Late Fall Largemouth Tactics?

[Puggz]

This will be my first late fall fishing for Largies.. Until now., this time of year has been dedicated to Muskie, Pike, Walleye, and Smallies.

 

I typically bass fish in Long Point bay, lake Erie where during the regular season, larger bass are usually found in open water/deeper water weed beds, clumps, puffs, etc.  I've only found smaller bass along the abundant shallow, shoreline weeds.

 

 Now that the weeds are dying off, will the largies be more prone to cruising open water or will they go even deeper?  Would combing open water with spinner baits and cranks be the thing to try or dropping tubes along deep drop offs?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Patrick.

[Preytorien]

I've noticed they're cruising a lot parallel to the weedlines where I'm fishing. Like you our weeds are dying off, but they're still hanging around there in shallower water than I'd expect.

 

I've had a lot of success running a spinnerbait along these weedlines about a foot under the surface, sometimes even just under the surface. It's the only bait/technique I've had success with this fall. 

[Paul Roberts]

Every water is different, esp large ones like what your fishing.

 

Generalities:

 

In natural lakes esp, largemouth tend to move less -are more home-bodies- than smallmouth. So.. they will likely be not too far from where you are catching them now. By late fall bass are already zeroing in on winter habitat as it's comin' fast now. A few serious cold fronts will shut the door on fall. In winter they'll likely be deeper, and bunched up.

 

Classic winter habitat is steep, deep (very relative), no current, hard bottom (if available). Weeds can still be very important.

 

Being a big water with lots of potential prey possibilities, it could be that some prey species unavailable much of the year could weight in: alewife, gizzard shad, perch, mooneyes?... Keep your eyes and sonar peeled. But the LM will likely have to have the prey come to them, rather they pursuing them very far from 'home' structure/habitat.

 

Check with your regional fisheries folks. They are often able to help, or steer you to relevant info.

[HoosierHawgs]

Bass will still relate to grass, but they are now following the bait and so should you. Where I fish the main forage is shad, so I will speak to that, but a top water walker and lipless baits thrown into balls of shad garner success. Throw a square bill and a spinnerbait against cover and in the backs of creeks. Its also good to parallel the bank with these as well.

[Bankbeater]

If I can find a deep weed bed, then I will fish it.  Most of the milfoil and hydrilla near the surface dies off in the winter, but down deep you can usually find some. 

[Bigchunk]

I've noticed they're cruising a lot parallel to the weedlines where I'm fishing. Like you our weeds are dying off, but they're still hanging around there in shallower water than I'd expect.

 

I've had a lot of success running a spinnerbait along these weedlines about a foot under the surface, sometimes even just under the surface. It's the only bait/technique I've had success with this fall.

Spinnerbait has been working well for me too, lipless 1 SB 6 the other day

[Starchalopakis]

Ive read on here that that lipless cranks are really effective in fall too. When do you guys throw a lipless vs a squarebill?

[Missourifishin]

Ive read on here that that lipless cranks are really effective in fall too. When do you guys throw a lipless vs a squarebill?

I threw a bunch of different lures this evening and a lipless and a squarebill were the only 2 that caught fish. I had a pretty good day too. I kinda just let the fish tell me what they wanted and I guess both were good options today.

If it helps, I was bank fishing off a point on a 200 acre man made lake with the wind and waves coming directly toward me.

[Bass newb]

It ain't late fall just yet. Winter starts dec 22nd iirc.

[Mainebass1984]

I prefer to target isolated offshore structure and cover in the mid and late fall. I tend to fish jigs, crankbaits, and blade baits once the water drops to around 50-55 degrees. Drop shot, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and weightless worms work too but aren't my go to presentation. Some of the biggest bass in the lake will be relating to offshore structure/cover and now is a perfect time to get them.

[Preytorien]

If I've ever known anything about fall bass fishing, it's that every day can be different. By in large, certain techniques work pretty consistently, but just as you think you've got em' figured out, they allofasudden want a senko instead of your buzzbait or something similar. Bass are finicky and it seems fall just accents this a little more.

 

As I posted above, spinnerbaits, particularly white with gold colorado blades seem to be the magic bullet for me this year, but last night I fished it for an hour with no bites. Switched to a purple senko slathered with Megastrike and whaddya know, started getting bit. 

 

Beats me....I just try various techniques and presentations until I find "the one"

[JigMe]

It is not late fall yet in Maryland. Historically, burning a lipless crankbait or swim jig along the warmer part of the lake will produce for me in the morning.

 

Temperature and weather become critical for me to decide when to fish and where to fish. If we got a cold front for the past few days, then I will probably search deep using a C Rig. If the temperature is consistent then I can catch them pretty close to the shore.   Also, pitching a enko under the docks was pretty effective for me last year during Nov. in the middle of the day.

[PourMyOwn]

I throw big jigs in the grass and the dying pads. I like pork trailers more this time of year for two reasons: 

 

1. I read it in a Bassmaster, it must be true

 

2. (the real reason) I don't have to change it all day and it's cold outside

[ww2farmer]

Every body of water is different. The two lakes I fish the most are prime examples. On one, the colder the water gets, the shallower the largemouth go. On the other, they get away from the grass and start relating to offshore hard cover.

[bowhunter63]

I went this weekend caught some spots and Largemouth on spinner baits and Rage craws on a rage rig.Really slow presentation.Even with the spinner bait bumping the rocks.

[WRB]

Take a look at the video Cranking Big Bass on this site.

When weeds die off they stop producing DO and the baitfish leave for greener weed beds or deeper water.

Rocky points and rocky wind blown banks are a good location to find big LMB in the fall.

Tom

[bigbill]

I believe slow fishing baits is the key to fall fishing success. The bass want a good meal for little effort. It's there time to put the feed bag on for there winters rest.

I find they hang around the same neighbourhood where they hung around all summer. I suggest if you live in the north don't stop bass fishing till the ice is on. Fishing big soft plastics with a slow dying minnow twitch presentation is the way to go. Using a pearl yum money 6" minnow example. Go up one size larger on the hook.

In my picture is a 6lb.1oz lmb I pulled out of the pads. In the late summer. She was a bulldozer in the churning pads. I thought it was one fish. I had her lip grabbed and the pads were still churning. From shore I couldn't reach the second bass. I marked her GPS in my mind for another time. Fast forward to just before thanksgiving it's cold with snow flurries the pads died. I tossed a pearl 6" money minnow as far into the pad area as I could. Using the dying minnow twitch slowly she attacked it like a magnet to steel. I set the hook and for a while the battle was on. I never had a bass bend this rod in half the way she did not even my PB#10lbs. She's a big fish. Then the unthinkable happens the line went slack. She spit it. Then we start to ask ourselves what did we do wrong? The right sized hook, good tight knot, I got the bait with hook and knot intact back. I thought I set the hook hard enough. Then I started thinking the power of the rod should of been stronger. I used the same med rod I caught my PB on. I feel the upper section of the rod was weak. I used a med power when it should of been at least a MH power rod. It was time to up the game, regroup, lick my open wounds and upgrade. I upgraded my rods power to a MH, my line from 8lbs to 12lbs, and one size larger on the hook.

Live and learn. Just some free info, we never know what's going to strike. I didn't expect a fight like that.

Listen to the gurus here it's good info. Tom in the above post is spot on. Beyond my pads is a rocky end of a dog leg shaped body of water.

[hatrix]

You should be able to find them close to shore. The bait is starting to move to shore and the walleyes follow. I would assume the bass are also near by. People have been catching the occasional perch or walleye from shore already so the bass have to be around waiting for easy meals.

[Puggz]

I believe slow fishing baits is the key to fall fishing success. The bass want a good meal for little effort. It's there time to put the feed bag on for there winters rest.

I find they hang around the same neighbourhood where they hung around all summer. I suggest if you live in the north don't stop bass fishing till the ice is on. Fishing big soft plastics with a slow dying minnow twitch presentation is the way to go. Using a pearl yum money 6" minnow example. Go up one size larger on the hook.

In my picture is a 6lb.1oz lmb I pulled out of the pads. In the late summer. She was a bulldozer in the churning pads. I thought it was one fish. I had her lip grabbed and the pads were still churning. From shore I couldn't reach the second bass. I marked her GPS in my mind for another time. Fast forward to just before thanksgiving it's cold with snow flurries the pads died. I tossed a pearl 6" money minnow as far into the pad area as I could. Using the dying minnow twitch slowly she attacked it like a magnet to steel. I set the hook and for a while the battle was on. I never had a bass bend this rod in half the way she did not even my PB#10lbs. She's a big fish. Then the unthinkable happens the line went slack. She spit it. Then we start to ask ourselves what did we do wrong? The right sized hook, good tight knot, I got the bait with hook and knot intact back. I thought I set the hook hard enough. Then I started thinking the power of the rod should of been stronger. I used the same med rod I caught my PB on. I feel the upper section of the rod was weak. I used a med power when it should of been at least a MH power rod. It was time to up the game, regroup, lick my open wounds and upgrade. I upgraded my rods power to a MH, my line from 8lbs to 12lbs, and one size larger on the hook.

Live and learn. Just some free info, we never know what's going to strike. I didn't expect a fight like that.

Listen to the gurus here it's good info. Tom in the above post is spot on. Beyond my pads is a rocky end of a dog leg shaped body of water.

 

All my best lessons have been from fish I've lost...unfortunately..

[bigbill]

Yup I know.

[ABW]

If its sunny and there's rip rap I would throw a squarebill in that.

[everythingthatswims]

Late fall I'll be fishing a lipless crank or shad rap

[Dye99]

I agree with every water being different...For me, my main lake is rock, with a ton of timber...So fall means one thing, deep diving crank baits...

 

Strike king 5x and 6x in shad patterns are my go to.