Fall Fishing Question - Tactics

[Mark Hofman]

My wife and I went fishing at Lake of the Ozarks this past weekend, and I didn't get so much as a tap. I've never fished LOZ in the fall for bass (crappie, yes; bass, no).



Conditions:



Water Temp: 62.3

Water Clarity: Stained (no turnover yet)

Skies: Sunny with stable barometric pressure

Air Temp: 70

Light winds, very little surface disturbance



My questions are fairly simple.



What type(s) of bait are good fall baits? I fished with a Watermelon Chomper Grub on a 1/4 oz. weedless standup jig head, a motor oil 4" plastic worm on a 1/8 oz. Slider hook, and both a white and chartreus Rocket Shad spinner bait (3/8 oz). I could have dug out a Shad Rap or a thick bodied plug crankbait (like a Bomber A or such). I could have also used a suspending jerk bait, but my wife was asleep on the back deck, with her head over the compartment where those tackle boxes were and I didn't want to wake her up.



Second question: What depth? I was usually in 15 to 18 feet of water, throwing toward shore or at an angle to shore. I tried steep drop offs, flats and areas with visible structure (deadfalls, brush, etc.). Should I have gone deeper?



Third question: What part of the lake? Main lake points, secondary points, backs of coves?



I guess I'm just trying to learn from the experience so that I don't repeat the same mistakes. Thanks for the help.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

It could just be that you were fishin and they weren't biting. Some days that's all it is.



I would have tried 2 patterns. 1. Wood in shallows with deep water nearby(Senko bite). You water is too warm for them to have already moved into the shallows. 2. Main lake and secondary points (J&P or C-rig bite).



Sometimes it is easier to look for the bait than it is to pattern. Find the baitfish and chances are you'll find the bass somewhere nearby.



I know some who spinner and crank bait all year but I like the slower presentation of the plastics, the colder the water gets the slower ol' mister big head will be and that much less willing to travel to get food.



TOXIC

 

[Jim B]

I personally like to throw three baits in the fall. A Spinnerbait with twin colorado blades, a Jig and Pig and a Rattle trap.



Being that is was sunny i would have started with the spinnerbait. I would have fished shallower then you were in the 1-8 foot range i would concentrate on points an big flats( the same type you would fish in the spring). I look for any area that gets good sun that will warm up fast, bass will seek out the warmer water in the fall as the water temps start to drop. Also structure like docks and trees are a good place to hit with the jig. The big key is to fish slow, with the spinnerbait i like to use one that has a big colorado blade on it that i can fish slow, i also fish the trap as slow as i can while still having it wobble. If the fish arent on the flats try the same thing on the inside edge of the weedlines.

 

[Mark Hofman]

I did see schools of baitfish breaking the surface, and a good number of larger shad (6") breaking the surface, but it was difficult to determine if they were fleeting something or feeding on surface bugs.



I would throw the rocket shad past the school or breaking shad and crank through through at different depths and speeds, but got no hits.



Would it make sense to follow up with something like an unweighted Sluggo, and allow it to just free fall?



We were in the State Park area, which has no docks. I know at LOZ, the dock pattern is huge but everybody pounds those docks and I was hoping to find fish that didn't get targeted as often.



Thanks for the ideas. Please keep 'em coming!

 

[al cannia]

Watched Denny Brauer last week down there and he was smacking some big Spots and Largemouth fishing around docks in coves near deep water throwing Black Buzz baits, says he always throws Black this time of year down there.