Because the water is cool, I won't paddle far from shore, so nearly all my casts will be shoreline casts. The shoreline is wetlands, a soggy soil that supports small trees and smaller bushes that overhang the water. Last time out, I scored with a paddletail and a spinnerbait, but I want to mix it up the next two days. I was thinking a T-rigged crawdad and a T-rigged worm. What would you cast? Ignore the bass below and note the shoreline. That's where I'll be fishing:

 

 

When I last fished, they were tight to the shoreline, often on little points, in a foot of water. 

Would you have frogs migrating now?

 

I'm going to buy some Scooper Frogs, I bet they would work great there.

Buzzbait

1 hour ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Would you have frogs migrating now?

 

I'm going to buy some Scooper Frogs, I bet they would work great there.

 

I don't know if we have migrating frogs. I would like the frog idea if I weren't such a terrible frog angler. 

 

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

Buzzbait

 

Okay, that's one. I've been intending to try one all year. It's past due.

Devil's Horse, small Zara Spook, wake bait with pauses in cadence.

Watch for gators, wait, I'm 2000.miles away lol

Original Rapala minnow fished like a jerkbait…actually, more like a twitch bait.

Bladed jig, Johnson silver minnow spoon, buzzbait, and popping frog.

In order…Skitter Prop, Flat Rap, spinnerbait, fluke, tube.

I love a good Texas rig craw. 

The two new lures I've chosen are the buzzbait and the Johnson Silver Minnow. I also have my old reliables rigged. 

Jerk bait.

2 hours ago, OldManLure said:

Original Rapala minnow fished like a jerkbait…actually, more like a twitch bait.

I was going to say a Rapala f7 or f9

I've tried both the jerkbait and floating Rapalas this fall with zero success. However, I have caught thousands of bass with floating Rapalas in past years...and some bass with jerkbaits. They're just not working here and now.

A buzzbait and a vibrating jig.  This is the time of year for both.  For the buzzbait, I’d go with a smaller ‘finesse’ type if you have one, 1/4-3/8 oz.  Toss it right up against the waterline and have the bail clicked over and reeling right as it hits the water because I couldn’t tell you how many fish I’ve caught 3” from shore this time of year in the mornings.  They will hit it as soon as it hits the water and you make that first crank.  

 

Vibrating jigs are for the same fish when they don’t want to break the surface.  Bass are always looking up when they are that shallow but sometimes they just don’t want to take something on the surface so you need something just under it.  In your scenario picture, you’re similar to the small lake I’ve been fishing the past month or so and getting a bunch of fish on chatterbaits.  In my case, 3/8 in darker colors (algal bloom).  Your water is cleaner so I’d probably start with a green pumpkin with a GP over chartreuse trailer because that’s what I know works for me.

 

A Johnson silver spoon isn’t a bad choice either for all the same reasons as the bladed jig with a slightly more subtle presentation.  

It looks like your shoreline is weedy or semi-weedy, enough to make a treble hooked lure difficult to fish.  Water temps here in Iowa are in mid 60's and I have caught all I can handle on horizontal presentations.  Swim jig or fluke will work in weeds.  Instead of a buzzbait I use a buzz frog, like a Scum Frog Bigfoot or a Spro Flappin Frog.  Of course the bass will tell you what they will bite if you are listening, and I know you are!

I can see you now, sliding your canoe silently up against the bank, shooting that Bigfoot into that space between the weeds and the overhanging branches, and the wake it makes as you gurgle it back....and then one of your fat four pounders gets ticked off and wacks that rubber sucker and I hear you squealing with joy!  I ain't with you but I can see you.

Something T-rigged…..worm, craw, creature, even toad or fluke. Anything weed less, I know if it were me, I’d be caught up in that grass. 

Check the hook sharpness on that Silver Minnow. Great lure but always seemed to come with dull hooks. 

15 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

Check the hook sharpness on that Silver Minnow. Great lure but always seemed to come with dull hooks. 

 

Good tip. Thanks. I have one empty rod and I'm going to tie a vibrating jig on that.

 

1 hour ago, Lottabass said:

It looks like your shoreline is weedy or semi-weedy, enough to make a treble hooked lure difficult to fish.

 

I struggle to use a treble hooked subsurface lure in the middle of the pond. There are weed beds here and there and everywhere. That Bigfoot is a cool-looking frog!

 

 

5” Senko wacky rig with Owner weedless size 1 jungle hook.

Tom

A weedless paddletail fluke, swimbait, and rat'l trap for starters. Maybe a spinner. And as last resort maybe rubber worm.

 

Whatever works!

Weightless super fluke or an underspin haven’t been mentioned yet. 

Try a wakebait.  Run it under the surface just deep enough so that the bait is not disturbing the surface.

I had good success with a buzzbait. I learned why you guys like it. It's not as weed-free as a frog, but it still goes a good job in weeds. I'll post the pics in the Latest Catch thread.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I tried a bladed jig/bladed jig too, but I needed a lighter one, I think. The water is so low that weeds are even more of a challenge. 

On 10/17/2025 at 9:17 PM, casts_by_fly said:

Toss it right up against the waterline and have the bail clicked over and reeling right as it hits the water because I couldn’t tell you how many fish I’ve caught 3” from shore this time of year in the mornings.  They will hit it as soon as it hits the water and you make that first crank.  

Yep. You dont want the lure landing on their heads. 

15 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I had good success with a buzzbait. I learned why you guys like it. It's not as weed-free as a frog, but it still goes a good job in weeds. I'll post the pics in the Latest Catch thread

 Buzzbaits are addicting. I have worn out dozens of them.