spring summer or fall. I have zero interest in catching a 3 pounder or less.. I do well Rattle Traps and Spinner Baits too. 

As long as the water isn't super clear, I'll go with standard or larger profile presentations, but they don't seem to produce as well in the clearer water. I've found that downsizing seems to work better under those conditions. For Night fishing, of course,it shouldn't make a difference and bigger baits would be my choice then.

I had some luck with throwing a large frog on top of floating leaves, and this was on a lake that had turned over.

The wind was oxygenating that part of the water and blowing downed tree leaves against that bank, as well.

The bass were HONGRY!

Josh

Your lakes down there have turned over?

 

Ours here (NW WI) have not (surface temps in the mid 50s), a ways from turnover yet (39°).

Depends on the day and weather conditions, but generally in the fall you can get away with fishing larger shad imitation baits. The bait fish have had all year to grow, so they will be as big as they're going to get before possibly dying out over the winter. I'll fish bigger baits on my swim jigs, a-rigs, jerkbaits, etc. in the fall than the spring.