What do you look for to transition from Summer to Fall tactics?

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Permalink Reply by Jordan Doucet on September 15, 2014 at 12:08pm

I look for consistency with the "lows" in night-time temperatures. When you start seeing those lows hit the low to mid 40's or even in the high 30's for a consistent period (4-5 days straight), I feel like smallmouth will start migrating out off the traditional summer weedlines or shallower structure and make their way out towards the offshore stuff more. For largemouth, you might find that you find fish in similar areas, but maybe out a little deeper than what you have been catching them in previously as it provides more consistency with water temperature fluctuations in the shallower environment. I also believe that length of day has alot to do with it and can aid in this transition for both species. 

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on September 17, 2014 at 10:13am

Thanks Jordan.  What if the Smallmouth are on semi-deep structure already?  Will they go shallow to feed then back out or stay semi-deep and just go deeper?

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on September 27, 2014 at 8:09am

Rules of thumb and bass fishing and logic always don't go together. There are always shallow smallmouth as long as there is a desirable easy food source. Fish are lazy they want the easiest way to pack on calories. Shallow and deep are such relative terms, different on every single body of water. I honestly think the largest ffish come back shallow once the water cools off a bit and if the easy food source is there. Again shallow is relative, Sammamish (20 to 25) washington (15 to 20) Wallula (3 to 8) Banks ( 5 to 10). This seems to be shallow to me on these bodies of water and zones of where I have got big fish. One other thing I should note is that alot of times you are not catching the most fish but you are catching the larger average size.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on September 28, 2014 at 8:50am

Ron has feeshy instinct.

I fished Wallula yesterday evening, and caught several 2.5lb fish in 18-23 feet.

Tossed a spinnerbait over a 6 foot deep submerged rocky spot w/current, and deep water access and got a 4 and a 3 on successive casts, one of which bit in less that 2 feet of water. All kinds of small shiny bait fish jumping shallow along the banks.

It seems to me fall fishing is about getting healed quickly. Try different things and keep your head down. You'll hate life right up until you come across ol' lady lode. Affectionally known as Mother Lode.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on September 28, 2014 at 9:35am

OK thanks guys.  Two weeks ago I was finding lady lode in 13-15ft on the east side and could not replicate that yesterday.  The only decent fish we caught were in 6-10ft.  Fall and late summer have been tough and I'm looking for a bit of insight to find locations and put the time in to see if they will produce.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on September 28, 2014 at 10:24am

I should note.... The fish that bit in 2ft, was not sitting that shallow I highly doubt. He ate it that shallow because he had to make a quick decision... But i digress.

Ryan, I'm guessing you don't have much experience, time, in the fall. I think fall bass angling, much like early spring exposes a lack of experience. All you can do is the wolsky method until you figure things out. Cast shallow. If not there turn around and cast deep.

Guys knock "spot fisherman", but there are spots in the fall that will be quite reliable. Takes time to find them.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on September 28, 2014 at 10:29am

Pretty much. I'm trying to spend time on the water to learn this fall. The spots I wanted to try had tx boats on them all day so I left them alone and went exploring. Think I may have found a new summer spot to try and an ok fall flat.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on September 28, 2014 at 7:26pm

For tournament fishing especially multi day event, Spot fishing is not how I like to go. Areas are way more reliable learn what the population of fish in any certain area do. Fish move a ton in the fall so casting toward shore works great the fish tend to hang in packs and feed in packs. Find a pack and game on. The roaming nomadic smallmouth roams the most and transitions the fastest from shallow to deep and then back again. In fall keep on the move and try alot of different approaches, but in my experience the shallow packs of fish are the easiest and largest fish to catch.

The one time where spots to come in handy is when the fish eventually make the move deep structure, it can be fast and furious or dead. When it's dead I have dropped a camera on these spots and seen 50+ K fish down there just sitting....no biters.


Jake "The Snake" Anderson said:

I should note.... The fish that bit in 2ft, was not sitting that shallow I highly doubt. He ate it that shallow because he had to make a quick decision... But i digress.

Ryan, I'm guessing you don't have much experience, time, in the fall. I think fall bass angling, much like early spring exposes a lack of experience. All you can do is the wolsky method until you figure things out. Cast shallow. If not there turn around and cast deep.

Guys knock "spot fisherman", but there are spots in the fall that will be quite reliable. Takes time to find them.