I'm wondering what others use for horizontal and vertical presentations in the fall.  I have a couple that I always have tied on; A single Colorado blade short arm spinnerbait, a blade bait, tube jig, hair jig. The first two give me both options and will help me determine which presentation the fish prefer at any given time.  Same goes for the hair jig. The colder the water gets, the more I rely on the blade and hair jig and when that temp gets below 40, I'll even try deadsticking them a time or two during my retrieve.

So, what are your favorites?

Water temps below the mid 50’s is the Winter cold water period, not the Fall imo.

Every lure the sinks can be fish vertically along with lures the float or dive fished horizontal. Basically covers all bass lures.

My favorites are the same year around adding structure spoons and tail:spins for bass feeding on baitfish schools.

Tom

23 hours ago, WRB said:

Water temps below the mid 50’s is the Winter cold water period, not the Fall imo.

Tom

Up here, the winter cold water period (for open water) is from 40 down to ice over. 55 is the start of late fall, which is right where the temperature was here on Monday. The 3/8oz, blade dropped down steeper banks worked early on and by late afternoon, a spinnerbait and follow up Fluke got the groupies and a couple of 4lb. girls.  With the way things are cooling off here, by Friday I suspect to see 50 or below. 

This VMC "Drop Dead" weighted EWG hook in a 3/0 size for 4" Senkos and the 4/0 size for 5" Senkos - all weights work well depending on the sink rate you are after for the season / conditions : https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/VMC_Drop_Dead_Weighted_Hook_4pk/descpage-VDDWH.html?from=gshop&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5aS9ucmEggMVmzHUAR21tAxuEAQYASABEgL0ZvD_BwE 

I consider anything below 50 degrees to be "winter" here.  The fall fishing period seems to be very brief.  In late September, the water was still 70 and people were still water skiing.  By now, the water is nearing close to 50.  So fall basically lasted about 3 weeks here.

 

Last week I did good on both largies and brown bass.  Largemouth were willingly eating a chatterbait in shallow water near docks and remaining weeds.  Smallmouth were eating a jerk bait out a little deeper.  I also caught walleye and pike mixed in.

 

I have no reason to slow down to a vertical finesse presentation when they're biting on a horizontal moving lure.

Some of my most effective baits on the drop are jigs, speed worms, and speed craws. 
 

The speed worm in particular is so great on the fall that my standard way of working it is letting it fall initially and then reeling it back to the boat. I’ll vary speed. Of course everyone knows that it can be used as a topwater bait as well

For vertical a jigging spoon is my go to bait.

When talking winter, spring, summer, or fall we must realize everyone is talking their geographic location & bodies of water.

 

When fishing the tidal river systems here there's still an early topwater bite. Then it's Squarebills, Spinnerbaits, & plastics.

 

Toledo Bend is turning over which will change the dynamics of everything. Deep Diving Crankbaits, Spoons & Carolina Rigs.

I don’t have any specific types of baits that I use based on any seasons. 
The only differences, if you can call it that, is when the weather turns cooler I will slow down and maybe down size what I normally throw throughout the year. 

Around this time the smaller girls will start bedding soon and progress from there, which makes it easier as they are more predictable in both locations and feeding habits. 
 

A perfect example is I may down size and tweak various presentations or trick out my year long go to favorite, Magnum Speed Worm 

 

 

 

Mike

Been doing really well on 7/16 oz finesse jig ( @Siebert Outdoors sniper) with a chopped down rage menace on the back.  Bluegill colors.  I definitely think they're liking smaller profiles.

 

Buzzbait and spinnerbait doing all the work horizontally and on top.

 

I could probably leave home with just these 3 baits and be a far more productive angler right now.

 

I have also been doing well on squarebill, underspin, fluke jr.

 

Seems like when it's really calm and clear water, the finesse jig is the way to go and if there's even a tiny bit of ripple on the surface or stain to the water, spinnerbait and buzzbait seem to be the much better options.

This time of year I have a 3/8 nickel Kastmaster spoon locked in my hand most of the day. It works well for vertical jigging as well as casting a country mile for schoolers popping shad on the surface.