Fall Bite.....what? 2024
tcbass reply :
So I remember reading that the fall time is one of the best times for bass fishing because the bass are looking to put weight on for winter and also come into the shallows to feed.
Well, it's been getting cold for awhile here in Minnesota and the fishing has gotten worse. Way worse. Before that we were catching like 10 fish in the evening as the sun went down on buzzbaits and topwater and quite a few during the day also. The last 2 times we caught 2. What's also strange is that we didn't catch any fish on Senkos under the docks for about a month but just started catching them again, maybe it's the fall thing coming in shallow. But the last 6 years we kept catching them shallow until we stopped fishing at the end of the season.
So, what's going on? Where is this awesome fall bite?
Bluebasser86 reply :
Are you trying to catch them the same way you did the last 6 years? That's a bad habit fishermen have, we try to force the fish to do what we think they should be doing instead of figuring out what they're actually doing and fishing memories instead of the moment. Had it happen to me a couple weeks ago. Lake I was at historically has a great trap bite in the fall. I caught a few on it, but not nearly as many as in years past. Switched to a bladed jig in the same areas over the tops of submerged grass and started killing them.
jaysen reply :
i noticed in ny the fall bite hasnt hit full swing yet as well. i am catching them in the shallows but not many and i have to work for them. in a few more weeks im sure it will be better. keep switching lures and you will see what they are interested in at any given day.
Tony L. reply :
The fall bite is certainly one of the best times of the year, but it is also one of the most unpredictable and difficult to pattern from day to day. At least that has been my experience of it-- I'm sure that other, better anglers than myself have more consistency. No worries, you'll catch them.
ww2farmer reply :
Fall is about size for me, not numbers. As the days get shorter and colder, the number of fish I catch go down, but the average size goes up.
einscodek reply :
I havent a clue where this idea of a fall bite is the best comes from.
Spring is clearly the best bite followed by the summer where the heat makes the bite active
In fall, they are beefing up but there are ALOT of bait in the water competing against your not-so-real lures.
I would agree the size on average goes up but based on my observations thats poundage .. the fish are packing it on but its the same big fish from the spring and summer
IMO, winter is the worst bite followed by fall..
that said, I am still catchin them.. my yields have fallen alil from summer but I am still catchin lots of fish but I expect this to slow more and more into the fall until Thanksgiving where I pack it in and start packing on the turkey!
J Francho reply :
On 9/23/2014 at 7:19 PM, ww2farmer said:Fall is about size for me, not numbers. As the days get shorter and colder, the number of fish I catch go down, but the average size goes up.
I can relate to this. I don't experience the "feedbag mode" that all the articles and pros' pitches about fall fishing talk about. Bigger fish seem to get a little more predictable, and less scattered.
papajoe222 reply :
Are you limiting yourself to fishing around sunset? If so, you may be missing the best action. Although bass may feed mor often, or for longer periods, their activity level will still have peaks and valleys. I've noticed a big change in the location of fish in the water column in the past week. The majority of fish I'm catching now are in the top of the water column and last week the majority were in the lower reaches. The time of day has been a significant factor.
Just because the fish may be fattening up, does not mean catching them will become easier.
WRB reply :
Take a few minutes and study The Cosmic Clock ( few pages back in this forum).
Fall is a transition period from summer to winter and for bass water temperature, not air temps, combined with shorter day light signals fall. Water temps (at the depth the bass are at) between 68-58 degrees changes where the bass locate. The bass are moving from summer locations to deeper water, they follow their food source as aquatic vegetation dies off or turn from green to brown.
Bass are moving deeper, not moving up shallower; fall down, spring up.
If you fish the same areas as pre spawn, the fall locations are similar.
Tom
PS, 55-40 is winter for bass.
Raul reply :
On 9/23/2014 at 11:53 AM, tcbass said:So I remember reading that the fall time is one of the best times for bass fishing because the bass are looking to put weight on for winter and also come into the shallows to feed.
Fall/Autumn 
..... must be one of them "Northern" things...... so I can´t contribute much to the conversation, we don´t have that down here. 
Lemme think, fall ? Oh yeah ! now I get it ! it´s when temps are no longer above 100° and drp to around the mid 80´s. 
Mainebass1984 reply :
I love the fall bite. Big fish become somewhat predictable. The pattern changes and the most effective lures change as well. The average size goes way up, the number of 3 lbers caught goes up. The numbers can suffer if you aren't on fish. Fall fishing surely is different then any other season. You can still have amazing days in the fall. The chances of trophy bass goes up. I would consider fall fishing in new England when the water temps get below 68 degrees. Lately the water temps I have been seeing in VT and ME has been 62-64 degrees. The bite slows down number wise once it hits 50 degrees. You got to fish real slow then and sometimes very deep 40 ft or so but the average size of fish is still very good. I have my best luck for huge bass in spring and fall. Lots of anglers fish in the spring. Once fall hits there is far less activity on the water. All the summer visitors are gone, some, fisherman have packed it up for the year, and a bunch of people are hunting. More often then not in the fall especially the late fall you have the whole lake to yourself which can only work to your benefit. I have found that in new England fall bass tend to congregate in specific areas. Once you find them it can be amazing. This is very true of Lake Champlain. Once your on a school of bass the amount of fish you can catch is incredible. If your limited to shore or in time then the fishing can seem difficult. Some of the best fishing is during the warmest ties of the day in the fall usually between 10-2. I am taking my vacations this fall. It is the best time of year in my opinion for trophy bass.
WRB reply :
Your days get shorter and nights a little cooler south of the border, should be a slight seasonal change.On 9/24/2014 at 12:51 AM, Raul said:Fall/Autumn
..... must be one of them "Northern" things...... so I can´t contribute much to the conversation, we don´t have that down here.
Lemme think, fall ? Oh yeah ! now I get it ! it´s when temps are no longer above 100° and drp to around the mid 80´s.
Tom
Chris S reply :
On 9/23/2014 at 11:53 AM, tcbass said:So, what's going on? Where is this awesome fall bite?
Out in Kansas I start looking for the shad to be pushed up into the creeks and look for the bait fish and just match the hatch with a lipless or squarebill.
tcbass reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 12:45 AM, WRB said:Take a few minutes and study The Cosmic Clock ( few pages back in this forum).
Fall is a transition period from summer to winter and for bass water temperature, not air temps, combined with shorter day light signals fall. Water temps (at the depth the bass are at) between 68-58 degrees changes where the bass locate. The bass are moving from summer locations to deeper water, they follow their food source as aquatic vegetation dies off or turn from green to brown.
Bass are moving deeper, not moving up shallower; fall down, spring up.
If you fish the same areas as pre spawn, the fall locations are similar.
Tom
PS, 55-40 is winter for bass.
Great info, thanks!
On 9/24/2014 at 2:08 AM, Chris Schauer said:Out in Kansas I start looking for the shad to be pushed up into the creeks and look for the bait fish and just match the hatch with a lipless or squarebill.
Way too weedy in this local lake for any type of crankbait. That's why we use topwaters and Senkos.
Also, no shad in this lake.
J Francho reply :
Quote
Also, no shad in this lake.
What's the forage base? How big a lake? What type of lake?
Chris S reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 2:56 AM, J Francho said:What's the forage base? How big a lake? What type of lake?
or even where are you?? 
roadwarrior reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 2:59 AM, Chris Schauer said:or even where are you??
Minnesota
Chris S reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 3:06 AM, roadwarrior said:Minnesota
in that case those weeds will be dead by next week guessing there is blue gil in there?
J Francho reply :
Minnesota lakes have shad... How do you know there NO SHAD in them?
Swampstud reply :
Here in michigan were just coming out of our first cold front. It was about a week long. Before the water temp was 75-77, i was able to get out on day 5-6 of said cold front. Water dropped to 59-63. I nailed em up ender docks on a texas rig rage craw when it was warm. First day fishin in cold front i couldnt figure out much, 1 keeper n few dinks. Fished the next day with a jig and once again nailed em. They havent moved at all, i do actually find tho they move shallower until a certain point then retreat. Last year i cought a 5.5+ in 5ft of water/stump side of xmas tree in 43°water. im sure every lake fishes different in the fall. Good luck!
tcbass reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 2:56 AM, J Francho said:What's the forage base? How big a lake? What type of lake?
I think mostly bluegill, bass, and crawdads. I've never heard or seen shad in this lake. It's in the Twin Cities, which is central MN. 1,268 acres with an avg depth of 8 feet and maximum of 37. Lots of big muskies in it.
Don't know what type of lake it is.
J Francho reply :
If there aren't shad, there's shiners in there.
WRB reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 4:26 AM, tcbass said:I think mostly bluegill, bass, and crawdads. I've never heard or seen shad in this lake. It's in the Twin Cities, which is central MN. 1,268 acres with an avg depth of 8 feet and maximum of 37. Lots of big muskies in it.
Don't know what type of lake it is.
Musky eat big baitfish like walleyes, perch, suckers, ciscoes and small bass. When bass are not the primary predator, they stay near cover as long s possible, so does their prey or they become part of the food chain.On 9/24/2014 at 4:26 AM, tcbass said:I think mostly bluegill, bass, and crawdads. I've never heard or seen shad in this lake. It's in the Twin Cities, which is central MN. 1,268 acres with an avg depth of 8 feet and maximum of 37. Lots of big muskies in it.
Don't know what type of lake it is.
I doubt that shad are in your lake as it freezes over for a few months each year, located in MN.
Sudden water temperature changes of 10 degrees have a major affect on bass, takes time to make those adjustments.
If the water temps stabilize before the lake freezes, you should be able to catch more bass.
Your lake is either a natural lake or a reservoir. Most MN natural lakes are aging, (mesotrophic) filling with silt and have heavy weed growth, the bass still must seek out the warmest water to survive....look for springs and rocky areas where the water is warmer and crawdads can hide.
Tom
mjseverson24 reply :
This time of year in MN is probably the best time for bass fishing... once you figure out the pattern it can be just incredible. that being said the patters at this time of year can be very odd especially during the turnover period. typically this time of year the north east corner of the lake will be the warmest and get the best sunlight, so the vegetation will stay healthier the longest (which will keep the baitfish around longer) also at this time of year in MN i notice that the steeper the breaklines and dropoffs hold more fish consistently than the more gradual sloping areas. I also seem to target lakes with cleaner clearer water at this time of year as the fish tend to be on the deep weed edges and since the weeds are depleated the fish zone is fairly small and concentrated. I approach this time of year with a combination of finesse, searchbaits, and powerfishing tactics depending on the pattern of the day. Crankbaits on the outside weededges in fall is a pattern that is as consistent as any, so if you are hiving trouble finding fish look for the healthiest weed edges you can find then grab your favorite crankbaits and locate the active fish, then slowing down with a jig/T-rig or a dropshot is a great way to catch tons of bass in the fall in MN. if you have dirty water and muskies maybe a squarebill in the shallows will work well as the bass are sometimes reluctant to go into the deep water for fear of the muskies. good luck in your search.
Mitch
OperationEagle reply :
tcbass: agree that the bite has been tough the past few weekends....I think it is the unstable and high pressure systems that have plagued us this fall. I am hoping we will get some relief this weekend. I try to watch what is coming across Montana on WED/THRS in prep for the weekend in MN.
Last two weekends I predicted conditions would be tougher...beautiful days but not for the bite. From what I have been reading and my own experience, I predicted right.
Hang in there, I am keeping fingers crossed that this weekend will be more like the fall fishing we have been waiting for...any improvement would be welcome from my perspective! Just makes it tough when the (open water) season is so short. Next year I think C&R season starts a bit earlier which is great news.
FrogTosser88 reply :
Lately the fishing has been great here.. Alot of big fish going for spinnerbaits..
Im like you in the spring... Everyone talks about the spawn and how amazing it is..
This spring, I fished the delta for the first time and saw 10lb+ females and one that had to be 15lb just sit there as I slap her in the face with every bait known to man.....
So my next challenge is to figure out tye spring... Sounds like you got to figure out what works there in the fall...
Good luck man.. Lol
boostr reply :
Could be possible there aren't any shad or shiners in some lakes in Minnesota. Up here in North Jersey the lakes I've been to have no shad or shiners just sunnies, perch, and crawpapys.
einscodek reply :
How about released shiners and shad from fishermen bait buckets.. you think they've a chance to survive the winter here?
ColdSVT reply :
I had a tough time last week but i managed a few...hitting it again today with some of my fav fall baits and a few new ones too...its only 45f out now with clear skies and and a high of 70 forcast
Driftb reply :
Fishing in the Delaware river, the smallies really go on the feed in fall. I'll agree that numbers may go down somewhat, but average size increases, and we do catch many of the biggest bass of the year in the fall. The best walleye fishing will also get into gear, and there are lots of times you can catch a walleye one cast, the a bass the next. We are usually into good numbers of smallies until water temps are in the low forties, and sometimes we get on blitzes right on the edge of new forming ice. Early Fall the fish should be shallow, but look for the best bite in the warmest parts of the day. You may need to slow down your presentation too. The biggest issue I see with people not catching fish is they fish too fast and don't move enough. In the fall, keep moving until you find fish, the soak the area. My #1 fav way to catch fish once the water gets cold is with a suspendnig jerkbait. As a matter of fact, last week bass turned off the soft plastic somewhat and I puilled out a #10 x-rap. The fishing had been very slow until I tried the x-rap, but the rap got a bite almost every cast.
ColdSVT reply :
My buddy pagreg andi did pretty good in north central pa...good smally bite tonight! Got a few decent largies too
Smokinal reply :
jerkbait
hoosierbass07 reply :
I've been kayaking fishing on the weekends the last few months and noticed last Sunday the bass I caught were larger than all the ones I've caught during the summer. I even banked fish and on my fifth cast I caught a bass larger than the ones I've been catching during the summer. That has me thinking - bass fishing is all about spring and fall and maybe what others say about summer is true - summer bass fishing is difficult. Anyway, I can't wait for this weekend to get out and go after them again. I'm hoping for at least one nice sized bass.
tcbass reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 8:36 PM, Driftb said:Fishing in the Delaware river, the smallies really go on the feed in fall. I'll agree that numbers may go down somewhat, but average size increases, and we do catch many of the biggest bass of the year in the fall. The best walleye fishing will also get into gear, and there are lots of times you can catch a walleye one cast, the a bass the next. We are usually into good numbers of smallies until water temps are in the low forties, and sometimes we get on blitzes right on the edge of new forming ice. Early Fall the fish should be shallow, but look for the best bite in the warmest parts of the day. You may need to slow down your presentation too. The biggest issue I see with people not catching fish is they fish too fast and don't move enough. In the fall, keep moving until you find fish, the soak the area. My #1 fav way to catch fish once the water gets cold is with a suspendnig jerkbait. As a matter of fact, last week bass turned off the soft plastic somewhat and I puilled out a #10 x-rap. The fishing had been very slow until I tried the x-rap, but the rap got a bite almost every cast.
Was it LM or SM on X-Rap?
einscodek reply :
Well I went out this morning for a few hours post-frontal which isnt a great thing to do in the fall but heck I aint got anything better to do.. but dang well nearly got skunked. Landed 2 bass no bigger than 14" but I tell ya their bellies were round so they were kinda round and cute .. definitely putting on some pounds in prep for winter.
So I'd say the bass know its fall.. now we just gotta figure them out when we get out there..
OperationEagle reply :
OP: Went out there this morn (SAT) until mid afternoon and landed 2 both one around 12 and the other 14. They were both shallow. Got 'em on brush hogs.
Spent much of the time trying to get them to bite in deeper water to no avail. Overall a slow day. Barometric pressure remains high but I hoped the stability over the past few days would get them to bite more.
Will try again tomorrow at a different lake.
tcbass reply :
On 9/28/2014 at 6:15 AM, OperationEagle said:OP: Went out there this morn (SAT) until mid afternoon and landed 2 both one around 12 and the other 14. They were both shallow. Got 'em on brush hogs.
Spent much of the time trying to get them to bite in deeper water to no avail. Overall a slow day. Barometric pressure remains high but I hoped the stability over the past few days would get them to bite more.
Will try again tomorrow at a different lake.
Cool. Thanks for the update. I went to go tomorrow.
How did you rig your super hogs?
OperationEagle reply :
On 9/28/2014 at 7:56 AM, tcbass said:Cool. Thanks for the update. I went to go tomorrow.
How did you rig your super hogs?
Texas rigged w a mid size (cant remember the wt) split shot. I used watermelon red(?). I got two other strikes; one I lost near the boat, the other broke my line. Boated 2 out of the 4...have had better days but worse also.
Tomorrow looks like a beauty which means patience will be needed! Watched the pressure levels coming in from the SSE as the system has been coming from that direction. High but stable pressure remains...hope next week will be a bit lower. Good luck!
ColdSVT reply :
And a warming trend for the next few days to throw a wrench into my plan lol
Followed by a mean cold front this coming weekend right before a tourny on sunday...lol i love fall!
I gonna make my practice session this week interesting,
OperationEagle reply :
TCBASS: Hope you got out there today. They were biting for sure. Used a black and blue terminator 1/4 oz jig with a black and blue baby brush hog as a trailer.
Got 5 today all between 14-18 inches. Bite seemed to shut off around noon. All were in about 9 fow.
aavery2 reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 12:45 AM, WRB said:Take a few minutes and study The Cosmic Clock ( few pages back in this forum).
Fall is a transition period from summer to winter and for bass water temperature, not air temps, combined with shorter day light signals fall. Water temps (at the depth the bass are at) between 68-58 degrees changes where the bass locate. The bass are moving from summer locations to deeper water, they follow their food source as aquatic vegetation dies off or turn from green to brown.
Bass are moving deeper, not moving up shallower; fall down, spring up.
If you fish the same areas as pre spawn, the fall locations are similar.
Tom
PS, 55-40 is winter for bass.
Tom, what you stated is interesting, but I don't think that it fully accounts for lakes where the predominant forage is shad. In our neck of the woods, as the water cools, the plankton is found in the warmer more shallow water, like the backs of creeks. The shad need the plankton to survive so they leave the main lake and migrate to the shallow warmer water where there food source in more plentiful, the bass are usually not far behind. Once the water gets cold, the bass return to their main lake haunts.
So in many of the lakes I fish if you want to find the bass in the fall, you target the backs of creeks. (Swimjigs, Chatterbaits, and Squarebills)
WRB reply :
Threadfin shad eat phytoplankton, other shad like Gizzard shad eat both zooplankton and phytoplankton. The sun raises phytoplankton near the surface, the warmer water activates the Zooplankton. Creek arms provide shelter from wind the mixes the water, more stable ecosystem, until the water drops below 55 degrees. Find the prey, the bass will be nearby! Our small SoCal lakes are like a big lakes deep creek arm, the bass are already there and just follow the bait. When the bait goes down deeper, the bass go deeper.
In the fall you can locate massive schools of shad with no bass around at that moment. When this happens note the direction the school is moving (watch the birds) and get ahead of them near a hump or point that compresses the school, the should be there waiting.
Tom
deep reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 12:45 AM, WRB said:If you fish the same areas as pre spawn, the fall locations are similar.
Tom, when you say pre-spawn locations, are you indicating (structures in) the lower third of a reservoir (or a creek arm for a large lake)?
Also, another clarification regarding plankton eaters. Let's say there are no shad/ shiners, but don't minnows or other small fish eat plankton (not sure, but I always thought so), maybe attracting 'gills or crappies and setting up a food chain? I do catch a few kicker grade fish in the upper third part in late fall- early winter. Not a whole bunch of them, but enough to make it worthwhile to check shallower spots out. Just trying to understand how nature works here. (NLMB bass, by the way.)
Thanks,
jignfule reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 12:51 AM, Raul said:Fall/Autumn
Lemme think, fall ? Oh yeah ! now I get it ! it´s when temps are no longer above 100° and drp to around the mid 80´s.
Cruel !!!!!
WRB reply :
Phytoplankton is vegetable, zooplankton is animal, Threadfin shad are vegetarian almost all other prey fish are carnivores, including young of the year bass, bluegill, crappie,catfish, gizzard shad and most minnows.
Bass prefer the smaller Threadfin shad over larger gizzard shad. Threadfin hide in cover during low light periods and at night, a reason the bass are tight to cover early morning and later evening.
The lower 1/3rd of a reservoir is warmer during the winter, cooler during the summer as deep water is slow to react to temperature changes.
Bass stag near spawning areas during the spring and regroup near the same areas during fall.
Tom
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