Previous
FALL BASSIN' PATTERNS
by: Jim Porter
1. Large, shallow cover areas will hold large numbers of Fall bass when conditions are reasonably stable. These will be very active fish, prone to readily take a lure. Spinner baits and free-running, vibrating crank plugs (Spot, Rat-L-Trap) produce excellent results. Fast retrieves are usually the ticket.
2. The outer edges of weed beds and stump fields may produce the most bass, if they are not found directly in the cover areas. This is always true for the larger fish. Lures here should be kept near the bottom. Experiment with retrieve speeds until the best is found. Lipped crank plugs and worms are recommended.
3. The first well-defined drop-off out past the shallow cover may be best if recent water levels or weather conditions have been unstable. Bass in these positions will be relatively inactive. Keep the lure on the bottom and the retrieve slow. A Plastic worm or jig is the first choice, followed by a slow crank plug.
4. There is always a period of good top water schooling activity in the middle of the Fall. Use top water and shallow crank plugs when casting to the breaks. When the bass go down, try to find their holding area and go with a plastic worm.
5. Early Fall bass are in a period of migration towards the shallows. Look for them along the edges of feeder tributary channels, usually near the bottom. Depending on the depth of the channel edge, use lipped crank plugs and worms.
6. Late Fall/early Winter bass will be schooling tightly on major structure breaks near deep water. Use a plastic worm or jig and pig and keep the retrieve very slow.
7. NEVER forget moving water!!
62 Views
Added: Mon Apr 07 2008
Last Modified: Fri May 15 2009
Comment on this Article Rate this Article Bookmark this Article
