What's Your Favorite Way To Catch Smallmouth In The Fall?

[JB Spilker]

I'm all about throwing weightless senko's or the shaky head. Those things are money!

[adam32]

early fall, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, jig n pigs.

late fall/winter, suspending jerkbaits, Erie darters, hair jigs, float/fly.

If the lake your fishing is deep and clear you may want to try a drop shot rig.

[bassman78]

I see a lot of posts naming lures that will catch smallies in the fall but the bigger part of the puzzle is where do you look for smallmouth when the water cools? How deep do you fish? In natural lakes, do you find fish on points, submerged islands, deep flats, shallow flats, wood, weeds? 

 

I have fished a Northwoods lake where we get loads of smallies in the spring, but when I go back in the fall, they are nowhere to be found. I've called every guide in the area but none of them can tell me they have a good reliable pattern for fall smallies. Anybody have a fall pattern for location (not lures) that works for them?

 

I use shallow flats from 5-10' with access to deep water (20' plus).  i think in the fall they still like to retreat a little bit when the sun and the UV index is high.  I have a drift i do in the fall that is always extrememly productive for me.  Flat is 2'-14' sloping from shore for about 100 feet and then it drops to almost 40'.  I'll fish that flat with a lipless and when that bite dies down i'll switch to a deep diver and work that slope from 14'-25' approx and will pick them off there.  In your lake if there are back creeks and creek channels those are always good spots for fall as well.  And as always you cant go wrong with just finding the baitfish and you find the fish.  If i were you and trying to locate fish i'd have 3 cranks tied on and ready to go.  A lipless, one that dives around 8', and one that dives to 15'.  Give each depth maybe an hour of your time until you come on to some fish.  You will find them.  Every body of water is different and sometimes you have to hunt for them and cranks , in my opinion, are the best search baits in the fall.  Bent rods and wet lines.

[inrll]

Most of the lures I use have been named already but the tube jig is one of the most consistant producers for me. Here's a couple tube smallies from last week. As you can see I was a little surprised/excited by the bigger one.

[Scott F]

I use shallow flats from 5-10' with access to deep water (20' plus).  i think in the fall they still like to retreat a little bit when the sun and the UV index is high.  I have a drift i do in the fall that is always extrememly productive for me.  Flat is 2'-14' sloping from shore for about 100 feet and then it drops to almost 40'.  I'll fish that flat with a lipless and when that bite dies down i'll switch to a deep diver and work that slope from 14'-25' approx and will pick them off there.  In your lake if there are back creeks and creek channels those are always good spots for fall as well.  And as always you cant go wrong with just finding the baitfish and you find the fish.  If i were you and trying to locate fish i'd have 3 cranks tied on and ready to go.  A lipless, one that dives around 8', and one that dives to 15'.  Give each depth maybe an hour of your time until you come on to some fish.  You will find them.  Every body of water is different and sometimes you have to hunt for them and cranks , in my opinion, are the best search baits in the fall.  Bent rods and wet lines.

 

I assume from your mention of creek channels, this pattern is on a reservoir. What kind of water temperatures are you looking at?

[Munkin]

Spinnerbait, suspending jerkbait, swim jig until it gets cold then a jig.

 

Allen

[Mainebass1984]

Once the water gets real cold in the 40s its buddy time for me. 20-40 feet deep around schools of baitfish.