November can be a great month to go fishing anywhere in the country. The weather has finally cooled, and there are usually some nice days before winter sets in. Depending on where you live, this month could also be some of your last few trips of the year, but the winter cold is coming soon, and the bass are feeding heavily in anticipation.
If you live in a warmer climate, the bass are likely finally on the move after a long and hot summer and Fall. Both scenarios mean active fish generally willing to chase fast-moving baits, and you may experience some of the most aggressive bites of the year. Many baits will work, but jerkbaits, swimbaits, and vibrating jigs are three lure styles anyone can use to catch bass in November.
Jerkbait
Jerkbaits work all year long, but they excel in the colder months as the aggressive action of jerking the bait, followed by a pause, perfectly imitates a dying baitfish. These baits can be fished many ways and can be very technical, but a simple "jerk, jerk, pause" is something that anyone can do to catch fish.
They work in many different situations, but fishing them above cover —such as grass, brush, and other submerged objects — is ideal and will draw fish from the depths to strike the bait. You can also fish them along the bank, bluff banks, and on points leading into deep water to catch fish in the Fall.
Choosing the right jerkbait can seem overwhelming because there are so many choices, but a jerkbait roughly around the 110mm size, like the Megabass Vision Oneten, Shimano Zumverno 115, or Berkley Stunna 112, and the many different Lucky Craft Pointer variations are all solid options that work very well. Choose shad-imitating colors if that is the primary forage in your area; translucent shades in very clear water; and solid colors in slightly stained water or during overcast conditions, as a general rule of thumb.
You can also experiment with the many +1 and +2 versions of popular jerkbaits for deeper water. This allows you to reach more fish and opens up where you can fish these baits. Line size can also affect diving depths, and a quality fluorocarbon like 12-pound Seaguar InvizX is a great place to start, but going up or down a size will allow the bait to run deeper or shallower if needed.
Swimbait
Swimbaits come in all shapes and sizes (and prices), but a simple boot-tail swimbait like a Keitech Swing Impact FAT or Crush City The Mayor on a ballhead jighead is easy to use and works great in the Fall. They come in several different sizes and countless colors, but a shad-imitating bait in the roughly 3-inch sizes is great for imitating small shad and will ensure that you will get bites from fish of all sizes feeding on these small young-of-the-year shad.
For your jighead weight, adjust the size based on how deep you plan to fish. A ¼-ounce is a good all-around size, but going lighter or heavier can be the ticket if you are fishing shallower or deeper. Since they are small baits, fishing them on a spinning rod is a good idea, and a braid-to-fluorocarbon setup will allow for excellent casting distance. A smooth-casting braid, like a 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown, with a leader of 10-pound Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon is a great setup. It will enable trouble-free casting and help you detect very light bites.
Vibrating Jigs
Vibrating jigs, bladed jigs, or ChatterBaits are three common names used to describe this class of baits. They look like a standard skirted jig with a unique blade that gives them an excellent thumping and vibrating action when you reel them back to you. The original, the Z-Man ChatterBait, and all their variations are the most commonly used, but the Strike King Thunder Cricket and others can also be great choices during the Fall.
They work so well because you can cast them out, reel them back in, and catch fish, so anyone can fish and expect to catch bass. A standard retrieve will work, but mixing in slower and faster retrieves and working the rod with different twitches can get the bait to have a different action, which can be even more effective in the Fall.
During the Fall, shad are a typical meal for bass, so white and silvery colored baits work very well. Green pumpkin colors can still be great, especially if you are fishing shallow and around places where bluegill live.
Besides color, another factor to consider is the type of soft-plastic trailer you add to the bait, as each will affect how the bait performs. Larger trailers with more appendages will cause the bait to rise more, which can be effective at times, and straight tail minnow baits like a Zoom Super Fluke will give the bait a more erratic action and allow the bait to run slightly deeper. Like colors and retrieves, experimenting with different retrieves can lead to more bites.
Another new bait that fits into this category of lures is the Bass Puzzle Grass Piece, which shares some similarities with a vibrating jig and spinnerbait. This unique bait from Japan has a blade and shorter arm, which causes the bait to vibrate much tighter than many other vibrating jigs. It works very well for imitating shad and can be effective in November.
Fishing during the Fall can be tremendous, and November can be one of the best months to catch bass. Many different baits can work, but the three above are simple and easy enough for anyone to master and catch bass.
