1978jessejames

Fall fishing is VERY difficult. Also I worried WAAAAY too much about water temp. Keep an open mind, and just fish. The water temp deal is totally a generalization. I couldn't get bit on topwater on 6 trips here from Labor day until a week and a half ago. Water temp dropped from summer temps to low 50s, and topwater NEVER worked. They only wanted moving baits and senkos in DEEEEP water. Then I throw a tournament last week when the water temp ROSE a few degrees to HIGH 50s, and it was won on shallow approaches with finesse baits, as well as whopper ploppers on top. They are very unpredictable in fall. They can be finicky or ultra-aggressive. They move very far for food and it changes constantly. Try your favorite tactics, cover LOTS of water, and change your approach FREQUENTLY if you are not being bit. Drop speed can be huge, go fast, go slow, moving baits, slow sinking baits, topwaters, deep swimming baits. Show them everything until they give you hints and you can finally put a pattern together. This is coming from a guy who really struggled in past years trying to learn this and is finally figuring out some things the past two years and got some good ones in the boat. The fall deal can be very tough, but very rewarding. Best of luck!

Pine is fantastic.use a dremel ball for cupped mouth. Predrill tiny holes for wood screws. Drill 1/4" hole between cup and center bottom screw. Insert a non removable round sinker. Fill with gorilla glue or wood putty. Sand hole smooth when dry. Dip lure in sanding sealer. Dry. Prime. Dry. Paint. Dry. Gloss. Dry. Insert eye screws with a touch of gorilla glue on the screw tips. Dry. Hammer Smallmouth.

I found that using a skeet reese crank fiberglass rod helped reduced my lost bass tremendously. However I do lose them on occasion due to the slow baitcaster i use. 5:1 can burn you when they run at you. I prefer trokar trebles. Losing bass is part of fishing. Don't point at them and try to prevent slack line.

I hated fall fishing until I learned how to understand it better. I hired guide in the fall named Dale Stroschein, and he taught me how to find them. They HAVE to feed in fall. I was beyond frustrated, until he help me boat 5 pounders in Sturgeon Bay October 19 last year. I searched for them locally in 48 degree water running moving baits tight to bottom and landed gorgeous Smallmouth last November. I hear ya. Its very frustrating. Don't give up, fall is very tough. Keep moving around trying deep, shallow, mid depths, fast and slow. Hopefully a few bites will give you a hint. If not KEEP moving. You might not be near fish. If you are on them, keep changing baits, go ultra finesse if needed.