In honor of National Hunting and Fishing Day, my friends over at Cabela’s and Bass Pro asked me to gather some thoughts on some tips for early fall Bass fishing. This information is for everyone but mainly for those who are just getting into Bass fishing and etc. that needs some tips to catch more fish. So, lets jump straight into it! 😊
Covering water is very important during the fall months. This is the time where the shad are migrating to the shallows and bass are constantly on the hunt for an easy meal. Their main reason for this behavior is to get ready for the winter. Their main source of food during this fall season will be shad. As the shad move up shallow, the bass will be following them. It is important to throw shad like lures to catch numbers and quality. I like to throw a Swim jig because it allows you to efficiently dissect high percentage areas on a large scale without the frustrations of getting hung up. I it around laydowns as well as grass points and edges. Bumping it against the cover that the bass are on will almost guarantee a strike eventually. Also, soft plastic jerkbaits are a must have. It’s very simple to use and will pretty much get a strike every trip.
You can’t forget about the topwater action that can literally last all day with these cooler temperatures. One of my favorite topwaters to throw this time of the year is a War Eagle buzzbait. I like this lure because you can easily throw it around laydowns, scattered grass, and trees without it getting hung up and it consitently runs straight without turnin. The other topwater lures I like for the fall are a popper and walking style lure by Livingston Lures. With these lures you can slow down your presentation which allows you to stay in the strike zone a little longer.
Shallow running squarebill crankbaits is a great way to cover stretches of bank in search of some bass up shallow. My choice of crankbaits is a Livingston Lures crank bait When I am doing this. I really don’t want a crank bait running deeper than 3 ft. deep. You want to make sure you are fishing a square bill and not a round bill. The round bill crank will easily get hung up on wood and rock structure because it tends to roll when it runs into something. Squarebill crankbaits do a great job deflecting off cover. Keep in mind that when you’re working a square bill and you know you’re bout to come across some laydowns; I like to finesse the lure through that cover instead of ripping it through and that will help prevent it from getting caught up for the most part.
Bladed Jigs are another fantastic shad imitation. For me personally, I feel that this lure is a kicker fish lure. If I am fishing a tournament or just fishing for fun and I’m looking to catch a kicker fish, then the chatterbait is definitely a good choice. With the skirt, trailer, and action; it gives off a larger profile in the water which a lot of times entices those larger fish to bite. One technique I like with this lure is working it like a yoyo off the bottom. It is very effective around the base of cypress trees. Besides that, a simple cast and retrieve will do just fine along grass lines, open water, and other structure. 
Lastly, I would have to say a regular flipping jig with a plastic crawfish as a trailer. This is a very good lure to throw around cypress trees, laydowns, and docks on those days where we may have bluebird skies and the bite is slow. Hitting all the corners with a jig and working it slowly can help you put a couple of fish in the boat when they just don’t seem to be active.
Just remember that the bass will be very active during the fall season gorging on shad in the shallows. So, it’s important to match what they are feeding on and throw moving baits. There are many of other techniques that you can use to catch fish in the fall. These are just some of my favorite ways to catch them right now. In fact, you can use these techniques all year long to catch fish. I hope this information helps you out and allows you to land a couple more fish this fall.
Tight lines and God Bless!
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