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Bass Fishing Tactics: Late Fall to Early Winter Transition

October 15, 2021April 24, 2021 PracticalAngler No Comments

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At a time when many anglers hang up there rods and winterize their boats, the hardiest of the breed of bass anglers keep their heads in the game despite the cooler weather …

I came across a video earlier today where Pro bass angler Gerald Swindle talks bass fishing tactics and strategies for approaching the late Fall to early Winter transition. Swindle films the video on Logan Martin Lake on the Coosa River in Alabama after the water temperatures have fallen into the low to mid 40s.

During the video, “G-man” as his fans call him, notes that although 30-plus bass per day outings are rare this time of year, patience and persistence will often pay off with quality …

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Late Fall – Early Winter Bass Fishing Using Suspending Jerkbaits

October 14, 2021October 16, 2021 PracticalAngler 1 Comment

Many anglers have been throwing minnow baits (now commonly called jerkbaits) such as Rebels and Rapalas since their early days of bass fishing. Though originally designed as either a floating or sinking bait, astute bass fishermen quickly determine a little modification to these minnow baits provides a lure that can be more effectively fished at intermediate depths.

Once modified, the altered minnow bait would then either rise much more slowly or sometimes suspend at depth (of lucky enough to get the weight balance right).

Even though is provided an answer to the intermediate depth problem, it was less than a perfect solution. The modification process was by trial and error and sometimes the jerkbait minnow lure was rendered useless during alteration. Usually a costly effort in both and money!

Are Suspending Jerkbaits Really Special?

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Favorite Fall Bass Baits

September 30, 2021April 25, 2021 PracticalAngler No Comments

Every so often, someone asks me a seemingly simple question… What is your (my) favorite or fall-back bass lure? Recently the question came up again but this time asking specifically about favorite baits for the fall season… Watch the video and you’ll quickly learn why the question isn’t so simple to me 🙂

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Beginning of the End: The Late Fall Period

September 19, 2021April 24, 2021 PracticalAngler No Comments

Regretfully, the opening part of the title is true for may bass anglers!

Even so, the waning part of the fall season can be one of the best big bass periods of any given year…

When the late fall period starts, the migration patterns of the early and mid fall periods are reversed as both baitfish and bass move back out from the creek arms and bays into the main lake area.

late fall fishing

Bass will still be actively feeding;

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Five Fall Fishing Tips for Bass

September 15, 2021April 27, 2021 PracticalAngler 1 Comment

fall fishing Fall arrives with both the air and water temperatures starting to cool. Not only do we get the benefit of more comfortable conditions but so will all fish species in bass reservoirs across the land!

Changing environments cause bass to alter their behavior as well. Knowing how these changes impact your favorite reservoir’s bass locations and actions can definitely help improve your bass fishing success.

One of the best things about bass fishing in the fall..

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Bass Fishing Through The Mid-Fall Period

September 12, 2021April 27, 2021 PracticalAngler No Comments

When they refer to fall bass fishing the “Mid-Fall” period is the one they are talking about. By this time, water temperatures have fallen to the low sixties/upper fifties and the bass have really strapped on the old feed bags. The techniques will be similar in nature to the early fall period but the location of your quest shifts further into the back of creek arms and bays.

fall bass locations

The reason for this is the fact that the bass are following the schools of baitfish which are searching out their primary forage plankton. Plankton tend to thrive

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Early Fall and the Baitfish Factor

September 10, 2021April 27, 2021 PracticalAngler No Comments

During the summer, baitfish such as shad and herring reside in deepwater, main lake areas just as many bass do. Once the water temperatures start to slowly decrease, baitfish start to migrate to the shallower bays and flats in the lower portions of creek arms in search of forage (plankton) as they prepare for the coming winter period.

fall bass fishing

It should be of little surprise that the bass will be “hot on their tails” as the bass also start to strap on the proverbial “feed-bag” to prepare for the winter doldrums.

Both the baitfish and bass tend to remain near sections of major creek arms and bays closest to the main lake during this early fall period. As a result, bass are somewhat scattered and are sometimes hard to pinpoint while in a pseudo-transition state. Structure and weed beds located near the entrance to creek arms and bays as well as deep weed-laden flats are typical haunts used by early fall bass and baitfish.

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