Late Season Bass Tactics

[Glenn]

Do not give up on bass too early this fall. Some of the best bass fishing of the year is still to come. Shallow cranks, spinner baits and traps should be part of your Late Season Bass Tactics.

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/fall-bass-tactics.html

[SammyLee]

Great advice Glenn (and Mr. Petersen as well), thanks.  

It's hard for me, who started bass fishing this spring, to imagine that today, Labor day would be the end of bass fishing. Heck, I've been waiting for some cooler days and cooler water to really get em going.  It's already started, to some degree, here in West Tennessee.  I picked up seven on topwater Saturday and three yesterday.  It's 0500 and I am doing final gear selection to be fishing at 0600.

There is no "winter hibernation" in Florida, right?  I will be very unhappy if I have to go from November to April and not fish.  And surely, here in West Tennessee, on a warm, sunny, winter day, I can still get a few here and there, right?

[Shane J]

This past Thursday and Friday were 2 of my best days fishing so far this year, including my new PB. The topwater action has been incredible, but it was a shallow pond, also, so like Glenn said cranks and spinners will definitely continue to catch you fish. I think this fall transition period is very exciting!

[skillet]

There is definitely NO "winter hibernation" here in the Mid-South ...

skillet

[DINK WHISPERER]

I cannot wait for the fall here in FL. The shallows get absolutely crazy! Rage Tails and spinnerbaits will rule for sure! Great tips Glenn!

[cart7t]

Fall in the midwest finds shad schools moving into the shallows, especially in the afternoons and becoming meals for the bass.  Bass will follow into the shallows and hang on cover ends waiting to pick them off as a pod swims by or they'll work in a school and corral them up against a bank in a pocket.  Fall is always my favorite time of the year even with the turnover which tends to sour the fishing for a bit.  

[JLBomber]

on crawdad crank... yesterday

8-)

[Koop]

Great article, a lot of truth to it.  Fall spinnerbaits is my 2nd favorite way to fish... right after summer frogging  ;D

[JDK.]

here in tennessee my favorite fishing is sept. through feb. and best part is you have the lake mostly to yourself

[MALTESE FALCON]

Great information Glenn.

Here on St. Clair, the Fall pattern is already starting. Last week, every smallie I caught was on a spinnerbait, lipless crankbait, or shallow crankbait.

Another thing about Fall fishing is, the big girls come out to play. Last week I caught four smallies that weighed 4#, one 5#, and two 6+#. It's a fun time to be fishing.

Falcon

[senko_77]

Good article but there is one major thing I disagree with.  

Here's a quote from the article....

"Many times I will use a double willow combination instead of a single Colorado bladed bait. This again is a speed factor. I can work the double willow slower than I can a Colorado bladed bait, which keeps it in the bass zone longer."

This is exactly opposite of what it should be.  If your using a double willow then you need to be burning that bait.  If you want a slow, thumping retrieve, use a colorado blade, and to slow it down more you need to up the size of the colorado blade.

[Quinte bass]

Good article but there is one major thing I disagree with.

Here's a quote from the article....

"Many times I will use a double willow combination instead of a single Colorado bladed bait. This again is a speed factor. I can work the double willow slower than I can a Colorado bladed bait, which keeps it in the bass zone longer."

This is exactly opposite of what it should be. If your using a double willow then you need to be burning that bait. If you want a slow, thumping retrieve, use a colorado blade, and to slow it down more you need to up the size of the colorado blade.

Yes, that had me puzzled too....for slow (and high in the water if desired)  I always elected for colorado blades....

[ChiCityBasser]

I've had some success over the weekend using a couple of shallow running crankbaits..Bandit Footloose and Strike King 1XS along with a 1/4 oz Strike King Spinnerbait with a larger Copper Colorado Blade.

The water has been muddy in the one shallow area of the small lake I have fished and caught 10 over the weekend not including the ones that got off due to my own fault.

[Redlinerobert]

Great article!

[RoLo]

Good article but there is one major thing I disagree with.

Here's a quote from the article....

"Many times I will use a double willow combination instead of a single Colorado bladed bait. This again is a speed factor. I can work the double willow slower than I can a Colorado bladed bait, which keeps it in the bass zone longer."

This is exactly opposite of what it should be. If your using a double willow then you need to be burning that bait. If you want a slow, thumping retrieve, use a colorado blade, and to slow it down more you need to up the size of the colorado blade.

Exactly Ryan  

[senile1]

Good article but there is one major thing I disagree with.

Here's a quote from the article....

"Many times I will use a double willow combination instead of a single Colorado bladed bait. This again is a speed factor. I can work the double willow slower than I can a Colorado bladed bait, which keeps it in the bass zone longer."

This is exactly opposite of what it should be. If your using a double willow then you need to be burning that bait. If you want a slow, thumping retrieve, use a colorado blade, and to slow it down more you need to up the size of the colorado blade.

Exactly Ryan

Good catch, Ryan.  

[Big Phish]

Thanks.  Those crankin' pointers are gunna help.

[Catt]

Y'all aint never slow rolled a Stanley Wedge?

That what Lonnie designed this lure to do