4 baits for fall

[billmac]

So it's early October, you're on a natural lake with both large and smallmouth.  Water temps are in the 50s.

 

You have 1 rod.  What do you tie on?

Two rods?

Three?

Four?

 

Mine

1. Jig and spinner.

2. Above, and drop shot.

3. 2. above, plus a frog.

4. Haven't decided.

[FishTank]

I usually take four rods.....

 

1. senkos weightless

2. weighted t-rigged plastic

3. crank baits 

4. jerk baits 

[billmac]

1 minute ago, FishTank said:

senkos weightless

How do you rig this?

[FishTank]

6 minutes ago, billmac said:

How do you rig this?

I use a 4/0 EWG.

[billmac]

So with it T-rigged, what size line are you using?  It looks like mono or fluoro.

[TriStateBassin106]

42 minutes ago, billmac said:

So it's early October, you're on a natural lake with both large and smallmouth.  Water temps are in the 50s.

 

You have 1 rod.  What do you tie on?

Two rods?

Three?

Four?

 

Mine

1. Jig and spinner.

2. Above, and drop shot.

3. 2. above, plus a frog.

4. Haven't decided.

1. Chatterbait 

2. Texas rig craw

3. Weedless swimbait

4 Whopper plopper.

 

I haven't really gotten into the crankbait game yet so these are my picks based on confidence alone.

[LonnieP]

I couldn’t imagine fishing in the fall without a lipless crankbait tied on.

[waymont]

1-Swimjig

2-5/16oz  finesse jig OR 3/8oz flipping jig

3-Chatter bait

4-Top Water (frog, Zara Spook Jr, buzz bait, Whopper Plopper)

[keagbassr]

1:Buzzbait

2:spinnerbait

3:bladed jig

4:jig

[Bankbeater]

Spinnerbait / Bladed Jig

Jig and craw

Shallow running crankbait

Lipless crankbait

[Dens228]

1.  Swim jig,,,,,,,,,,this is year round.  I consider chatterbaits a swim jig too.

2.  T-rig with a worm or creature of some sort............also year round.

3.  Crank bait

4.  Walking bait or popper

 

If the water has turned over and is clear enough I will replace 3 or 4 with a jerkbait. 

[Glenn]

Here are mine:

 

[5/0]

4 hours ago, FishTank said:

I use a 4/0 EWG.

Is that a GYCB Senko? If so, what number?

[BigAngus752]

5 hours ago, billmac said:

So it's early October, you're on a natural lake with both large and smallmouth.  Water temps are in the 50s.

 

You have 1 rod.  What do you tie on?

Two rods?

Three?

Four?

 

Mine

1. Jig and spinner.

2. Above, and drop shot.

3. 2. above, plus a frog.

4. Haven't decided.

I just want the "water temps in the 50's" in the "it's early October" part!.  I fished in water at 79.5 degrees all day yesterday.  

[scaleface]

I never fished a Natural Lake , so I woud take my usual big four

 

Texas rigged worm 

crankbait

spinnerbait

buzzbait

[GreenPig]

1. Bull Herring

2. Whopper Plopper 130

3. S-Waver 168

4. 8" Bull Shad

[WRB]

6 hours ago, billmac said:

So it's early October, you're on a natural lake with both large and smallmouth.  Water temps are in the 50s.

 

You have 1 rod.  What do you tie on?

Two rods?

Three?

Four?

 

Mine

1. Jig and spinner.

2. Above, and drop shot.

3. 2. above, plus a frog.

4. Haven't decided.

The key issue is water temperature in the 50's indicates to me the seasonal period for the bass is early winter. The surface aquatic vegetation has turned brown and dieing with deeper green vegetation. The baitfish are moving deeper and so are the bass.

I would do what I always do, locate the depth the bass and bait are located, they could be anywhere but experience tells me below 8'.

1. I always have jigs and worms rigged, 2 rods minimum.

2. Mid 50's surface water a crankbait rod.

3. A structure spoon rod

4. Swimbait rod.

6 rods until I figure out where the bass located.

Tom

 

[roadwarrior]

6 hours ago, FishTank said:

I usually take four rods.....

 

1. senkos weightless

2. weighted t-rigged plastic

3. crank baits 

4. jerk baits 

Nothin" to add...

 

[Columbia Craw]

It really depends on the species and the body of water but:

 

Crankbait (always)

Sexy Dawg or Spook

Chatterbait

Keitech swimbait

Dropshot-Ned rig

(spinnerbait)

[The Bassman]

6 hours ago, FishTank said:

I use a 4/0 EWG.

I find that a screw lock gets me more mileage out of a t-rigged Senko.

[FishTank]

4 hours ago, 5/0 said:

Is that a GYCB Senko? If so, what number?

I have to confess this is a googled photo.  I just picked the first one that I found that showed the same weightless rig I use.

 

As far as the color goes, I believe that is Peanut Butter & Jelly, #918.

9 hours ago, billmac said:

So with it T-rigged, what size line are you using?  It looks like mono or fluoro.

Just in case (again), I did not shoot this photo.  I should have not been lazy and take one.....

 

In my case, I use 12lb Seagur Invizx on casting gear and 6lb Trilene XL 100% FC on spinning gear.  

[primetime]

Rattle Trap

Zara Spook or weedless t rig paddle tail to swim over and in weeds

Fluke

Senko or creature bait to pitch into cover or drag hop on bottom

 

[Shimano_1]

Jerkbait, chatterbait, jig, and dt6/squarebill depending on water color and depth I was fishing 

[papajoe222]

1. White/chart swim jig with a 3-4in Kalin's grub

2. Suspending jerk bait

3. Blade bait

4. Square bill

I opt out of using soft plastics once the water temp. drops to 50. Same thing for topwater presentations.

[Deleted account]

16 hours ago, WRB said:

The key issue is water temperature in the 50's indicates to me the seasonal period for the bass is early winter.

In upstate NY, the bass think that's bath water. When it gets the consistency of a good margarita, then it's early winter. This year is so late too, but when it turns, it turns hard up there.