October 1, 2004
Article

The Fall Fishing Challenge - Don't say it, do it!
By Danny Suggs


Fall fishing. Every autumn I hear anglers promise themselves that they'll spend a few days wetting a line. And every year, the pheasants and whitetails of the prairies and forests seduce them back onto dry land. If only those gents knew what they were missing.

I'm a multi-species fisherman and all-around outdoorsman, but the bass of autumn keep me on the water longer than most people. And the next month offers perhaps the most all-around fun fishing you'll find on freshwater: largemouth crankbait and spinnerbait action. This is the kind of fishing that will make you feel like a kid again.

Allow me to paint a picture of the perfect fall crankbait strike: It's mid October, post turnover on an Indian summer day. The long nights mean water temperatures have dropped, but the sun is still high enough in the sky that the shallows begin warming by midday. You cast a shallow-running crank just beyond a floating clump of brilliant red maple leaves. A slow retrieve ensues as you work it just above the weeds, the trebles occasionally clipping the vegetation below. Just as your fishing partner mutters, "they can't be this shallow," a 31/2-pounder slams your lure. Line sizzles off your reel as the cold-water charged hawg races for the breakline.

Too good to be true? No way. Such a scenario could play out in every Midwestern bass lake if more anglers just put down the shotgun, bow, or rifle for one extra day each autumn and spent it fishing bass. If you're willing to take that first crucial step, you can accomplish the rest following some simple advice.

Here's a little secret that some pros will never forgive me for revealing: Weekend warriors fish spots. Pros fish patterns. In simple terms, that means your average Joe Angler fishes a few spots regularly, no matter what time of day or year. Sometimes, through dumb luck, he visits a spot at the right time and connects. More often, because he didn't think like a bass, he ends up skunked.

Pros constantly are thinking about the life cycles of the species they're pursuing. In early autumn, that means bass anglers are focusing on deep weedlines early in the day, and the shallow weeds during midday. Prior to the first freeze of autumn, bass are positioning themselves closer to deeper water where water temperatures will remain more consistent during the cold winter months. During what's left of the soft water season, bass will be tougher to find, but when you find one, you'll probably find a whole school. Baitfish are schooling up, so the bass are, too. Catch one, and you'll catch several. Ever heard the theory that 20 percent of the anglers catch 80 percent of the fish? The rule certainly applies right now.

Early in the day or on cool days, work these deep weedlines, especially areas where you have a sharp break into deep water. These weeds are putting off oxygen, which attracts baitfish and bass. Many pro anglers have won early fall tournaments all over the country following this simple pattern. Another tip: Watch for birds. If bass are pushing baitfish to the surface, our feathered friends will find them -- fast.

Tie your cranks directly onto 8- to 10-pound-test line and work it right along the weeds. You'll find a fiberglass rod in my hand with monofilament line. Like a lot of pros, I've switched from graphite and superlines, because I like the stretch and forgiveness of mono soft tip on those glass rods, at least for this often subtle bite.

Watch your electronics. You should be marking fish. And if you hang up on weeds, pay close attention. Often a bass will strike just after it pops loose. I know some pros who intentionally hang up their lures on cabbage or coontail for that very reason. If you're marking fish, but they won't hit your deep-diving crankbaits, then switch to a jig-n-pig or jig-n-craw. Sometimes the colder water means bass become lethargic. That subtler presentation might just wake them up. This is a great time to try those pretty red baits in your tackle box; for some reason, they really perform in autumn.

As the water warms later in the day, big feed-baggin' bass will follow baitfish into the shallows. Here's where I'll work my Mann's Minus One crankbait (I like the black and chartreuse version) or a minnow-colored (white and black) Wiggle Wart. Find some greener weeds in the shallows and toss your cranks up over them. A scenario where the weeds are about a foot below the surface is perfect; the bass will shoot right up and hammer your offering. Again, this is not a crack of dawn bite; it's a warm, sunny day scenario. Try spinnerbaits, too, to elicit a reaction strike. No magic here, just chuckin' and winding.

When the seasons transition from winter to spring or fall to winter, you'll often find me hitting the road. In spring, I'll head south for some early open water action, and in fall, I'll follow the crankbait bass action south a week or two behind turnover. Great bassin' water like Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri is open year-round and only an 11-hour drive from the Twin Cities. If you're not willing to travel quite that far, just remember that fall fishing can last a lot longer in southern Wisconsin, Iowa, or Minnesota than in the north.

I'll say it again: Just one day this fall, put down the shotgun and grab the fiberglass for fall bass. They've got a whole growing season behind them, and they're wearing the feedbag during these days of plenty. Fish 'em! You'll be glad you did!

For more of Danny Suggs visit www.keepfishalive.com.