Fall Bass Fishing Tactics
Fall Bass Fishing Tactics
Fishing in the Hawkeye State can be awesome pretty much year-round. When it comes to largemouth bass fishing specifically, most people trade in their turkey calls and decoys for the rod and reel in mid-spring and throughout the summer. Admittedly, as summer fades to fall, I am guilty of putting away the spinning rods and crank baits a little early as my focus turns to deer hunting, which is why I called on my old friend Dustin Smart (Iowa Air National Guard Veteran and owner of Hawkeye Custom Lures) to get his top 5 tactics for targeting whopper bass in the fall across the state.
1. Fish Early, Fish Late.
As the days begin to shorten, it’s important to squeeze every drop of fishing out of them as we can. This means, much to the chagrin of our wives, it’s critical we wake up stupid early so we can get out before sunrise and possibly stay at the fishing hole until dark. This is because fall mornings and evenings are some of the best times to fish all year. I have countless great memories from fishing trips past that start with “it was a calm, cool, fall morning…”
2. Fish a Topwater.
You snuck out of the house without making too much noise, drove endlessly in the dark, and now you’re on the water watching the sunrise wondering what to throw. Fall mornings are the perfect time to score a very rewarding topwater bite. This time of year, bass are focused heavily on chasing bait and fattening up before winter. Pair this with the lowlight conditions that fall mornings (and evenings) provide, and it makes for some of the best topwater action of the year. I like to cover water with walking style baits and whopper ploppers. Popping and chugging baits work great for slowing down and focusing in on target areas.
3. Work the Shallows
As I previously mentioned, bass are chasing bait like crazy in the fall. And, while fish can always be caught out deep, the main attraction this time of year is up shallow. Topwater baits are great in the mornings and evenings, but for the rest of the day, try moving baits like spinnerbaits, chatter baits, and crankbaits.
4. Go Big.
It’s true what they say, “big bait, big fish”… This is because the bigger the bass, the choosier it is in how it spends its energy (especially eating). A bigger fish is far less apt to chase smaller bait than a smaller fish would; it’s simply not worth its time. Try throwing magnum square bills or big swimbaits to hone-in on a bigger bite.
5. Be a Birdwatcher…wait what?
A productive fishing spot should have good “signs of life” as my dad would say. One of the biggest contributors to these signs being birds. Yes, you read that right, birds. Birds aren’t just great company on the water, they can often tell us where the baitfish are gathered and thus, the bass. They could be perched on submerged trees or swooping around in open water. Next time you’re looking to make a move to a new spot, look for the birds to point you to where the bait fish are schooling, and big bass are lurking.
When Dustin isn’t answering questions about bass fishing or creating custom lures for his veteran owned business, he is on the water putting lures where the birds are. These 5 tactics are sure to get you into the early morning shallow water bass bight and remember to go big or go home. Not before sunset though.
by Aaron Stonehocker
August 2023
