backs of creeks , anywhere you have edges and turns ; that ’ s where the shad are really going to stack up .

“ Also , if there ’ s hydrilla in the lake or river , you ’ ll find shad gathering around the point where it goes from no grass to a solid wall . The thing about shad is that they ’ re always swimming . It ’ s like if you put a wind-up toy in a box , eventually they ’ re going to end up in the corner .”

When It Happens To properly frame this , let ’ s look at what bass like and dislike :

Likes Sunrise : It ’ s like opening a new jar of peanut butter ; first crack at something good . That ’ s how bass view that cracko ’ -dawn period when gilded fingers reach into their world and flip on the light switch .

Sunset : Same as daybreak , but there will always be a little extra giddy-up when predators know their prime feeding times are ending .

Full moons : As long as the sky remains clear , the big night light allows fish to enjoy nocturnal feeding . For a few days before , during and after the big moon phase , expect fantastic after-hours fishing , but the following day might be slow if the fish wake up with full bellies . Give ‘ em time and they ’ ll be back at it for the afternoon shift .

Mild Weather : Fall inherently brings a cooling of air and water temperatures , but it ’ s the sharp declines that can rattle the scene . This is particularly important when considering overnight temperatures . Cooling days are easily managed , as fish respond to diurnal warming . However , when nights take a significant plunge of

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10 degrees or more , expect a slower start the following morning .

Pre-Front : Cold fronts play a major role in the seasonal transition and , while there ’ s definitely a big-picture application , you don ’ t want to miss the short-term impacts . Barometric fluctuation , especially downward movement , always seems to stimulate the fish , but factoring in the looming sense of fall motivation and the day or two before a front passes through , the fish will just about chew the motor off the transom . Darkening skies , blustery conditions , increasing rain chances — it ’ s not pretty , but such can be the making of a banner fall day .

Dislikes Post-Front : On the flip side of that previous point , this one summarizes the fall bite ’ s main killers . A cold front ’ s passing brings the dreaded “ blue bird ” conditions defined by cloudless skies , no wind and high pressure . Great day for boat rides and bird watching ; but fishing ? Not so much .

Theories vary on whether the high pressure irritates a fish ’ s senses , or if it ’ s just the extreme sunlight that sends them tight into cover . In any case , passing cold fronts give bass the bad-hair-day blues . The good news : within two to three days , the pressure will stabilize , clouds return , temperature ’ s gain a few points and the fish resume their feasting .

Where To Look

Considering our discussion of water temperatures , overnight fluctuations , etc ., you ’ ll want to consider how habitat affects fish comfort — certainly , the bass ; but more so the smaller , more vulnerable baitfish . East facing pockets and banks

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catch the earliest light and , therefore , warm up the earliest . Conversely , those looking west will entertain more of the afternoon action as dwindling daylight lingers longest .

Bluff banks , those vertical rock walls often occurring on the deeper outside edges of a creek channel ’ s shoreward bend , present one of the most popular fall targets , as they allow bait schools to hold near structure and simply descend or ascend to find their comfort zone . Daybreak might find the bait holding in deeper water , while the day ’ s warming gradually pulls them higher in the water column . If the day becomes too bright or too warm , those baitfish often slide lower on bluff with another rise expected at day ’ s end .

When the bass are focused on threadfin shad during the fall , anglers that “ match the hatch ”, prosper !

Photo courtesy of TIM HORTON , B . A . S . S .

Standing timber and deeper docks offer similar options , so take note of what ’ s around you . Beyond these particular spots , bait schools often roam this time of year , but you ’ ll find the majority of the action in creeks and coves off the main lake . Schooling activity — packs of bass driving baitfish to the surface — paints a big red X on your casting targets , but between the topside cues , Horton says frequent attention to his electronics helps him stay with the groceries .

Running Raymarine electronics , Horton said the fall of the year puts an emphasis on water temperature . In early fall , he ’ s looking for the cooler areas , as fish are still seeking relief from summer ’ s swelter ; while late fall puts a premium on warmer water . Topping the priority list , however , are those quick little protein nuggets ...

“ The big thing I like with the Raymarine is putting the SideVision on and really expanding it out it out to 100- 120 feet ( on either side ) and idle down the middle of the backs of the creeks ,” Horton said . “ You just look for where the biggest balls of shad are . That ’ s something you can see really well on SideVision .”

Horton said that , when in doubt , it ’ s always good to look to the windy side of a lake . Especially after a sustained blow , the shad will be stacked in the downwind areas .

What To Throw Suffice it to say that fall is not the time for flipping and pitching those jigs and Texas rigs . For one thing , the fish are on the move this time of year , and with the exception of those post-frontal days ,

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targeted presentations are typically less productive than chunking and winding covering water . More importantly , it ’ s about matching the look and frantic action of that natural forage the fish are chasing .

“ To me , the fall is all about surface baits ,” Horton said . “ I like the Profound Outdoors Popper Z , Azuma Z Dog walking bait or a Roll Call buzzbait . Any of these baits will mimic the shad in the fall of the year .

“ It ’ s all pretty aggressive retrieves that time of year . When the water starts getting down around 60 degrees , I slow it down ; but until fall transitions into winter , the action is pretty fast-paced .”

Another surefire topwater is LIVETARGET ’ s Yearling Walking Bait . The walk-the-dog style bait features the brand ’ s innovative BaitBall appearance , which ideally mimics the young-of-the baitfish bass home in on in fall .

A fall classic , the spinnerbait gives you the option of burning high in the water column or slow rolling near the bottom — all depending on bait school position . Shad colors like white , grey and chartreuse are your best options , while willow leaf blades do the best job of mimicking live baitfish . Experiment with different spinnerbait weights and blade sizes to achieve the depth / action that the bass like , but always use a trailer hook in the fall , as fish are often slashing at prey so they can easily miss the main hook .

For subsurface work , you ’ ll do well to keep handy a swim jig , Chatterbait and a soft body swimbait on a weighted hook or a 1 / 4- to 1 / 2-ounce swimbait head . Crankbaits matched to the target depth also deserves a spot on your deck , while suspending or slow sinking jerkbaits are killer on those bluff banks .

Lastly , consider the wisdom of keeping an unweighted Texas-rigged Senko or fluke-style bait on standby for fish that boil , bump or simply miss a topwater bite . Toss this subtle bait into the hot zone , twitch it like a wounded bait and try killing the action for a slow quivering fall that looks too easy to resist .

Often , such follow-up baits get nailed the second they break the surface ; but if they fish snub your follow-up attempts ,

2906 move on . There ’ s usually another rally just around the next bend .