Fall is one of the best times of year for catching largemouth bass. While it may not be as easy as the spring, there are plenty of opportunities to catch some of the biggest bass of the year every fall. During the fall, largemouth bass will start feeding heavily to prepare for the winter. The early fall gives anglers a variety of options. Bass will be shallow or deep and they can be caught on many different lures from topwater lures to crankbaits to soft plastics. Typically, the bigger baits work real well during the early fall before temperatures drop too much. Once the water temperature drops into the 50s, fishing gets a lot more difficult. Largemouth bass will move into deeper water and it usually takes a slower presentation with smaller lures to entice some bites. Deep-diving crankbaits work great with a slow retrieve near deep-water points and shorelines that have steep drop-offs. Some anglers also have a lot of success with jigging spoons, which is a much different way to fish for most bass anglers. As the water cools down into the 40s, fishing can be extremely difficult and most bass anglers will put away their boat for the winter.
Fall is Transition Time – Be Flexible
Bass may be shallow. They may be deep. You really have to be flexible and open to fishing a number of different spots until you find them. Bass will be on the move a lot in the fall. As bait fish move back into the shallows, bass will follow, but bass are usually spaced out more than in the spring and summer.
Schooling Shad – Jumps
On many of the lakes in the south, you can find bass schooling on shad like crazy early in the morning and even at times throughout the day. You may go from catching none to catching 5 to 10 bass on consecutive casts. Make sure to have a topwater lure and a bait that looks like a bait fish that can be fished just a couple feet below the surface. If you have 2 rods set up just for this situation, you will be ready when it happens. If you aren’t ready, you’re going to miss out on some explosive fishing.
As Fall Progresses, Find the Green Weeds
With weeds dying off, bass are going to move away from the dying weeds and they will seek out the weeds that are still alive. Fish the green weeds and you’ll probably catch more bass.
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