I know that the dropping water temps and shortening daylight triggers the rush of bass to feed on everything they see especially baitfish and I know that shad are the predominant forage and should be either close to the mouths of creeks now or should be up them somewhat already.  My question is where to fish on lakes that have no big creeks and no shad?  It would seem that the next best forage would be be either bluegill or perch and flats with gradually tapering points near deep water or the main channel would be the best place to look.  Whats your opinion?

If it creeps swims or crawls in the water then a Bass will eat it. Sometimes they will eat each other.

   Crawdads like creek chanels in fall to so Jigs are good choices as craw imatators. Bass and Blue gill colored swimbaits,cranks,spinnerbaits,senkos etc.They are not to picky this time of year.

As far as lakes with out creek chanels then usually shallow water near deep water drop offs are the first places you would want to check out first in the fall.

Here in the south I do good finding them schooling on grass beds

I catch them in the same spots as in the spawn. Near drop offs, and places where they can ambush pray.

Thanks for all the responses I just wanted to make sure the spots I picked to fish this weekend were good ones since I cant get out that often.  Im sure all your input will help a lot 

Shallow, clear creek arms with small soft swimbaits, shallow cranks, lipless' cranks, and football head jigs.

Any place that's a good ambush point in medium water next to deep water. Any shad or baitfish imitator should work well also craws patterns (rage craw) work well for me. 

Jigs, jigs, jigs...man, I love jig fishing Try both non-rattling and rattling versions for comparison.

And if you're fishing them right, you'll come home with two or three less than you had.