Fall Fishing...tips?

[Hamby]

I'll be fishing at least one more weekend this month...hopefully two. Probably be at the lake in two weeks. Last sunday, i did well in very shallow water tight to reeds with a swim jig. The surface temp was right around 57 degrees. The bass were all the way into the back of the channel. I also got a few adjacent to the deep water at the mouth of a creek channel, but not many. In a few weeks, where do you think the fish will be? If i'm unable to find them in the back of the creek channels, where should i go? The channel i caught my fish in opens up to a overwhelmingly large flat that is mostly 3-6ft deep and covered in dying/dead milfoil.

The lake is in wisconsin and has a max depth of 19ft, but that area is just a very large bowl. Just about all of the productive structure is in 8 feet or less, and i found green cabbage out to 7 feet but not much deeper. There's a strong population of big pike, so the bass aren't the dominant predators.

No need for professional guide service responses...just a few pointers from guys who have fished similar lakes successfully in the fall would help a lot.

[Bluebasser86]

As long as the temps don't drop too much I'd still be looking for fish to be fairly shallow and feeding heavy before winter. I'd start at the same areas you were catching fish at with the same baits, maybe a spinnerbait, chatterbait, fluke, or wakebait thrown into the mix also. If they aren't there then run a rattletrap or squarebill through the deeper water near the reeds. If they aren't there then try the large flat. Get out and start fancasting with a rattletrap, chatterbait, or spinnerbait. If you can see clumps of weeds, stumps, rocks, any cover make sure to run the bait close to it. They might be scattered along the flat and chasing shad or bluegills.

[Hamby]

I spent a lot of time on the weed lines near the creek channels, and ended up finding them in water as shallow as 2ft. Most in 3ft tight to the reeds and some in shallow lily pads. Go figure hey? Went from one fish in 4 hours to 12 in an additional 2 hours...kicking up mud and spooking carp the whole way.

I better make sure my battery is charged...i have a feeling i'm gonna be searching hard for a while.

[Lund Explorer]

I spent a lot of time on the weed lines near the creek channels, and ended up finding them in water as shallow as 2ft. Most in 3ft tight to the reeds and some in shallow lily pads. Go figure hey? Went from one fish in 4 hours to 12 in an additional 2 hours...kicking up mud and spooking carp the whole way.

I better make sure my battery is charged...i have a feeling i'm gonna be searching hard for a while.

Yup! As fall progresses you're going to have to do more searching to find productive water. Shallow water pads will die off just like milfoil so you're going to want to search out native cabbage that will survive in colder water. My experience has been to cover lots of water throwing topwaters, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits until I find cover holding bass. And like you, northern pike will haunt many of these same spots. When I find pike, I just move along until I get away from them. No sense in donating tackle to those toothy critters.

Not sure if your lake has any, but I always look for rapid drops too. Small points or sand/rock bars that offer bass a place to lay just onto the deep water side of the drop.

Also, one lure I always have tied on during fall is a Hopkins Spoon on one of my spinning rigs. I can't tell you how many times I've see bass chasing prey fish up onto the surface during this time of year. The spoon gives me the chance to make longer than normal casts to those distant fish where I'll work it back much like a fast moving jerkbait.

[J Francho]

Move around, and work fast. If you find one, chances are there are more. You will get tricked by a few "wandering soul" bass, but keep moving and working fast. That doesn't necessarily mean only use fast baits either. I did well the other day with a small spider grub on a football jig.

[bassgrabber1]

Keep on moving and find the deepest weeds and structure and do like what was mentioned before and throw a rattle trap. If no bites then they will be sitting where the water depth starts to get deep .....throw a 1/4oz jig and pig into the deepest weeds and you will pull up some nice fish.

[UWBass]

Hamby, I've fished this lake before, hundreds of times actually. In fact, I have a cottage right on the tip of Maple Point .

I've caught plenty of bass before right off the pier throwing a lipless crank or spinnerbait. Also, the islands are HOT in the fall, particularly Devils and Dead Island, especially if there is some wind pushing over the rocks. You'll likely catch some bonus eyes throwing a crank too. Don't be afraid to try a standard jig-grub, hopping it over the rocks or swimming on top of the weeds. Also good for bonus fish. The inlet and outlet also ALWAYS hold fish...

[Hamby]

Hamby, I've fished this lake before, hundreds of times actually. In fact, I have a cottage right on the tip of Maple Point .

I've caught plenty of bass before right off the pier throwing a lipless crank or spinnerbait. Also, the islands are HOT in the fall, particularly Devils and Dead Island, especially if there is some wind pushing over the rocks. You'll likely catch some bonus eyes throwing a crank too. Don't be afraid to try a standard jig-grub, hopping it over the rocks or swimming on top of the weeds. Also good for bonus fish. The inlet and outlet also ALWAYS hold fish...

The big white house with all the party animals? Haha.

My grandparents have a cottage on the jug side of kuno. I did well up in the jug last week. Right up against the reeds with a swim jig. Ended with 12 bass, two of them at 18 inches. Heard from a reputable source that caught two monsters a few weeks ago tight to the reeds in the jug...both around 22 inches. I also caught a monster eye last week on maple point further into the bay. 28 inches.

I fished the outlet thoroughly and only got 2 tiny guys. Plenty of bait up there, but no decent bass. Maybe they hadn't made it that far yet...indian point was being pounded by wind so i only fished it briefly with a spinnerbait.

I didn't go in to the inlet. I probably should've, but by the time i finished fishing the weedlines in the bay, i didn't have time to cover that much water.

How often are you at the lake? Send me a pm...maybe we can get out and fish some time.