Is smallmouth fishing good in the fall?
Fall is one of my favorite times to catch smallmouth, because the fish move shallow and they’re super aggressive. With the days getting shorter and water temperatures starting to drop, they put the feed bag on, and it gets to be a blast. The fish will run up and down those grass lines pretty good in the fall.
What do you use for smallmouth in the fall?
Top Five Fall Baits For Smallmouth Bass with Ben Nowak
- 1.) Medium Diving Crank Bait (12-15 foot diving)
- 2.) Swimbait.
- 3.) Wobble Head.
- 4.) A Rig.
- 5.) Finesse Tube.
How deep are smallmouth in the fall?
As September surrenders to October and beyond, smallmouths move deeper still. Their love of structure turns into a passion, as they hold on vertical drops from 10 to 20 feet deep. Favored presentations become jigging spoons while using sonar to position the boat over the pack.
Where do River smallmouth go in fall?
Find areas with depth changes and a little current and force that crankbait off the bottom of the river. In the fall, smallmouth will usually go shallow for meals. I’ve found that they tend to stay shallow all-day long. This will lead to smallmouth being in predictable areas, close to shore or on some type of flat.
What is the best bait to catch smallmouth bass?
Smallmouth Bass Fishing Baits Some of the most productive lures for stream smallmouth fishing are 1/4-ounce spinnerbaits and buzz baits. Soft plastic lures, such as spider-style plastic grubs (rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads), tube baits, jerk baits and 6-inch plastic worms are also popular.
How do you catch big bass in the fall?
Jigs are always noted for catching big bass so try pitching a flipping or finesse style jig around shallow cover or dragging a football jig in deep water. Bumping a Texas-rigged creature bait along the bottom is another effective technique for tricking heavyweight bass in the fall.
What do smallmouth bass eat in the fall?
September brings a shift in smallmouth diet from crayfish to baitfish. Cooling waters slow crayfish molting and activity, and ubiquitous young-of-the-year baitfish reach a size that makes them worth eating. In building their energy reserves, the bigger smallmouths eat these smaller minnows but prefer the larger ones.
Where do river fish go in the fall?
During fall, bait fish are usually found hundreds of yards away from structure and in open water. You can use your sonar to locate them or just look for bait fish skimming across the water being chased by hungry fish. Circling and diving birds are also an indication of bait fish locations.
What is the best time of day to catch smallmouth bass?
The best time of day for smallmouth bass fishing is either first thing in the morning from dawn until a few hours past sunrise or in the late afternoon a few hours before sunrise until dusk.
What colors do smallmouth bass like?
In my experience the best smallmouth bass fishing colors are: brown, green pumpkin, black, white, chartreuse and yellow. However, there are certain factors that should play a role in your color selection process such as water conditions, time of year, bass forage and light penetration.
Can you catch smallmouth bass in the fall?
If you fish on the right days and in the right way, (that is, if you don’t mind bundling up and fishing exceedingly slow) end-of-fall smallmouth bass fishing can be truly impressive.
What are the three falls of smallmouth bass?
Third, fall fishing is much more weather-dependent than summer smallmouthing. This all means that to be consistently successful, a late-season angler needs to understand the 3 falls of smallmouth bass for the specific rivers he or she fishes.
When do smallmouth bass change to minnow diet?
Depending on the latitude and that year’s weather, the early fall period can occur anywhere from early September to early October. One big change from summer is the smallies’ switch from crayfish to a minnow diet. They will still eat some craws, but on most waters cooler temps make crayfish less active and available.
How to catch smallmouth bass on Lake Ontario?
Through years of experience, Cousvis has identified two main patterns for success when fishing Lake Ontario – proximity to deep water and perch. He will seek out areas near wintering holes smallmouth use. “On Lake Ontario, I want to have depth, at least 50 feet nearby.