Fall Fishing: When Bass Lose Their Minds (In a Good Way)

Spring gets all the love in the fishing world, but fall might actually be better. Bass know winter is coming, and their response is to eat everything in sight. The feeding aggression in October and November can be absolutely insane — the kind of days where you catch a bass on every third cast and run out of time before you run out of fish.

The catch? You have to follow the food. Fall fishing is all about baitfish, and baitfish are on the move.

The Fall Transition: What's Happening

As water cools from summer highs back through the 70s and into the 60s, a chain reaction starts:

1. Thermocline breaks down — the temperature layer that separated warm surface water from cold deep water dissolves. Fish now have access to the entire water column.
2. Shad migrate — threadfin and gizzard shad move toward the back of creek arms and shallow flats. This is the most important event of the fall.
3. Bass follow the shad — wherever the shad go, bass are right behind them. Find the shad, find the bass.
4. Feeding intensifies — bass bulk up for winter, eating more aggressively than at any other time of year.

Where to Find Fall Bass

• Creek arms and flats — shad push into the backs of creeks in fall. Bass set up ambush points along creek channels.
• Points — main lake points and secondary points where creeks join the main lake. Bass stage here to intercept migrating shad.
• Shallow flats near deep water — bass move onto flats to herd shad against the bank, then retreat to deep water nearby.
• Blow-throughs — wind-blown banks where current pushes baitfish against shore. Bass line up downwind.

The Best Fall Lures

The Fall Calendar

• Early fall (water 75-70F): Transition period. Fish are moving from summer to fall patterns. Mix of deep and shallow fish. Versatile approach needed.
• Peak fall (water 65-55F): The sweet spot. Shad are concentrated, bass are gorging, and everything is on fire. This is when you cancel plans to go fishing.
• Late fall (water 50-45F): Cooling down. Bass start grouping on deeper structure but still feed well. Jigs, jerkbaits, and slow cranks.

Common Fall Mistakes

• Staying on summer spots — fish have moved. Follow the baitfish migration up the creeks.
• Fishing too slow — fall fish want moving baits. Speed up.
• Ignoring the wind — wind pushes baitfish and creates current. Fish the windblown banks, not the calm side.
• Overthinking color — shad-colored everything. Sexy shad, chrome, white/silver. Match the baitfish.

Lock in the perfect fall lure with our bait and lure selector, and keep your knots consistent even when your hands are cold with our knot guide.