Top Fall Bass Baits

Rate this article: Login to Vote  Loading ...

---

If I had to pick one season to fish for bass, hands down it would be Fall. After the dog days of the hot summer months, a cool breeze fills the air and the fish somehow know it’s time to eat. Fall fishing can be challenging at times, but for the most part it means intense strikes, fast moving baits, and a variety of techniques to capitalize with. This time of year, fish can be caught in 6 inches of water, stacked up on wind blown riprap shorelines, or in 60 ft of water suspended beneath schooling baitfish. The key is finding where they are and what they are targeting on a day to day basis. Here is a list of the hottest baits for EXPLOSIVE Fall bass fishing.

---

Lipless Crankbaits:
In my opinion these baits sum up Fall fishing at its finest. The lipless crankbait is my weapon of choice when it comes to searching for active fish. During the Fall, bass will comb shallow flats searching for food and warmth under the sun. These aerodynamic baits cast a country mile with a flick of the wrist and the loud rattles call in the fish with each vibration of the bait. The most common sizes are 1/2oz and 3/4oz and come in a variety of colors, ranging from bold reds and yellows to ultra realistic baitfish and craw patterns. There are times when I downsize to 1/8oz baits, mainly during extreme cold front conditions or when I notice a large amount of small baitfish. On the other hand, I have also caught fish on large 1oz baits, especially when big fish are pounding the 3/4oz bait and aren’t afraid to ask for a larger meal. Don’t be afraid to bounce these baits off cover and rip them through weed clumps to trigger reaction strikes. Be sure to check out the tipsnbass.com feature: 4 Lipless Crankbait Retrieves to improve your lipless crankbait fishing. Here are a few of my favorite lipless crankbaits: Kopper’s Live Target Crawfish Trap, Strike King Red Eye Shad, Xcalibur Xr50, Jackall TN.

---

Spinnerbaits:
As fall carries on and leaves fall from the trees, vegetation in the water starts to die off. Fish gravitate toward any remaining healthy vegetation because it not only holds baitfish, but also provides a great ambush point for bass to feed on their prey. Spinnerbaits are ideal for fishing this remaining vegetation. I wish there was one exact style of spinnerbait that the bass preferred, but there are times when they want a 3/4oz double willow blade burned past weed edges and there are times when all they will hit is a small 1/8oz Colorado blade bumped across a dock post. Either way, these baits are proven fish catchers and it can’t hurt to have a wide variety of weights, colors and blade patterns to precisely dial in on what the fish want. Nichols, War Eagle, Lucky Craft and Revenge Baits make some of my favorite spinnerbaits.

---

Crankbaits:
Locate, locate, locate. Crankbaits help me locate fish! Although Fall is notorious for great fishing, it can often be a challenge to find fish as they move from day to day with varying temperatures and weather patterns. It is imperative to have a good arsenal of Crankbaits to help cover water in a variety of depths. This time of year fish can be found in shallow creek channels where warm water is flowing in, or suspended 20 ft deep hovering in the thermocline as baitfish school up. Crankbaits are built to hunt for fish, dig down to where they’re hiding and entice them into striking.  Crankbaits are a great compliment to lipless crankbaits as well. I like to search for fish with a lipless crankbait and after I have found them and caught a few, I’ll often slow it down with a regular crankbait. This change in speed and action can trigger powerful strikes. Also, I’ll often use cranks to find fish in deeper water, catch a few, and then slow it down even further with a Jig, Drop Shot, or Carolina rig. These top Fall baits end up going full circle and work hand in hand with each other. Here are some proven fish catchers: Bandit crankbaits, Lucky Craft BDS, Ima Shaker, Spro Little John, Norman N Series.

---

Jigs:
Oh Boy! My tried and true favorite. This bait would be on every list for every season if I had it my way (which I do). The jig is the one lure I never leave the dock without. Jigs can be fished all year long and in the Fall they are great for picking off hungry fish. I use all types of jigs this time of year ranging from small 1/8oz cut down finesse jigs to massive 1oz football heads to drag the depths. Trailer selection can be very important as well and it is crucial to find a pattern similar to what the fish are feeding on. This can often be shad or bluegill imitations swam across flats and hopped under docks or a craw imitation scooted over timber and rock. To increase your jig hook up and catch ratio, check out the Tipsnbass.com how to: Modify a Stock Bass Jig. Some popular jigs choices are Dirty Jigs, Skinny Bear Jigs, and Omega Jigs.

---

Drop Shot:
Most anglers would not turn to drop shot fishing in the fall; but there is one area in-particular where I find it to be very handy. There are often times when I fish shallow water with spinnerbaits or cranks and I can actually see fish strike the bait. Often less aggressive fish will only bump or flash at these fast moving baits. With the drop shot I can cast back to the exact target where the fish was holding and entice him into striking a less intimidating bait. This approach has helped me land tons of big bass that most anglers would have beaten with a hundred casts or just passed by. If you’re not already a drop shot pro, let Tipsnbass.com teach you how to Rig a drop shot and Fish a Drop Shot. Here is some great Drop Shot Gear.

---

Jerkbaits:
Spring and Fall are known as great jerkbait fishing seasons. These baits have the power to trigger strikes from weary fish, as well as hungry schools of bass that are stacked up and destroying everything in their path. What makes jerkbaits so effective this time of year is their ability to be fished with different retrieves on each cast to accurately pinpoint the mood of the fish. There are times when they may want it ripped hard and fast as well as times when they want a slow jerk and pause, letting the bait sit for 30 seconds. Either way, this bait is a must for your Fall arsenal. Here are a few of my all time favorites: Lucky Craft Pointer, Megabass Ito Vision 110, Ima Flit, Rapala X-Rap.

---

Buzzbaits:
That’s right, topwater buzzin. Fall brings intense weather changes and can switch the mood of bass in seconds. When the baitfish move shallow, so do the fish. I have had numerous days where the bass are sitting in inches of water, absorbing the sun and chasing small schools of bait down the banks. Buzzbaits are great for hovering over these shallow water spots and effective when ripped over remaining weed clumps. Wind blown banks can be another great buzzin spot. I have crushed fish in snow storms on buzzbaits; especially where the wind is ripping and cornering baitfish against the rocks. Try some of these buzzbaits: Booyah Bi-You Buzz, River2Sea Crystal Buzz, Terminator Ball Buster.

---

Jigging Spoon:
This tried and proven classic is a great addition to any bass anglers quiver. Jigging spoons are effective for open water fishing where the baitfish are schooled up and the bass are staging nearby. A singled out wounded fish is an easy target for an eager bass and the jigging spoon gives them this meal. This technique can take time to learn and the fish can be hard to locate, but when you do; Hold On! Try some of these jigging spoons: Revenge Jigging Spoon, Luna Jigging Spoon, Hopkins Shorty Jigging Spoon.

---

Carolina Rig:
When fish are hunkered down close to the bottom it’s time for the Carolina rig to do its thing. This rig is easy to fish and maintains constant contact with the bottom letting you know you are in the strike zone. Carolina rigs are very versatile and your plastic can be easily changed to fit the feeding mood of the fish. One tip: go easy with the hook sets. Bass often grab the bait and swim towards you, so be sure to get light pressure on the fish and sweep the hook set to land more fish. Some of my favorite plastics to Carolina rig are: Reaction Innovation Smallie Beaver, Poor Boys Erie Darter Jr, Gambler B.B. Cricket, Zoom Lizards. Don’t forget your weight’s, beads, and swivels!

---

Bladebaits:
These metal wonders are one of the top Fall bass baits because of their versatility. They double as a jigging spoon and a Lipless crankbait with a few other retrieve options in between. You can burn these baits across shallow flats, bounce them down steep drop offs, or vertical jig them over schools of bass. I really like to throw bladebaits from the middle to end of Fall and throughout the Winter period. Once you have a good day bladebait fishing, you’ll be hooked for life on these simple lures. Try some of these Bladebaits: Buckeye Jiggin Blades, Vibe Blade Bait.

---

Now that you know a few of my favorite Fall fishing baits, stack up your tackle box with our friends at Tacklewarehouse.com so you can catch your limit this Fall.

- John Mercon

Related Posts:

Top Picks for River Smallies
4 Lipless Crankbait Retrieves
How to Fish a Drop Shot