Fall is one of the best times to get away and go fishing for several reasons. The weather is cooling, many other anglers are in hunting mode and not on the water, and most recreational boat traffic is winding down after a busy summer. These things are bonuses for those who fish during the fall, and it can be a great time to catch plenty of bass with the right approach.
Here are some easy fall bass fishing tips that will make your autumn on the water successful.
Match the Hatch
Popularized in the fly-fishing world, matching the hatch and trying to imitate what the fish are eating closely is also a solid plan for bass fishing. One trend that often occurs at this time of year is that the young-of-the-year shad are very small, and this attracts bass to these tiny baitfish.
To combat this and catch fish, use bite-sized lures that better match the bass's eating habits. Small two- and three-inch swimbaits, such as the Keitech Swing Impact FAT in sizes 2.8 and 3.3, and other similar baits, are great because they are available in many sizes and colors to match just about any baitfish. Paired with a simple round ball jighead, you can cast these just about anywhere and have success this fall.
Another thing to match is the color of what the fish are eating. That could be silvers and white hues for shad eating bass, or more yellows and oranges if the bass are eating perch or bluegill. Getting close to the color of the baitfish they are eating is always a good idea, regardless of the season.
Try to Stand Out
The following may seem contradictory to what was just written above, but sometimes it pays to have a bait stand out and appeal to the aggressive nature of bass. This could involve using larger-than-normal baits that attract the attention of bass and help draw them in from greater distances. Large soft plastic jerkbaits like the Deps Sakamata Shad, glide baits like the Spro KGB Chad Shad, and bigger topwaters like the Heddon Super Spook or Strike King KVD Mega Dawg can do very well in the fall when the bass are looking for a bigger meal.
Using a jumbo bait works well in tandem with smaller baits, as fall can be a time of extremes, with both shallow and deep approaches working as well as tiny baits and monster lures all playing a role this time of year.
The same can be said of standing out with your color choices, as sometimes brighter colors like solid white or something with plenty of chartreuse will help get bass to take interest in your lures. As with everything else in bass fishing, experimenting with different colors is a great way to find what the bass want the most that day.
Keep it Moving
One constant for bass fishing this time of year is that bass will be feeding, and that often means they will be moving around quickly from day to day or even hourly as they follow schools of nomadic baitfish. This is why quicker-moving baits do well: you can fish fast and still be effective as you search.
Quick-moving lures like swim jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits, buzzbaits, and spinnerbaits are all lures that can be reeled fast through the water. They are also perfect for imitating the shad that bass are most often eating right now.
After locating groups of bass and catching fish on fast lures, the bite can often slow when bass get wise to your presentation. When this happens, it's time to adjust your approach and switch to slower-moving lures. Finesse rigs like a drop-shot, Neko Rig, finesse jigs, or a Ned Rig are fantastic "clean up baits" that allow you to catch a few more fish when the bite changes. You can drag these along in the same areas where you were catching fish with faster baits, and you usually get a few more bites.
Ultra Shallow and Ultra Deep
Since this is a season of extremes, there is a chance to catch bass in skinny water along the bank and well out into deeper water, and you can sometimes expect to have success with both approaches even on the same day.
Fishing in shallow water can be effective, as bass often search for bluegill, crawfish, and schools of shad, and roam the shallows in search of their next meal. There is no water too shallow this time of year, and often, fishing in water just deep enough for a bass to swim is enough water to hold a bass. Topwater baits, such as buzzbaits and frogs, are ideal for fishing these areas during the fall, and the topwater explosions in such shallow water are thrilling.
There are also chances to get out deep and catch bass, and many will still be in their summer areas along steep drop-offs, long main lake points, and humps and islands that protrude from deeper water. Deep-diving crankbaits, such as the Megabass Deep Six, are excellent choices for this deeper-water approach.
Fishing during the fall can be easy with the right approach and by keeping things moving until you find active fish. The bass are hungry and waiting, and this can be one of the best times of year for catching numbers of bass, as they will often be grouped up tightly and willing to bite.
