It's been called the "fall fling" and it can offer some of the fastest fishing on the year. "Basically, don't stop practicing," Burks said. With the young-of-the-year shad fully grown, they need more food and move to shallower water to find it. "I'm starting deep, and then I might move to 15 feet of water. David Jones. But regardless of which you fish there is one rig you don't want to leave the dock without -- an outfit designed for long casts to surface schooling bass. Nor are any other baitfish as predictable in their fall season behavior than threadfin shad. Not only do they need to stay relatively close to their groceries, but fall's cooling temperatures bring their metabolism back to full peak, and they feed up to put on fat for the lean winter months to follow. But for bass fishermen, September sometimes lands us smack in the middle of a month of confusion. The new bolt gun with a synthetic stock is available in several popular hunting chamberings. In much of this region, anglers can expect that to begin this month. Reverse the wind, and the shad are blown back. However, as the winter grows colder, anglers have better luck if they target the lake's smallmouth bass. Ensure you have a successful day on the water! "Bass start moving shallower and shallower, and they disperse. September is the beginning of fall, and anglers this month can find some of their best action on those points. Often anglers can take advantage of schools feeding on the surface, but Burks said electronics become a huge part of his strategy. September is a transition month, when summer temperatures finally begin to give way to the coolness of fall. Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge. Some shad are in shallow water throughout the summer, but most aren't. In others, the bass are holding on a submerged point or hump, waiting to rip into a passing school of shad. Lowland reservoirs are often significantly shallower in their maximum depths and frequently contain a variety of aquatic plant life. That can put a lot of shad onto a submerged point. Give a Gift   The kinds of places you want to fish when you’re fishing for these hot-weather, deep-water bass will be river ledges, main-river points and the mouth of a tributary that dumps into the river. Both species bite well in September and early October. Many schooling bass experts grab the topwater rod first, and if they don't get an immediate strike, they drop that one and grab the rod rigged for sub-surface. Bass Fishing In September Wherever you are, bass go through typical patterns as lakes cool. Traveling in significant schools, they strain the open waters for plankton and insect larvae. JOIN TODAY! It's not nearly as autumn as October. Bass pushing shad to the surface can be a common sight during the fall, and the two species can meet under a variety of circumstances. The fall season is really a transitional time for bass and we often can let ourselves get fooled into thinking the conditions we perceive above water as having the same … © 2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Come September, fish will slip back into a more consistent, three-day feeding pattern. On either highland or lowland reservoirs, the first major point of contact for bass and shad is the main-lake points leading to the shallower areas. "It's a crazy situation: Where you find them in the morning, they won't be in the afternoon.". The most effective lures and tactics can vary between the two water types. Get best fishing times with lunar fishing calendars, Daily Limit: Robertson blooms after gloom, Small crankbaits can heat up cold water fishing, Nominations open for 2021 Bassmaster High School All-Americans. "I might have four different crankbaits tied on, but I'm still prepared to change to other baits because I know the reputation of fish in September.". September 1, 2013. “You can have good days downsizing in September,” … The Havoc RS440 XERO, Havoc RS440 and Siege RS410 bring cutting-edge tech to your hunt. Bass fishing's forgotten fall patterns. Wind also is an important factor because it allows anglers to focus their search. The lake also has largemouth bass. The point is to be rigged and ready, because a surface explosion seldom lasts long enough to dig through your tackle bag and tie on the right lure. Much of this progression can be easily followed by identifying the bait in the given area. When feeding they are normally found within 5 to 10 feet of the surface, where sunlight promotes the growth of plankton. "Whether you're on a flat or a ledge or a brushpile, you want to find the shad.". The primary cover for bass in this type of reservoir is wood and rock, and the water is often quite clear. For a couple of months in the fall, bass once again move shallow and can sometimes be found in the same areas they spawned in during the spring. Mid-to-upper sections of both river arms (Markers R22 … You might also have another rod rigged with an aggressive 4-inch topwater plug such as a Zara Spook, Rebel Pop-R or Storm Chug Bug. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Yet, it's refreshingly less like sweltering summer than August. Anyone who has spent time on a man-made reservoir knows that the bass are anything but static. New for 2021 are several hunter-defined products, such as the Excalibur TwinStrike Crossbow, BowTech Solution and Solution SS Bows, TightSpot Pivot 2.5 Quiver, Ripcord Cage and Code Red X arrowrests, and Black Gold Pro FX and Pro Hunter HD sights. "I keep 20 rods on my deck," Burks explained. Highland reservoirs are characterized by the abruptness of their depth changes: stark, rugged contours and a notable lack of aquatic vegetation. The best Truman Lake resort. "I'm going to have a variety of lures ready to go that will cover the whole water column, from topwaters to bottom structure-fishing baits. |   In some cases, a school of bass may be chasing the shad in open water. The third day I weighed 17 pounds, and finished 10th.". "If I'm fishing a creek, I'm zigzagging in and out," he said. September is a tweener. Lake Limestone Catfish: Try drifting across main lake flats with cut … If no activity is visible, try probing the various depths along the point with diving crankbaits, Carolina-rigged worms or lead head jigs. When bass explode on shad many of the baitfish skip across the surface to escape and that can draw an instinctive strike, especially from the larger bass in the school. Times. On virtually any reservoir -- whether highland or lowland -- the fall months find massive schools of shad leaving the main-lake waters and migrating into shallower creek arms and coves. As the days shorten, sunlight penetration is reduced, and that affects the amount of plankton in a lake. We know what you're thinking: Isn't Benelli a shotgun company? Where the bait and predators meet is another consideration. The surface explosion as dozens of bass massacre a shad school can be frantic, brief, and is frequently "just out of casting range" of whatever rod you happen to be holding at the moment. The bass fishing has been absolutely fantastic this year especially … In preparation for fall fishing, I wanted to show you guys one of my favorite tactics during the summer to fall transition. In early fall, mid-September though October, Anglers are more likely to catch salmon, smallmouth bass… Here's how to take it one step further and actually catch bass. Slims Fish Camp is a great place to stay while in search for some excellent bass fishing. It may be January, but big-bass season has already begun in the southern U.S. Of course it is, but decades of shotgun manufacturing actually put Benelli in a unique position to redefine what a hunting rifle should be. For this reason, most people will feel the bass fishing will not be any good. A tapering submerged point is the perfect ambush spot for bass to wait for shad, and then corral them in shallower waters. Membership Includes 1 Year Bassmaster Magazine, Plus $50 in free gear. If you want more details or options you … There are specific times when Elite Series pros turn to fast-action worming — here’s how they decide between the two most popular tail options. When not feeding they roam channels, and often pause on deep-water structures. The best tactics for getting in on the action depend upon whether the reservoir is of the highland, or lowland type. From dabblers to divers, there's an Avian-X Topflight decoy for every duck hunter. Now they're looking for food, and on virtually any man-made reservoir in this region that means shad. "It's all about the bait," Burks said. Print This Post BASS - Spring bass fishing begins in earnest in March and April as waters warm above 50 degrees and pre-spawn fish move to the banks. "The shad are still balled up, and without a doubt that's the main search," he said. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. The majority of the threadfins are in deeper, main-lake waters and won't start moving to the creek arms and coves until early fall. From there they filter back to deeper areas for the summer months, as they seek cooler water. Fishing activity in September always is slow hereabouts. Until then, lunker bass every other cast will have to suffice. Posts from January, 2021 - Sterett Creek Marina, Hotel and Campground. The chill of winter also sends bass deep, but this time looking for stable water. Largemouth bass fishing is best early May to late-June, and early September to mid-October, when the water temperature ranges from 55 to 75 degrees. You might even anchor on the shallow side of the point and vigorously walk a jigging spoon "up the drop." "You can find them, and two hours later they can be gone. "I weighed in 27 pounds the first day, and I caught them in the first two hours," he said. 3604118.jpg. "It's run and gun," he said. However, Burks said moving doesn't mean running long distances. This is what the Almanac’s Best Fishing … Bass school on shad anytime the two meet, but early and late in the day are often the peak time for surface action. There often are a number of such structure features on most waters, but the first ones that should be checked are those that have had the wind blowing onto them for the last day or. Any of these can be cast a long way and provide the bass with a shad profile like they're targeting. These affordable designs are big on features, short on cash outlay — ATA Show. New for 2021, here's a look at the new Rage Trypan NC, Nockturnal Shift Nock, Carbon Express Maxima RED Contour and D-Stroyer PileDRIVER arrows. Fishing is said to be best during the time between a new Moon and a full Moon. David Jones. Savvy anglers are ready to drop that rod, and grab one rigged for range. As the fall approaches, these baitfish in reservoirs begin to migrate to new areas. For much of the year, threadfin shad are open-water, main-lake, nomads. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. In September it's wise to have a selection of shad-imitating lures in your tackle box when you leave the dock. Even if the shad aren't there, the bass already may be waiting for them. Light jigs fall slow, which tantalizes fish in shallow locations or bass in negative moods. "You have to keep an open mind and be willing to move when the fish disappear.". "They're moving around, and the bass move with them.". But there are best fishing days, according to lore: Best Fishing Days in 2021. Lake O’ The Pines Catfish: Use prepared baits or cut baits near flooded vegetation and in main lake points. New for 2021, Rinehart's 1/3-Scale Moose Archery Targets, Accurate, Affordable, Rugged: CZ-USA 557 Eclipse Bolt-Action, Deceive Ducks with Ultra-Realistic Decoys, Your Best Chance at a Trophy Bass May Be Right Now, 3 Active Ways to Grab a Cold-Weather Bass' Attention, October Game Plan: Find the Food, Find the Bass, New for 2021: Rage Broadhead, Nockturnal Nock, Carbon Express Arrows, New for 2021: Excalibur Crossbow, BowTech Bows, TightSpot Quiver, Ripcord Rests, Black Gold Sights, New for 2021: Elite Archery Bows, Slick Trick Broadheads and CBE Sight. Spring sees them shallow as they engage in their annual spawn. Bass move up and down, and from deep water to shallow as the seasons change. "Historically speaking, if you look back at records of bass fishing tournaments, weights are way down during September," Bassmaster Open pro Sammy Burks told B.A.S.S. All Rights Reserved. Jerry Curtis is a bass tournament angler and the 2001 winner of the Minnesota Pro/Am Bass … The month of September is when the bass start to venture out of their summer-time patterns and toward the shallows. September Okeechobee bass fishing Few baitfish are more appealing to a bass than shad, whether of the largemouth, spotted, or smallmouth variety. Not bad for “dog days fishing,” huh? The bass follow the shad, and so should you! summer temperatures finally begin to give way to the coolness of fall Use the Places to Fish & Boat Map (map provided by Take Me Fishing™) to Get your fishing license today using this tool (provided by Take Me Fishing™).Click on a state to find out everything you need to know about fishing … The problem is that baitfish haven't committed to any one location. September is the beginning of fall, and anglers this month can find some of their best action on those points. But, that is less of a problem during the fall months. These impoundments are criss-crossed by a maze of twisting, submerged channels that offer a far greater variety of depths and cover for bass to utilize when ambushing shad. Episode 1 reviews some company history to explain how this all came about. 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