In the fall, bass tend to move into the backwaters and chase baitfish. If you find shad all the way back in the backwater area, this is a prime area to start looking for fall bass as they start their “feeding frenzy” to fatten up for the upcoming winter months.
Bass are more relaxed in shallow water when skies are cloudy, and that makes them easier to sneak up on. Once a fish sees you, it becomes very difficult to catch him. Therefore, I prefer to use my MotorGuide trolling motor to take myself into the shallow water, staying as far out as I can while still being able to see into the water.
A good pair of polarized sunglasses is recommended. Stealth is a must in bass fishing and any shallow water fishing.
The main fish species I tend to catch around the weeds in fall are bass and a few pesky northerns. I am sure other species are attracted to these area as well but these two species are the ones I actually catch–and also the ones I tend to fish for.
The fishing technique used on these clumps of weeds is very basic. I fish these areas like I would fish the shallows in the spring of the year when searching for bass. I use a cast retrieve method with one of my favourite lures, the spinnerbait.
I prefer to use the ones made by Blue Fox, especially the Black Flash model because it works so well in the weeds.
The spinnerbait is an extremely versatile lure that is difficult to fish incorrectly. The advantage that it offers is that it is weedless. You can safely throw into the clumps of weeds that you find, root out the active fish, and throw back out quickly for more.
It is very common to find the bass and northern sharing some of the same turf this time of year. It also is very common to catch a large quantity and various sizes of fish from a relatively small area. The fish are there because of the feeding opportunities. Once they locate the food, they are reluctant to leave.
Usually the rule of thumb is that a lot of bass are taken on surface lures in the morning and the evening. The bass can be taken out of cover in the middle of the day on spinnerbaits and spoon baits such as a Johnson Silver Minnow or a Pixee Spoon.
In fact, many anglers prefer lures like crankbaits. The real life finishes, treble hooks, and easy-to-use characteristics can keep any fisherman busy chunking and winding for hours.
But when fishing the cover, some fishermen prefer to use a Weed Sneek or a Jig-n-Pig.
The type of cover to fish are trees in the water or those providing shade, also docks, weed beds, and rock piles are structures that hold fish to them. the key to catching them is to fish structural breaks as carefully and slowly as you can manage.
Find one fish, and odds are you’ve found a mess of them. Remember, it’s not the colour or the price tag–it’s your own familiarity and experience with the lure that catches fish.
One of the ways certainly to take bass is to cast. Casting a small lure to a decent distance can be tough. A good swimming outfit will help, and a Quantum six-foot medium-action rod is a good choice.
Your line is another vital key to success. Line for sight fishing needs to be almost invisible but still is strong enough for instant hooksets.
The lighter the lure, the more likely you are to fool a big, wary bass. In fact, for really finicky fish, you may have to throw the lures with no weight at all. Therefore, if you are fishing shallow bass in the fall, you have to be a line watcher as well as having a finger on the line.
Light line and light lures can get away from even the veteran angler. And by keeping your eyes and fingers on the line, you will be able to detect any pick-ups.
When fishing for fall bass, learn to use a variety of different approaches and styles–don’t stick to one single approach all day long. This will allow you to catch bigger and better bass.
Featured
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
