Fall Fishing

[jbfisher]

Hey guys. I was wandering if you have any tips for fall fishing. I only started fishing a lot this summer. So all I am custom to is fishing for deep bass due to the hot summer nights we've had in KY. Im going on a weekend trip with my girlfriends dad and I'm looking for some pointers on Fall Bass. Thanks! God Bless.

[lizardsrule]

Any baitfish type baits are good. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, flukes, lighter colored buzzbaits. Anything that resembles a baitfish locally would be my first choice. If you hit them right, Fall fishing can be totally awesome. I would try to look up some sites locally and keep checking in there to see as you get closer. Live bait always works if it's just to catch fish. I mean it is your future father in-law we're talking about here LOL

Lizards

[JB]

Fall fishing here means looking for shad activity and see if the bass are working them, trouble is after awhile the whole lake has shad flippin on it LOL

Fall fishing for me is often hit or miss

[KH.]

well topwaters are the best when its fall.i like to use a popper,it resembles a baitfish.
but the best time for topwaters are fall,but if that fails always use that tiki

[Basspro wannabe]

In Arkansas the bass are just a little deeper than a spring pattern but the fall pattern is a lot like the spring pattern. The bass will also be feeding very heavy on crawdads and not as much on shad so I use a jig or tube most of the time.

[454ss]

Definitely some kind of topwater if u ask me. Maybe in a firetiger color?

[pig n jig]

The fall here in New York, look for steep angled banks, bluffs, its not uncommon to fish to 20-60 ft.depth range. I have caught smallmouth 90 feet deep before.To release the fish back when brought out of those depths you have to unlock their air bladder with a hypodermic needle 18 gauge or bigger or something that pushes them back down to the depth the bladder locked up at from being brought up too fast when you caught the fish. I use a laundry basket with a clothes line tied through the center beefed up with plywood epoxyed to the basket .I weighted the 4 corners with 3 oz. sinkers. stuff the smallmouth under it and lower the basket.Once it reaches the depth the air bladder will release and the fish will swim away.You will know if they are air locked because they will float and swim on their side when released after weigh in.just net them and take them out to deep water and lower them down to release the air.I have been going to try a drop shot rig deal with a 6- 8 oz. sinker with the barb ground off the hook and hook the fishfrom the top of the mouth down so it can pull off when the air bladder releases.Sorry for the long post. P N J

[angelus40]

when i lived in mn when i went bass fishing i threw a crayfish color crankbait
man did they nail it hard thought i lost it... it was in reaching distance alls i did was get my hunting boots on and stepped in and grabbed it with out falling in

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by pig n jig

The fall here in New York, look for steep angled banks, bluffs, its not uncommon to fish to 20-60 ft.depth range. I have caught smallmouth 90 feet deep before.To release the fish back when brought out of those depths you have to unlock their air bladder with a hypodermic needle 18 gauge or bigger or something that pushes them back down to the depth the bladder locked up at from being brought up too fast when you caught the fish. I use a laundry basket with a clothes line tied through the center beefed up with plywood epoxyed to the basket .I weighted the 4 corners with 3 oz. sinkers. stuff the smallmouth under it and lower the basket.Once it reaches the depth the air bladder will release and the fish will swim away.You will know if they are air locked because they will float and swim on their side when released after weigh in.just net them and take them out to deep water and lower them down to release the air.I have been going to try a drop shot rig deal with a 6- 8 oz. sinker with the barb ground off the hook and hook the fishfrom the top of the mouth down so it can pull off when the air bladder releases.Sorry for the long post. P N J

At what depth does this start becoming a problem? I have never done this before, but I sure don't want dead fish for a weigh in either.

Lizards

[pig n jig]

Lizards, There is no real majic number, when you hook a smallmouth alot of times they will rocket towards the surface to jump. Most times they get air locked when they either come up really fast or are brought up really fast.If you can allow your self to bring them up gradually without losing them, chances are they can be released without treating them for air bladder lock. I gave up using a needle to release the air, sometimes I have had to stick them several times before hitting the air bladder. I also killed several fish in the process of trying to revive them. P N J

[flachristopherkeene9]

Yeah we have to do this deep sea sometimes too. You can tell real easy too because they are all puffed up and their eyes are huge. My sea bass I caught was like that but oh well he didnt go back he went to the fish box

CJ

[Fish2win]

JB, You wont have fall patterns in SE KY until mid October. The fish are still on strong summer patterns and in late Sept will start transition. It seems like the water has to drop back into the 70 degree range before they will start the Fall patterns.They will stay on the fall patterns until mid to late Dec at Laurel or Cumberland as well as Norris. You will still get them cranking until the water temps drop back into the 48 or 49 degfree range and stay there. You will get a reverse movement from the channel to the creeks like in the spring. The difference is the fish will be following the bait and the bait is following the plankton.Early fall will see buzzbaits or top water baits along with Shad Raps mid fall will be grubs or jigs and crankbaits.The fish are very predictable in the fall in these highland res. Laurel will be a Smallmouth mecca in Oct Nov and Dec. If we get a snowy day with low 50 degree water temps be there. The SM love that bad weather. The full moon in Aug which is coming up will; be great for night fishing.Fish2win

[angelus40]

fish we done had the full moon five days ago the 19th

[KH.]

topwaters are actually great all year round

[1FASTLASER]

Fall fishin can be a real bummer but also can be the best. You have to follow the baitfish. I usually look for schools of shad using my electronics on main lake points and then start fishin. Usually a spinnerbait or crankbait does well for me. As the water cools start to move to the inside of the coves (following the baitfish) and still as the water gets cooler start to move back out to the main lake. I usually am back on the mainlake spots by the time the water temp is around the mid fifties.

[angelus40]

i live in sw ohio will it be the same here like JB? for fall pattern til late oct
my brother said in sept is when the fall pattern starts

[jbfisher]

OK. Thanks guys. I need all the help i can get. Gotta show my father in law up. LOL. So you say they will be still in summer activity in early october down here? Fish2Win, are you being serious about laurel fishing being good in OCT NOV and DEC? That would be a great chang. I guess I will go with the top water. Im starting fishing on Sep 30 and fishing straight up until Oct 2. LOL ill be tired, but i love to fish. Thanks for the help. Send more tips if you can.

[1FASTLASER]

One thing to remember "A bass is a Bass no matter what water he is in" They may eat a little different food but what works as far as seasonal patterns in one area will work in another just might have to use a different bait.

[Fish2win]

JB, When the leaves turn in October the SM will be on at LAUREL.Cast the secondary points in the creeks parallell to the banks in 8 to 10 feet of water.This is in 60 to 70 degree water . When the lake turns over which will probably be in early November,there will be spots everywhere. The fall fishing is keyed by water temps.The plankton will start to die off and the bait will follow the plankton back into the creeks. The bass will follow the bait.There will be days in late Oct and early Nov when the bass will just swim around under the schools of shad and feed at will.It is almost like a reverse spring movement without the spawn.
Late in Nov and in Dec the fish will become very object oriented.This is usually in 50 to 60 degree water. They will hold on anything they can such as brush stumps rocks.Since these old highland Res. dont have a lot of that type cover it makes it easier to pinpoint the fish. Here at Norris you might get 3 or 4 off every little brush top you can find.This is also complimemted by the draw down in TVA lakes.This type pattern will hold until the water temps drop into the mid 40 degree range and stay there.
Once the water temps stabilize in the mid 40's the fish will slow down and begin to suspend on steeper banks. Then it is float n fly time. This is usually in January.
JB one thing about Laurel you may be overlooking. In the summer and winter the fish will suspend in the standing timber that is so prevalent in the creeks. Try a jigging spoon straight down in the limbs,also remember that the trees had a lot more limbs when the lake was built. The ones that are in 15 to 20 feet of water may have a lot of dead wood at there base, Thats good fish holding cover in the summer.
Fall comes at different times in different parts of the country. Fall fishing in this area is usually in early to mid Oct and last until the mid Dec,
Right now at Laurel fish deep water at night. Fish2win