Late Fall Tactics Question

[Valascus]

Alright fellas. Here's the story. I am going fishing this Saturday. Around here the weather has been WEIRD. Since Tuesday we have had air temps in the high 50's and low 60's for highs and anywhere from the mid 30's to mid 40's for lows with sunny to partly cloudy skies without a single drop of rain. The pattern looks to hold up through thr rest of the week without a change until Sunday. Saturday is calling for low in the lower 40's with a high in the low 60's and partly cloudy.

The area I will be fishing has grass, wood, and chunk rock close by and isn't horrifically deep (8-12ft...I think). I don't know what the water temp is, but assume that the unseasonablely warm weather will have the fish biting a little more aggressively than they normally would this time of year. The water is stained and the bottom transitions from chunk rock on a 45 degree drop from the shore to mud where the angle finally bottoms out with laydowns about every 15-40 ft at the same 45 degree angle to the shore.

Now, I know some tactics that seem to work (or so I hear) around this time of year are slow fished jigs, hard jerkbaits, traps, and Senkos and Ikas fished super slow. I am sure I am definately leaving some presentations out seeing that I am bad at late fall and winter fishing. The key word in all presentations sems to be ultra slow. If anyone can maybe bounce a couple of presentation ideas at me to help me get a fresh set of brains on the fishing conditions I would appreciate it very much. Keep in mind that I will be fishing from the shore. Thanks again for any replies and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

[dizzy5868]

What kind of bass are in this lake? Largemouth and or smallies? Also where are you located?

Rob

[Valascus]

All bass are of the green variety. Location: Saint Louis, MO.

[Prinler]

my .02

I had luck with Kastmasters. Wally World carries two sizes... i used the small one and caught a 14" LMB Tons of 8"ers for fun and a few pan fish for eating.

In reeds, 6 foot of water, end of a cove, clear water, 60's temp slightly cloudy sky

Also here in california the bass are also biting Panther Martin spinners with verious collor tails. If you have to go deep use a rat l trap. Those have the bass all pist off.

[Valascus]

I can add some more to this as well. Forage for these fish are small baitfish such as bluegill, redear sunfish, small crappie, crayfish, and frogs.

[dizzy5868]

I would start by targeting any sort of structure, wood, docks or rock piles. Rig up a spinning reel with a 4" senko type bait wacky rigged with a circle hook, in a red shad color. Fish it weightless as close to the cover as you can it. Let it fall and leave the bail open. DO NOT MOVE IT, let it sit there for a good 30-45 sec. Give it a little twitch and wait another 20 sec.Watch your line, you won't feel the bite. This also works well in grass and pads. Use a kahle hook in grass, it's a pretty weedless. If there are some baitfish blowing up try a silver shad color or smoke. If it's sunny and there are docks to fish. Put the boat so you can skip the baits all the way under the dock, right to the shore. The technique works you just have to give it a chance. This will work in water to 20'. Let the bait make it's own action.

Rob

[Cigarlover 1]

I'm up in Mass so it's been a little colder than your neck of the woods. I've been out the last 2 wks and caught LMB on a Rapala Shallow Shad Rap and Storm Wild Eye Swim Bait. Wasn't fishing them slow just a normal retreive speed.

Good Luck this weekend. Be safe.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I'm planning on going out sunday.

here is my battle plan.  Start off with a jerkbait, jig, tube.  As the water warms up in the afternoon switch over to the crank and spinnerbait.  I'm going to focus on laydowns, weeds if any are left, and chunk rock points.

[WhiteMike1018]

Those fish are going to be transitioning for winter. Slow lures, very slow being said that. The fish mightve already moved to their deep haunts, i would go to the deepest part of the lake AS SOON as you hit the water and carefully watch your graph, if the fish are suspended or a few feet off the bottom in a lot of numbers, immediately swtich to a small jig/dropshot/ or spoon...if you dont find any on the grpah near the strcuture move up to shallower structure. thats just what i would do imho

[Brian_Reeves]

Not sure if the what the water temp is, but if it's over 50, I'd try to get some reaction strikes with spinnerbaits.  1/2-3/4 with small willow blades should do the trick is most areas.  It's a bait for burning through the water.  if the temp is below 50 or so, then jigs, colorado bladed spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and senkos should do the trick.  

In cold water, the bass don't need to eat as often, so 'feeding strikes' (IE REEAALL SLOW) fishing may or may not work.  Don't forget to try to get them to nail a bait (colorado bladed spinnerbait) based on their reaction strike behavior.  It's worth a shot.

[Valascus]

Here is a pretty rough sketch of the lake. I usually fish it from the bank, however this time I am considering renting a boat as it only costs $5 at the visitors center of the reserve. I usually fish the northwest corner of the lake as it is closest to the deepest water since the entire north bank is the dam for the lake. I figure the quick transistion from shallow to deep and the presence of laydowns, chunkrocks, and weeds (if any are left) offers prime fish location. I haven't really fished many other parts of the lake in as much detail as that northwestern area. With the boat I am considered fishing the northern side of the larger island. The fish will probably be relating to it as structure, but I will still try my normal stompin' area.

I will probably start out much like GMAN suggested in the cooler time of the day...the only difference is I may throw a topwater for a few mins just to test to see if the bit is on or not, then I'll switch to the jerkbaits. Hopefully it's a good day...if nothing else at least the weather is going to cooperate. 8-)

[dink]

pm sent

[Fatman1267MM]

We have pretty much the same weather pattern as you are fishing here in Kansas City.  Hawgin and I were out last Friday and slayed them on both colorado and willow spinnerbaits.  Mostly Chartruese and Black, also shad pattern.  We also caught several on a texas rigged sweet beaver in watermelon red flake or the new beast in a watermelon black flake.  Fish the t-rig with no bigger than a 1/4 oz. weight and just let it settle to the bottom, then work it in real slow. The SB's were working both slow rolled and about medium speed.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

You just need a better lake map,lol  j/k   ;D

[Bud]

Valascus

I am at Ky lake and we are having the same weather as you.  

The temp was in the high 50 with water at 49.9 degree.   I fish Friday and caught then on a bone LC jerkbait.   I also caught a few on a watermelon tube.    Both was fished slow in about 7 ft of water.  

I believe the Bass is begining to move back to deep water.

[BD]

How did you do?

[Valascus]

How did you do?

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1164549776

There ya go. It wasn't a bad day, but the fishing was definately tough. awesome weather for late Nov. though.

[BD]

Very cool, and nice photo. I took some this weekend too