I've never had much success fishing smallmouth in rivers when the water temp starts to drop in the fall.     I typically fish 3" or 4" senko's (texas and wacky rigged), nose hooked soft plastic jerkbaits, traditional lures such as rapala's, spinners, small spoons, small spinnerbaits, etc).   Just seems like the bite in October just isn't there using these kinds of presentations.    

 

I'd love to hear just general thoughts on how more experienced fishermen change what they do when the water gets cold in the fall ... thanks guys 

In the fall when the water temp drops, they move to their wintering areas, typically slower, deeper pools. In some rivers where there are no dams to impede movement, smallmouth will migrate out of the river they’ve been in all summer and into the larger river or lake to winter there. If you don’t follow the migration, you’ll be fishing where there are no fish. If you follow them, they’ll take most of the same lures they bit on all summer.