Current Pattern

[CrustyMono]

Was wondering what the fish are most likely doing this time of year. Where are they most likely to be found. Also the weather is 65-45. Intervals of cloudy and sunny. The lake i will be fishing has lots of hydrilla, creeks with brush, rocky points and a hump. The lake is very pressured. what baits do i throw and where will the fish be?

[riverbasser]

Hard to give answers with such a small amount of information. So best I can do is give a vague answer

The bass should be feeding up for winter so they are wherever the bait is. And just a guess but my bet is around the hydrilla

[Mainebass1984]

Given your favorite lakes I am assuming you fish in the northeast. Every year the same patterns unfold for me. I am sure there are many many patterns that work. I have the best luck fishing a two prong approach to this time of year.

Once the water temperatures drop to around 50 degrees or below the deeper smallmouth bite really heats up and is very consistent in my experience. I target the steepest rockiest drop offs in the lakes I am fishing. It could be a hump, a point, a ledge or a very steep dropping shoreline. Smallmouth love this type of structure this time of year. They congregate in these areas using the steep drop to corral schools of baitfish such as alewives, smelt or young of the year perch. I am typically fishing 15-40 feet, sometimes a little shallower and sometimes a bit deeper. I fish a silver buddy in these areas. I cast out and make small 1 to 2 foot hops back to the boat. Lift up your rod, feel a small vibration, let it rest back on bottom. I do not rip it up off of bottom. Fish will hit the silver buddy on the fall, on the hop, or while it is resting so be prepared. If you have downscan you can also "video game" fish in these same areas. You see the fish on your screen and drop you buddy right on hits head. You can see your lure fall and how they react to it. Most of the time you can catch fish that you see on your screen. If you come a across a school it is almost guaranteed you will catch atleast one of them. These spots will replenish with fish all day long.

Its a great tried and true pattern for me. Every year it has been very productive for me. In the bodies of water I fish this pattern produces quality smallies and largemouth too. Most of the bass I catch fishing this pattern are over 3 pounds.

Another of my favorite patterns for this time of year is isolated offshore cover.. To be more specific submerged trees way off of the shoreline, some well over a mile from shore, targeting big largemouth. At this time of year perch tend to congregate around these trees and so do the bass. Once the water temperatures hit 50 degrees and below these areas will hold fish. More often then not some of the biggest fish of the lake will be there at this time.  I usually fish these trees with a jig, dragged excruciatingly slow. I want to make almost constant contact with the trees I am fishing.  I also have had good luck with a squarebill crankbait, even with water as cold as 44 degrees. I'm basically looking for a reaction bite with the crankbait. I want to make contact with the trees I am fishing multiple times on every single cast.

In my opinion this is one of the best times of year to fish, fishing pressure is low, many people are hunting, pleasure boaters are long gone, kids are in school and most fisherman have given up until next year. I can assure you some of the biggest bass of the year can be caught right now until ice up.

[MikeOGNR]

On November 6, 2016 at 10:21 AM, Mainebass1984 said:

Given your favorite lakes I am assuming you fish in the northeast. Every year the same patterns unfold for me. I am sure there are many many patterns that work. I have the best luck fishing a two prong approach to this time of year.

Once the water temperatures drop to around 50 degrees or below the deeper smallmouth bite really heats up and is very consistent in my experience. I target the steepest rockiest drop offs in the lakes I am fishing. It could be a hump, a point, a ledge or a very steep dropping shoreline. Smallmouth love this type of structure this time of year. They congregate in these areas using the steep drop to corral schools of baitfish such as alewives, smelt or young of the year perch. I am typically fishing 15-40 feet, sometimes a little shallower and sometimes a bit deeper. I fish a silver buddy in these areas. I cast out and make small 1 to 2 foot hops back to the boat. Lift up your rod, feel a small vibration, let it rest back on bottom. I do not rip it up off of bottom. Fish will hit the silver buddy on the fall, on the hop, or while it is resting so be prepared. If you have downscan you can also "video game" fish in these same areas. You see the fish on your screen and drop you buddy right on hits head. You can see your lure fall and how they react to it. Most of the time you can catch fish that you see on your screen. If you come a across a school it is almost guaranteed you will catch atleast one of them. These spots will replenish with fish all day long.

Its a great tried and true pattern for me. Every year it has been very productive for me. In the bodies of water I fish this pattern produces quality smallies and largemouth too. Most of the bass I catch fishing this pattern are over 3 pounds.

Another of my favorite patterns for this time of year is isolated offshore cover.. To be more specific submerged trees way off of the shoreline, some well over a mile from shore, targeting big largemouth. At this time of year perch tend to congregate around these trees and so do the bass. Once the water temperatures hit 50 degrees and below these areas will hold fish. More often then not some of the biggest fish of the lake will be there at this time.  I usually fish these trees with a jig, dragged excruciatingly slow. I want to make almost constant contact with the trees I am fishing.  I also have had good luck with a squarebill crankbait, even with water as cold as 44 degrees. I'm basically looking for a reaction bite with the crankbait. I want to make contact with the trees I am fishing multiple times on every single cast.

In my opinion this is one of the best times of year to fish, fishing pressure is low, many people are hunting, pleasure boaters are long gone, kids are in school and most fisherman have given up until next year. I can assure you some of the biggest bass of the year can be caught right now until ice up.

He is right about the cranking off trees although I use lipless it has produced multiple good size and numbers days for me. I don't have electronics on my canoe but a little bit of a lake map and google earth can show the terrain which can also correlate with the water structure and bottom contour. My retrieve mostly has been casting and yo yo ing the lipless crank covering water. And they seem to hit a golden shiner color and a black with silver belly Spro Arku shad. Here are some pics of the past 2 weekends in November 

On November 6, 2016 at 10:21 AM, Mainebass1984 said:

Given your favorite lakes I am assuming you fish in the northeast. Every year the same patterns unfold for me. I am sure there are many many patterns that work. I have the best luck fishing a two prong approach to this time of year.

Once the water temperatures drop to around 50 degrees or below the deeper smallmouth bite really heats up and is very consistent in my experience. I target the steepest rockiest drop offs in the lakes I am fishing. It could be a hump, a point, a ledge or a very steep dropping shoreline. Smallmouth love this type of structure this time of year. They congregate in these areas using the steep drop to corral schools of baitfish such as alewives, smelt or young of the year perch. I am typically fishing 15-40 feet, sometimes a little shallower and sometimes a bit deeper. I fish a silver buddy in these areas. I cast out and make small 1 to 2 foot hops back to the boat. Lift up your rod, feel a small vibration, let it rest back on bottom. I do not rip it up off of bottom. Fish will hit the silver buddy on the fall, on the hop, or while it is resting so be prepared. If you have downscan you can also "video game" fish in these same areas. You see the fish on your screen and drop you buddy right on hits head. You can see your lure fall and how they react to it. Most of the time you can catch fish that you see on your screen. If you come a across a school it is almost guaranteed you will catch atleast one of them. These spots will replenish with fish all day long.

Its a great tried and true pattern for me. Every year it has been very productive for me. In the bodies of water I fish this pattern produces quality smallies and largemouth too. Most of the bass I catch fishing this pattern are over 3 pounds.

Another of my favorite patterns for this time of year is isolated offshore cover.. To be more specific submerged trees way off of the shoreline, some well over a mile from shore, targeting big largemouth. At this time of year perch tend to congregate around these trees and so do the bass. Once the water temperatures hit 50 degrees and below these areas will hold fish. More often then not some of the biggest fish of the lake will be there at this time.  I usually fish these trees with a jig, dragged excruciatingly slow. I want to make almost constant contact with the trees I am fishing.  I also have had good luck with a squarebill crankbait, even with water as cold as 44 degrees. I'm basically looking for a reaction bite with the crankbait. I want to make contact with the trees I am fishing multiple times on every single cast.

In my opinion this is one of the best times of year to fish, fishing pressure is low, many people are hunting, pleasure boaters are long gone, kids are in school and most fisherman have given up until next year. I can assure you some of the biggest bass of the year can be caught right now until ice up.

But honestly Maine is gods gift to Northeast Bass Fisherman. So I'd just go basically off whatever he says. Even if he said throw a rock with a 2/0 EWG in milfoil to catch sloppy pigs I'd probably do it 

[Mainebass1984]

 I think this Sunday I will try and see how the silver buddy bite is. Monday I will be fishing a jig in trees in search of giant bass. Hopefully these patterns hold true.

[CrustyMono]

On 11/11/2016 at 11:38 AM, Mainebass1984 said:

 I think this Sunday I will try and see how the silver buddy bite is. Monday I will be fishing a jig in trees in search of giant bass. Hopefully these patterns hold true.

let me know how it goes and good luck. i found my fish in the liveliest hydrilla/liyly pad combo i could find and rock to sand transition in 5-10 feet of water with a drop shot

[Mainebass1984]

19 hours ago, CrustyMono said:

let me know how it goes and good luck. i found my fish in the liveliest hydrilla/liyly pad combo i could find and rock to sand transition in 5-10 feet of water with a drop shot

 My friend and I went to a lake I had never been to in Vermont. Smallies only. Bluebird skies, 10-15 mph winds and 45 degree water temperature did not sound ideal. We fished for 4.5 hours, 10 until 230. I boated 7 bass and my fried boated one at 3 lbs 4 oz.  My lunker was 3 lbs 9 oz to go along with the other 6 I caught, 3 lbs 6 oz, 3 lbs 2 oz, 3 lbs 2 oz, 3 lbs 0 oz, 2 lbs 10 oz and a 1 lb dinker. All of the fish were caught in 15 to 25 ft of water with a Silver buddy. The fish were located on the rockiest offshore hump we could find. Giant schools of small perch were nearby. All the bass were caught off the side of the hump along the rocky drop off, not on top of the hump which topped out at 8 ft. I would deem it a success, especially since I had never fished there before. Spent a good amount of time searching.

 

Tomorrow I will be lunker largemouth hunting. A forecast of calm winds and 58 degrees sounds inviting. Hopefully isolated offshore cover and structure will be productive. No searching needed. All the spots are already locked in on my gps. 

[Mainebass1984]

 It was a nice warm day, dead calm. Bluebird skies. Water temperature was 43 degrees and unfortunately the water was like chocolate milk. Super muddy.  I couldn't buy a bite with a jig, or basically anything else I tried. The only lure that I could get a bite on was a crankbait In5 hours of fishing I caught 6 bass, 4-7,4-4,3-0,3-0, 2-15 and 2-9. I had a picture worthy fish come off right at the boat. That sucked. I also had another fish come unbuttoned. Bummer. Would have liked to have landed that bigger fish. So it goes. Hopefully get out there again soon.

[A-Jay]

Sunny, Warm & light winds -  Air temps in the mid 50's & w/t's mid 40's. 

Fished a lipless bait like a blade bait - low & slow. Smallies liked it.  

Hard bottom areas were best.

A-Jay

[Mainebass1984]

33 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Sunny, Warm & light winds -  Air temps in the mid 50's & w/t's mid 40's. 

Fished a lipless bait like a blade bait - low & slow. Smallies liked it.  

Hard bottom area were best.

A-Jay

 Nice smallie AJ. What did it weigh ?

 

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, Mainebass1984 said:

 Nice smallie AJ. What did it weigh ?

 

Thanks  ~  that one was 2 Gobies & a Zebra Mussel short of a 5 lbs.

A-Jay