“
Bass will
be moving
this time of
year, so it
won’t be too
hard to
reel one in.
“
66 | Fall 2017 | Adventure Outdoors
First and foremost, you have to know the land. If you have taken a liking to a cer-
tain area for your fall fishing excursions, it is important to know where the best
spots are, and where specific species will be lingering. For example, if you are
fishing for crappie in the fall, you will want to make sure that you’re hunkering
down near cover, like low-hanging trees, tall grasses, and shallow banks. Crappie
will be moving up into shallower water as the weather starts to cool down, be-
cause the depths of the lakes will be too cold and without much food. In the south-
ern region, the weather will still be slightly warm, so you won’t have to worry about
sticking to the shallow water as much, but it is best to judge based off of the daily
temperature.
Bass will be moving this time of year, so it won’t be too hard to reel one in. The
fall is when bass aggressively attack food to fatten up for the winter season. Be-
cause of this, they will be going after anything that moves in the water. The most
important thing when it comes to fall bass fishing: choosing your lures and bait
wisely. Live bait is usually always preferred over lures when it comes to bass be-
cause of the smell that will attract them. However, lures can be quite beneficial if
you know how to jig and crank. Another tip: go where the shad are. Bass will fol-
low the shad up to the banks, which is where they will be going for warmer water.
Go for a bobber in the shallower areas, and move it around a bit. You will have to
expect that the bass will be more lethargic during the calmer days, when the
water is cold and there are barely any breaks. At this time, it’s best to go deep
and keep little movement on some live bait.