Late Fall Smallmouth Fishing New Lakes. Advice Wanted

[Ersteman]

I could use some help guys.

I'm headed to South Holston lake and Watauga lake in Eastern Tennessee to do some fall smallmouth fishing with my brother Oct 31st, Nov 1st, and Nov 2nd.

I've read up on smallmouth lures and techniques and there sure are a lot out there.  I'm pretty good at catching them in small creeks, but I am a little amateurish when it comes to bigger lakes.

Some say shad patterns and shallows.  Some say lipless cranks.  Others jigs, tubes, and crankbaits.

What fall smallie lures/patters has worked for you guys?

Also, where is a good spot to look for smallies on unknown lakes?  (I was going to buy topo maps to check the points/drop offs/ledges and go from there).

We don't have a fish finder, so it makes it interesting.

 

Thanks for your replies!

 

-Mike

[Chris S]

rocky shore lines come to mind first, cranks, jerkbaits, ned rigs, find the shad and the rocks and have fun

[Ersteman]

Thanks for the response Chris.

Any colors that you are partial to?

[ClackerBuzz]

structure fishing on a new lake, while on vacation, w/ topo map and no sonar could turn out to be very bad/boring.  when going to a new lake I head straight for the weeds. more specifically deeper weeds. i find thick weed points by sight and follow them deeper with lures. and then fish using my go to/confidence weed lures. you might have to add some weight depending on the depth especially if those lakes are considerably larger than what ur used to fishing. i wouldn't recommend trying new lures on ur vacation on new water.

try to fish the locations the locals recommend but using lures your skilled in.

[GANGGREEN]

I know what the fish on my lakes would be doing at that time of year, they'd be bunching on the bottom edge of drops in fairly deep water. That said, I fish in the north and I suspect that Oct/Nov in Tennessee is more like the fishing would be here around the end of September, meaning that you very well may catch them on or near the shoreline and near visible rocks, bluffs, etc.. Good luck and have fun.

[Ersteman]

Thanks Clack, I'll look for those weeds on points.  Can you see the actual weeds or is it merely a color change that you're looking for?  I like to go with my confidence lures and familiar lake spots, but that usually involves fishing the shoreline and structure.  If the fish aren't shallow, I will have to step out of my comfort zone.

 

Thanks Gang. Going to fish some shallow, but also want to try hitting deeper points and deeper spots. 

 

Is there a lure and color you guys have used that have caught more smallies than any other lure?

[roadwarrior]

Is there a lure and color you guys have used that have caught more smallies than any other lure?

 

Rage Tail Baby Craw (green pumplin w/ red flake), BPS 3" tube #71, Fat Ika,

Sworming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad and Lucky Craft Pointer.