Fall bass

[shimano19]

i went to buckhorn lake the past 2 weekend to do some early fall bass fishing. I ended up getting only 3 bass biggest was roughly a 2 lb smallmouth. What am I doing wrong. I've fished shallow in weeds that were still living. I used spinnerbaits, sencos and jerkbaits. I also focused on deeper weed lines, rock points and deeper structure drifting tubes, flipping craws and casting multiple kinds of cranks and jerkbaits. Am I missing something on how to find and hook into these fall bass. Share some tips. On the side note I did manage to pull in 4 nice walleye.

[singingdog]

You have to be willing to mix it up this time of year. They may be on the weed edges one day (or hour), then out over 40 FOW the next. If they are keying on baitfish, finding them is the challenge.....catching them is typically easy until they move again. I use way fewer lures this time of year, but spend way more time looking for fish.

[mattybculp]

I was finding them in 8ft of water or less this past weekend, some real pigs too. But 4 walleye ain't to shabby .

[shimano19]

@matty,

What structure were you fishing? Open water, near islands?

[jimmer]

It's all timing shimano19. You have to be where the fish are when they turn on. You can miss out if you're not on the water at the right time. They also tend to be hanging in groups like someone else said.

I spent an entire day on upper buckhorn last week and only caught one bass. I dropped my buddy off at abut 5:30 and decided to fish a little longer. I caught 8 bass in the next two hours.

[aznphil]

i can only guess their behavior is now tending towards schooling in groups so more specific areas, shortened feeding window, and like someone said may still be tending towards chasing open water baitfish.

 

i kno this is reaaallly general but wanted to add something since I fish buck myself and had a great season so far. Someone help this brother lol

[jimmer]

I have lived on the Tri-Lakes for 26 years and fished it for many more. I enjoy taking the boat out of the water at this time of year and head for smaller lakes north of the kawarthas. The fish in those lakes read the fishing magazines. LOL

[shimano19]

Okay thanks for the help guys.ill do my best, I won't have my electronics until next season so ill make do with your tips!

[singingdog]

Use the "poor man's fishfinder"; if there are loons feeding, follow them around. They are usually chasing schools of baitfish, which is quite often where the smallies are.

[shimano19]

That's a good little tip. Thanks singingdog.

so basically they can be anywhere at this time of year? What lures or baits do you guys use when trying to locate them and when you know there in the area

[BillM]

Right now the shad are running, if your lake has them, find an inflow with some current. The bass won't be far behind. We've been slamming them in 40-50ft of water suspended anywhere from 15-20ft down with vertical presentations.. Gotta find the bait balls but once you do hold on.. Was out again lastnight and put a few cows in the boat with a lot of smaller fish in the mix as well. Electronics are an absolute necessity when it comes to this type of fishing.

 

If you don't have electronics then look for fish actively feeding on the surface. Once you do, you'll want to run something like a Rapala DT10/14/20 in that area. Casting open water when the smallies are feeding on baitfish below can be a riot.

 

Flutter spoons would be another option as well.

Edited October 2, 2013 by BillM

[shimano19]

Okay thanks! I was casting shad raps and DTs but didn't get lucky to pass a school

[mattybculp]

It's all timing shimano19. You have to be where the fish are when they turn on. You can miss out if you're not on the water at the right time. They also tend to be hanging in groups like someone else said.

I spent an entire day on upper buckhorn last week and only caught one bass. I dropped my buddy off at abut 5:30 and decided to fish a little longer. I caught 8 bass in the next two hours.

 

 

X 2. Couldn't have said it any better. When im out fishing bass this time of year my focus is to stick and move through various sweet spots which will include shallow slop, shallow weeds, island drop offs, deep structure and open water. Usually one will produce and then its a matter of finding other structure similar to what I have had some success on, but jimmer couldn't have but it any better. I have been out fishing with buddies fishing 1 particular area at lets say 6 oclock any nothing would hit, and I tell my buddies just hold on its not "prime time" yet and sure enough like a light switch going off as soon as 7 oclock came around it was fish after fish. This particular past weekend I was finding them in 8ft of water or less around island structure with deep water close by. I have always done better in the evening all my truly big fish on buckhorn this year came after 5 oclock with the exception of 1. That being said I went to fish some smallies on north pigeon, and got skunked so, it can be a little frustrating this time of year to say the least, but there are some pigs out there putting the feedbag on. P.S. found a couple crawfish close to the dock, they were molting, A slow presentation of a 4 inch tube half green half white did well. slow was the key.