^^^How did you know?^^^

I like moving baits in the fall while the water is warmer so I can cover water and contact more fish but they stop working when the water gets cold. I can catch fish on a jig all year round.

Crankbaits, either deep diver or lipless. Why? It covers a lot of water fast. This fall season, Bass are migrating and you need to know where they are at. When you do find them, you can switch it up to jig/pig.

northstar jigs and paca craw trailer or plan b, swimbaits!

Cranks and lipless cranks. I can catch em year round on those two.

I can't even vote since there is no jerkbait category.

I would have picked the jerkbait over the jig if it was a choice.

I voted top lure, not because it's the most proficient but I catch my biggest fish on them and it's more enjoyable to me. I'd rather stick 1 5# bass than catch a hundred 1 pounders. I do pass up a lot fish.

Jig and Rage Tail Lobster or Craw or a C-rigged Eeliminator

I'm surprised at all the slow, contact and feel baits mentioned. This is the time of year where you can really exploit the bite on horizontal stuff. You'll cover more ground and catch more fish.

I'm surprised at all the slow, contact and feel baits mentioned. This is the time of year where you can really exploit the bite on horizontal stuff. You'll cover more ground and catch more fish.

I was surprised too, but then, ironically I picked the jig. If I only fished lakes where the main forage is always shad I probably would have chosen a horizontal bait but 75 percent of the time I am fishing smaller lakes where small sunfish and craws are the meal of choice.

Considering all of these lakes, lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits are hot in early fall for me and the jig works too. From mid to late Fall in my area, the crankbait and spinnerbait bite has really slowed while the jig continues to plug along. For example I took a half day off on Tuesday afternoon to catch a good warm day before a cold front dropped temperatures 30 degrees. I caught 5 crankbait fish, 1 spinnerbait fish, 1 grub fish, and 22 jig and craw fish. I started out with the spinnerbait and the crankbait but switched over to the jig. The grub fish was just a follow-up cast to a crankbait fish I lost. More often than not from mid-October to the beginning of Winter, it is typical that I catch at least as many if not more fish on the jig than I do on the horizontal baits. At least that is how it has been the last three or four years.

finally found some rabid schools last wednesday, and caught them on just about every cast with the yozuri rattlin' vibe.

I'm surprised at all the slow, contact and feel baits mentioned. This is the time of year where you can really exploit the bite on horizontal stuff. You'll cover more ground and catch more fish.

For sure. I think many will have different ideas of water conditions in the "fall" depending on how far north they live. For some folks, "fall" might mean water temps in the 60s. I originally voted spinnerbait - with my mind on 40 degree water. But since I still have 50 degree water (for now), I'm using lipless cranks nearly exclusively. When the water gets into the 40s, it will be more spinnerbaits and less lipless crank. In the upper 30s, it will be bottom stuff mostly. When the water hits the mid-30s, I think I'll take the rest of the year off...

Wow I am surprised at all the inputs! Great information guys and gals, thanks! keep it up!

Wow, I guess I'm in the minority fishing a tube in the fall. However in the lures to select from I would take a jig.

You know what the pro's say. Don't change your style, just find a location that works for your style and fish. You will be more successful.

Trying out new technique isn't a bad thing too, but do what works best for you.

I'll work a topwater until it gets absolutely too cold to catch anything, then a while longer. Look, this is what I enjoy, don't judge me. ;p

I'll work a topwater until it gets absolutely too cold to catch anything, then a while longer. Look, this is what I enjoy, don't judge me. ;p

I'm just starting to do some bass fishing now, they are not on fire like they will be come January. I have been catching a few on jerkbaits ( nothing to get excited about) but top lures have produced the bigger ones over 5#.

I was surprised too, but then, ironically I picked the jig. If I only fished lakes where the main forage is always shad I probably would have chosen a horizontal bait but 75 percent of the time I am fishing smaller lakes where small sunfish and craws are the meal of choice.

Considering all of these lakes, lipless crank baits, spinner baits, and crank baits are hot in early fall for me and the jig works too. From mid to late Fall in my area, the crank bait and spinner bait bite has really slowed while the jig continues to plug along. For example I took a half day off on Tuesday afternoon to catch a good warm day before a cold front dropped temperatures 30 degrees. I caught 5 crank bait fish, 1 spinner bait fish, 1 grub fish, and 22 jig and craw fish. I started out with the spinner bait and the crank bait but switched over to the jig. The grub fish was just a follow-up cast to a crank bait fish I lost. More often than not from mid-October to the beginning of Winter, it is typical that I catch at least as many if not more fish on the jig than I do on the horizontal baits. At least that is how it has been the last three or four years.

Well said and matches my situation very closely.

One exception would be that I will slow roll a swim bait on a jighead as a horizontal bait. It has proved to be so very versatile covering different speeds and water columns.

A-Jay

I'll choose the Eeliminator and Lobster since each can be fished on a jig or utilized in a myriad of presentations thru all levels of the water column. Versatility is the key for me especially when the fish I'm targeting can be located in a variety of water types.

Big O

www.ragetail.com

A tube has been my bait of choice in the fall for several years. Rig it weightless and work it on top. By adjusting the weight you can fish it dead slow on the bottom in any depth, or change the rate of fall.

Get it weighted just right and you can do a slow walk-the-dog at almost any depth in between. Or just swim at, controlling depth by weight, line diameter, and/or speed. Very versatile.

I had in mind to cast the Eeliminator in the same role this year, but work and weather have conspired to make this year's fall fishing a complete bust. I haven't fished in over a month.