BIG Baits in Fall

[BoatSquirrel]

Fall is one of my favorite times of year to catch numbers as the bass are pigging out to pack on their winter lard, as am I.  I have not really ever fished my big baits in the fall as the conventional thought is the fish are keying on the smaller bait.  I get it that they cant eat it in your tackle box, but what about it, big bait guys- do yall like lobbing the heavy stuff in the fall?  Thanks.  

[NHBull]

For me.

Jerks, topwaters, shallow CB, small swimmers, jigs

[Catt]

[Bankbeater]

I've noticed a few times around here in the fall the bass want larger baits.  This time of year if the 1/4, and 1/2 ounce sizes don't work I won't downsize I'll upsize to 3/8 and 3/4 ounce baits.

[BoatSquirrel]

For this conversation, big will mean north of 1.5 oz.  BIG!

[A-Jay]

A-Rig.

A-Jay

[Catt]

33 minutes ago, BoatSquirrel said:

For this conversation, big will mean north of 1.5 oz.  BIG!

 

Well just ignore my post ?

 

That little 1/2 oz Trap targets bigger bass not fisherman.

 

[WRB]

All the young of the year fish have grown during the summer, there isn't a lot of small baitfish in the fall. Exception would Threadfin Shad because the are smaller size baitfish.

I am using swimbaits like 68 & 8 Hudds, 8" glide baits, DD-22's and Poe 300 deep divers, jigs, 9" worms and the Shad size structure spoons a soft plastics during the fall through pre spawn. If see a lot bait the A-rigs some use.

Tom

 

[papajoe222]

I'm not a numbers guy. If I were, I'd shy away from big baits. That being said, I don't own anything 'north of 1.5oz. in my big bait arsenal. 6.5in.-8in. paddle tail swim baits, 10in. worms, creature tubes, big top waters and jigs with long trailers are my 'big baits' and they do just fine in the fall.

[Smalls]

The bullshad has gotten me a lot of bites during the fall in the past. I’ve had some success with glides, but not much. 

[GreenPig]

I'll be throwing 8"+ Bull Shads, Wake Bull, Bull Herring, Megabass Megadog, Triple Trouts, Flow Gliders, big Rats, and S-Waver 168's & 200's. I primarily throw big baits all Fall & Spring. 

[Jig Rookie]

From just the last couple weeks here in Northern Illinois.  Those baits are both 7 inches; the gill-colored one is 2.5oz, the softbait is 2.8oz with the 1/2oz 10/0 Owner Beast Hook.  Yeah, I'd say they hit big baits this time of year.

[GreenPig]

4 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

From just the last couple weeks here in Northern Illinois.  Those baits are both 7 inches; the gill-colored one is 2.5oz, the softbait is 2.8oz with the 1/2oz 10/0 Owner Beast Hook.  Yeah, I'd say they hit big baits this time of year.

Very nice.

[Spankey]

4 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

From just the last couple weeks here in Northern Illinois.  Those baits are both 7 inches; the gill-colored one is 2.5oz, the softbait is 2.8oz with the 1/2oz 10/0 Owner Beast Hook.  Yeah, I'd say they hit big baits this time of year.

Nice fish man. I have no idea what it’s like to fish 1 1/2 oz. - 2 oz. for bass. 

 

Fall pattern has not really started for me yet. My baits will not really change much. I switch up to a few more different colors but I think it’s all a head game. I have a couple of Rapala cranks that don’t even get tied on until September/October. I’m a Mental case but what can I say. 

 

Again nice fish. 

[Bluebasser86]

Only time I don't fish big baits is during the extremely cold water months. Some of my biggest swimbait fish have been in the fall and early winter on a Slammer or glide bait.

[The Bassman]

Bass don't have the instinctive ability to pack on weight for the winter. They're opportunistic feeders.  @WRB's observation would be the best reason to throw big lures in the fall.

[Bird]

My favorite fall bait is MAGNUM flukes with 5.0 hook.

If I'm fishing deep clear lakes I put a finishing nail in the nose of fluke. Lol

Big fish bait

[Jig Rookie]

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Only time I don't fish big baits is during the extremely cold water months. Some of my biggest swimbait fish have been in the fall and early winter on a Slammer or glide bait.

Blue,

 

Have you ever had any success creeping a Hudd on bottom during the winter months?  I know guys who swear by that as one of their cold-weather big baits--I just got a Savage Gear Pulse Tail trout (Savage's version of the Hudd, pic below), and I was looking forward to dragging that thing come winter.

[Bluebasser86]

6 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

Blue,

 

Have you ever had any success creeping a Hudd on bottom during the winter months?  I know guys who swear by that as one of their cold-weather big baits--I just got a Savage Gear Pulse Tail trout (Savage's version of the Hudd, pic below), and I was looking forward to dragging that thing come winter.

Nope, and I've worn the paint off the nose of a 68. Very few fish at all. 

 

I really like the pulse tail though, better than a Hudd. 

[WRB]

The fall transition to winter in lakes that don't ice over go through a turnover period.

After the turnover has mixed all the thermo layers and the water column is similar temperature top to bottom the deeper water starts to stay warmer then the colder surface water.

Why is this important?

Trout are cold water fish preferring 60 degree or cooler water temps. 

Bass are warm water fish preferring 60 degree water or warmer temps.

Bass are not going into colder water to hunt trout, trout are not going to stay deep if colder water is shallower. 

Where would you fish a trout swimbait in the fall/winter?

Answer; not on the bottom in deep in water. You want to fish the depth the bass are nearest to the trout.

Tom