movements of bass center around spawning as bass begin their migration from deep water to shallower water as they seek nesting areas to deposit their eggs. Fall movements are predicated by the cooling of the water and thus bass move shallow in search of food.
The shad (a primary forage for bass) move into the coves and feeder creeks with bass following right behind them. And with the sun lower in the sky, light penetration does not force the bass back into deeper water. Bass become active in their feeding habits as they cruise for food and gorge themselves, preparing for the winter months ahead when their feeding slows as their metabolism is reduced.
As the surface water continues to cool, it will eventually reach the same temperature as the deeper water. This starts a phenomenon called the "Fall Turnover". With the water at the same temperature and density throughout, the wind circulates the water from top to bottom, often bringing to the surface decayed deposits from the bottom. This phenomenon usually lasts from one to two weeks.
As this cooling process occurs, I generally start fishing the points on the creeks and within the coves, positioning my boat in the deeper waters and moving in by fan casting both sides of the point. Bass will literally "stack up" as they move around to feed on shad or other forage.
My bait of choice for fishing points is a crankbait. I like to fish both lipless and lipped flat sided crankbaits that produce a tight wobble. Fishing crankbaits allow you to cover a lot of water quickly. Bait colors are determined by water clarity. Predominate colors would be shad colors for clear water to chartreuse/fire tiger colors in off colored or stained water.
As the fish migrate from points with the shad to the banks, fish a shallow running crankbait for banks with relatively no cover to spinnerbaits/buzzbaits for banks with cover such as stumps, grass, and lay downs.
Use white baits in clear to slightly stained water with a combination of gold and silver Colorado and willowleaf blades. In off colored to stained water, use a single gold Colorado or Indiana blade with a white/chartreuse or solid chartreuse skirt. Use a pork or plastic trailer on your spinnerbait. A trailer allows the bait to be more bouyant and provides a slower fall if used as a drop bait. Note: Crankbaits are fine to be fished in these areas as well, but expect to get hung up. Use a slow retrieve.
If you are fishing for the big guys, the real "Hawgs", take out a jig. Once you have located a part of a creek that is holding fish, pull off the bank and find a nearby creek channel. Position your boat in the channel, cast or pitch your jig up on the top of the channel and hop it off into the deeper water. This is where the "Hawgs" tend to be hiding out, waiting for that unsuspecting meal to swim by. In both clear to stained water, white in my favotire color as it closely represents the color of the forage. I will also use black and blue. Use a trailer, either pork or plastic, since it provides bulk to the bait and allows the bait to fall more slowly, leaving it in the strike zone longer.
If you locate fall bass and determine a pattern, you can usually rely on these patterns for several weeks.
Remember:
Fall fishing also brings with it numerous passing cold fronts, which can destabilize your pattern. During this time, the fish will pull back to deeper water or hold tight to cover (logs, rocks, etc.). It may take a day or two for the bass to return to the pattern you had established. Also note that as you try different depths, do so with a specific migration scheme in mind for the body of water you are fishing.
Have a good day on the water!!
Appreciate the trip, soak up the peace and beauty around you... catching a fish is a bonus.
