As fall approaches, many of the die hard striped bass anglers get very excited. Cooler water temperatures provide some of the best fishing of the season. In freshwater, you will find plenty of striped bass in the shallows again, especially in the rivers. On some of the bigger deep water lakes, there will always be plenty of fish deep, but you usually won’t have to go as deep as water temperatures come down.
Freshwater
Start deep, then move shallow or start shallower and move deep. You have options in the fall. This might make fishing more difficult for the anglers who just like to fish shallow or just like to fish deep. Watch out for birds and keep a topwater lure tied on because you may see a school of stripers feeding on bait fish on the surface at any time during the fall. The big key in the fall is to follow the bait fish. As the bait fish move shallower, don’t be stubborn. Follow the bait fish and you won’t go home skunked.
Saltwater
In saltwater, the colder weather kickstarts another migration for striped bass, however, this is the beginning of the end for anglers that love catching these fish on the East Coast. The fish are going to follow the bait fish and the warmer water temperatures as they migrate south. There will be a peak bite in all of the areas along the coast just like in the spring. Keep an eye out for the fishing reports because when it is on, you may only have a short window for the very best fishing the fall brings. You can catch fish throughout the fall, but there will better days to get a day off work than others. Keep a topwater rod ready for fish that are feeding on the surface.
