Okay, since I live in Vermont where it gets cold and by mid-late November we could see ponds skimming over with ice already I guess I'm more after the advice/opinions of other anglers in the same type of situation. What techniques do you use? I'm thinking maybe a black/white Chatterbait with trailer to try and wake them up, maybe after that go with a black/white spinner bait with trailer to bounce off the bottom and than maybe go to a suspending jerk bait or shallow crank bait and finally a top water if the fish are properly woken up. Does this sound even remotely like a valid sequence of techniques? Would you shift things around and if so examples please?

Same as spring, just a bit bigger.  Jerkbait, Spybait, Swimbait, Jig, Chatterbait, Spinnerbait.  For "ME" now is the time to really toss swimbaits.  Big, slow, high protein/calories for minimal risk (on the bass' part).

I have a Savage Gear thru-line 6" Juvenile Trout just itching to be used...lol. I think I'll try the whopper ploppers too as well as all of the above...see how my luck is.

4.8 Keitechs and a Lucky Craft Pointer SP100 will load the boat...

 

I have the Keitechs...no LC Pointer yet

Its hard telling what they will be hitting  . I catch them deep when I think they should be shallow and vice versa . Just pick lures based on depth , cover ... just like the rest of the year . Actually I think lure choice is the easiest part . The difficult  part is finding bass .

Watch your water temps...slow down your presentations as it it gets colder.

I love chatterbaits in the fall but nothing beats a jig for me.