| October marks one of the most active and rewarding months of the year for bass anglers. As water temperatures cool, bass become more aggressive, following baitfish into creeks, coves, and shallower areas to feed heavily before winter. This period offers a mix of power and finesse opportunities. Fast-moving presentations work early, while slow setups shine as conditions stabilize. Anglers should focus on the baitfish movement rather than water depth alone, since bass are often found wherever forage is present. Covering water efficiently and adapting to conditions is key to consistent catches. By understanding the seasonal shift, anglers can capitalize on the fall feeding frenzy and find success across nearly any type of fishery. October is also a time when water clarity and temperature can change quickly from day to day, so being observant and adaptable is crucial. Cold fronts, rainfall, and wind shifts can push baitfish to new locations overnight, meaning yesterday’s hotspot may be empty today. Paying close attention to bird activity, surface disturbances, or schools of bait flickering near the surface can reveal where bass are actively feeding. Anglers should also recognize that bass metabolism remains high in early fall, allowing them to chase and feed aggressively before the water cools further. Whether fishing small ponds or large reservoirs, maintaining mobility, experimenting with different depths, and adjusting speeds will help you stay on the bite throughout the month.Our Fresh HellaMite is designed to imitate a major aquatic food source, delivering a realistic profile of an insect larva that fish can’t resist. Each is scented for complete and total attraction underwater, along with being made in the USA by real fishermen. We recently restocked the HellaMite Pro Pack, which is loaded with 60 baits in all six proven colors, plus three Owner Block Head Ned Jigs and a handy storage bag. This kit has everything you need to stay rigged and ready year-round. Grab our newest Lil Bass, Hot Sauce, MidNight, Glow, 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink HellaMite colors. We’ve also restocked our Green Pumpkin and Smoke Purple HellaMite. The HellaMite’s solid body and hyperactive ribbed tail design produce a life-like quivering action with every twitch of the rod. Its unique flat underbelly detail enables this bait to be fished as a drop shot, Ned rig, neko rig, and even a small Carolina-rig, making it the ideal bait in any condition year-round. When the water is clear, the fish can see the bait and look like real food, causing strikes. Each cast becomes an opportunity for an exhilarating catch, thanks to its superior performance and versatility. |
| Few experiences match the thrill of a surface strike during October. Topwater presentations that create splash and commotion mimic frantic baitfish and draw aggressive bites from bass patrolling shallow flats and points. These can include walking or popping styles, but soft-plastic options like floating lizards or beetle imitations can also trigger reaction bites when worked carefully. Using strong line and long casts helps cover water while keeping soft plastic bait visible in open areas. Early mornings and cloudy days tend to be most productive when light levels are low and bass are feeding actively. This approach not only produces explosive action but also helps locate feeding schools that can later be targeted with finesse follow-ups. When bass are schooling on the surface, it’s important to stay ready for quick, accurate casts to strike zones before the fish move on. Keeping your bait moving naturally while avoiding excessive splashing can make a big difference in drawing strikes from larger, more cautious fish. If activity slows, switching to a slower retrieve or pausing the bait can often trigger hesitant bass watching from below. Wind can also enhance this bite by breaking up surface visibility and allowing the fish to commit much more confidently. By combining awareness, timing, and steady control, anglers can maximize every topwater opportunity and turn fleeting surface action into a steady day of success.We use our Fresh Scorpion because it closely imitates a crawfish. Our newest 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink Scorpion colors work wonders. The Scorpion is a revolutionary new look to soft plastics. Its intricate detailing and texture mimic the nuances of a real crawfish, making it hard for bass to resist. Of course, water clarity always plays a role in color selection but in any season, you can’t miss using colors such as Green Pumpkin Seed, Brown Bark, and the Magneto. This bait not only appears natural to fish but gives them something to become curious about. The Scorpion paired with a stand-up jig is deadly because the jig actually sits the bait upright in a defensive stance. The subtle color variations across the bait further enhance its appeal, mimicking the natural color shifts found in live prey. Each Fresh Scorpion has a unique and exclusive 3-axis tail design that is engineered like no other soft plastic bait. Our Scorpions are made by anglers from high-grade non-salt plastic to provide superior life-like action that triggers strikes! |
| When baitfish move into the shallows, downsized lures that mimic smaller forage can often outperform the bulky options. Compact soft-plastic baits like small craw-styled baits rigged for steady retrieves can excel in stained water or along rocky banks. The goal is to maintain subtle vibration and consistent movement to appeal to pressured or finicky bass. Matching the size of your presentation to the forage is critical during October, as bass are selective when shad or minnows are small. Keep retrieves moderate to fast, adjusting based on water temperature and clarity. Covering shoreline transitions, riprap, or laydowns with these smaller profiles helps you find active fish that have moved shallow to feed. As the water cools, many bass will position near shallow cover such as stumps, grass edges, and scattered wood where baitfish are concentrated. Working your bait parallel to these structures increases your chances of running it directly past feeding fish. When the bite starts to slow down, try varying your retrieve speed or briefly pausing the lure can trigger reaction strikes from bass following behind. In slightly deeper or much clearer water, downsizing your line can also help achieve better action and a more natural presentation. By maintaining contact with structure and fine-tuning your retrieve rhythm, anglers can turn short feeding windows into consistent, productive sessions throughout the fall season.The new FreshBaitz Lizards deliver a realistic profile that excels in both power and finesse techniques. Act fast, we’ve recently just released new Hot Sauce, MidNight, Ghost, and 10w30 Synthetic Lizard designs! The unique forward-facing leg design creates drag that holds it in the strike zone longer or produces wild flapping action with every pull of the rod. Additionally, its slightly ribbed solid body and large head hold your hook in place and provide much better weedless performance making it the ideal bait to use in any condition. Water clarity always plays a super big role in color selection but in any season year-round, you can’t miss when using colors such as Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, or Green Pumpkin. Its flexible tail design ensures added movement, tempting even the most cautious fish. The superior 5.5-inch profile stretches to a whole 7 inches which is perfect for predatory fish including bass year round. Made from long-lasting durable high-grade non-salted plastic for total and maximum attention-grabbing action underwater. |
| The Carolina rig remains one of the most versatile and effective fall tools for reaching bass that have pulled slightly off the bank. Weighted to stay in contact with the bottom, it allows anglers to drag soft plastics like lizards or craw-styled baits slowly across points, flats, and secondary ledges. This steady presentation imitates foraging prey and often triggers bites from bass that ignore faster techniques. It’s especially effective when fish are near schools of baitfish but not feeding aggressively. Long casts help cover water efficiently while keeping the bait in the strike zone for extended periods. Even in just a few feet of water, the thump of the weight across the bottom can provoke reaction strikes from hesitant bass. The Carolina rig also shines in areas with mixed bottom composition, such as transitions from sand to gravel or clay to rock, where bass often stage during the fall. Adjusting the leader length can dramatically change the action. A shorter leader keeps your bait close to the bottom, while longer ones allow for a more natural, drifting movement. Experimenting with different soft-plastic shapes, such as beetles or insect larvae, can help match the local forage and entice wary fish. Subtle rod movements are key; instead of lifting sharply, use slow sweeps to maintain bottom contact and feel every contour. By paying attention to these small adjustments, anglers can use the Carolina rig to cover structure thoroughly and draw strikes even when conditions are challenging.Our Fresh Beetle delivers ultimate versatility in a soft plastic bait. Its slim yet wide body design and four claws are engineered to naturally glide and wobble as it moves through the water. This design ensures they remain enticingly active longer than conventional baits. Its unique texture also provides a realistic feel, making bass hold on longer once they bite. Water clarity plays a big role in color selection but year-round you can’t miss when using go-to colors such as Chocolate Mint, Ox Blood, or 10w30 Synthetic beetles. The hyper-active swimming claws are designed thin with long-lasting durable non-salt plastic to make them come alive with the slightest movement. The Fresh Beetle offers an enticing 4-inch profile and is scented for complete and total attraction! You can rig these Beetles as a Jig/ Chatter Trailer, Flippin/ Punching, Texas Rig, Swing Jig, and Carolina Rig. Making the beetle beyond perfect in any weather condition year-round! |
| The Neko rig is a finesse setup that shines when targeting suspended or pressured bass during fall transitions. Just by inserting a small weight into one end of a soft plastic worm or insect-larva-style bait, anglers can achieve a unique falling motion that appeals to neutral fish. This rig is most effective around isolated structures, open flats, or visible fish marked on sonar. Gentle rod movements make the bait pulse and stand upright, imitating a feeding or injured prey item. Light line and long leaders enhance its natural movement while keeping it in the strike zone. When bites are light or fish are reluctant to chase, the Neko rig’s lifelike action consistently entices strikes without spooking bass. The beauty of the Neko rig lies in its versatility. Neko rig’s it can be fished vertically for suspended bass or cast and dragged along the bottom for those holding tight to cover. Very small changes in the hook placement or weight size can completely alter the bait’s fall rate and action, making it easy to fine-tune based on fish behavior. On calm, clear days, a slower fall often proves more effective, while slightly heavier weights can help maintain control in wind or current. Because of its finesse nature, patience and precision are key; most bites feel like light pressure or a sudden heaviness on the line. With practice, the Neko rig becomes one of the most reliable tools for catching finicky fall bass that ignore more aggressive presentations.Using a stick-styled worm is the most tried and true ways to catch fish. We have a variety of 5-inch Worms to choose from but we just added MidNight, Glow, and Ghost Worms! Our popular Watermelon Red Worms have been restocked as well. You can also experience our new wacky rigging kit while it’s ON SALE! The WACKY Pack offers our most popular colors and essential tools for wacky rigging. If you’re fast enough you might be able to grab the limited-release Pumpkin Spice Worm before it’s completely sold out, along with some of our newest colors, including the Brown Worm, Electric Chicken Worm, and Goby Wan Worm colors. The high-grade non-salt plastic they’re made from provides positive buoyancy and it even floats underwater! We also Restocked 6-inch Worms, including Watermelon Red, Green Pumpkin, Black & Blue, Fire TGR, Wild Berries, Bone, 10w30 Synthetic, Zombie Blood, and Chocolate MNT! — all available in 5 and 6-inch. We’ve also recently released new 8-count packs of worms available in Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, and Green Pumpkin. We also offer worms that have the unique ability to shift from one color to another. Scented for total attraction underwater. |
| As October progresses, bass often key in on smaller baitfish, making minnow imitations highly effective. These compact baits can be rigged lightly for shallow fish or weighted slightly for deeper targets. A short leader and steady retrieve help maintain a natural swimming motion that mimics schools of young shad or minnows. Clear water and calm conditions are ideal for this technique, as fish rely heavily on sight during these periods. Using a slightly heavier line can help keep the bait higher within the water column, preventing it from sinking too quickly past active fish. This method pairs well with sonar or sight-fishing approaches, allowing anglers to cast directly to visible targets and control the depth precisely. When fishing swimbaits, paying attention to retrieve speed is crucial. Too fast a retrieve can cause the bait to look unnatural, but if you go too slow and it may go unnoticed. Varying the cadence by adding brief pauses or twitches can simulate the erratic movement of a fleeing baitfish and trigger strikes. The color selection should also reflect local forage, with natural tones working best in clear water and slightly brighter hues helping in low light or stained conditions. It’s often beneficial to target transition zones where shallow flats drop into deeper water, as these edges are prime ambush points for feeding bass. By keeping presentations lifelike, anglers can consistently fool even the most cautious fish during this selective feeding phase of fall.Introducing the Newest 8-Inch MagDingo Worms! These are the ultimate game-changer in bass fishing! Engineered for anglers who know SIZE does matter, this lure is designed to attract only the BIGGEST bass with a fixation for the larger bait. The MagDingo Worm boasts a solid 8-inch body enhanced with a hyperactive ribbed design, ensuring irresistible mouth-watering action for those trophy bass. The 10-count packs are now available in a variety of 6 crucial colors, including the 10w30 Synthetic, Black & Blue, Zombie Blood, Green Pumpkin, Wild Cherry, and Watermelon Red. Each worm is made in the USA from durable, high-grade Non-Salted plastic for lifelike action and unparalleled durability. Perfectly balanced for a variety of rigging options and scented for maximum attraction, the 8-inch MagDingo Worm promises year-round effectiveness in lakes, rivers, and streams. Whether you’re rigging it on a Shakey Head, Drop Shot, Texas Rig, or Carolina Rig, these worms are your ticket to landing trophy-sized smallmouth and largemouth bass. |
| The most successful anglers in October are those who adjust their tactics to the bass’ changing moods. Start the day with faster, more aggressive techniques when fish are chasing, then transition to slower soft-plastic approaches as activity tapers off. Pay attention to water temperature, clarity, and wind direction. All influence the bass position and how they feed. When conditions change suddenly, having both power and finesse options ready can make or break a day on the water. Soft plastics like worms, beetles, and craw-imitations serve as excellent follow-ups after missed topwater strikes. Maintaining versatility and reading the environment are essential to keeping the bite going throughout the dynamic fall season. Weather patterns in fall can shift quickly, and understanding how these changes impact fish behavior helps you stay one step ahead. After a cold front, bass often move deeper or become less active, making subtle presentations with soft plastics far more productive than reaction baits. Conversely, warming trends or steady conditions may reignite shallow feeding, creating opportunities for faster-moving lures. Observing how bass respond throughout the day allows you to refine your presentation speed, color choice, and casting angle for maximum effectiveness. By staying flexible and thinking ahead of the conditions, anglers can adapt seamlessly to every scenario October throws their way. We have a wide variety of terminal tackle to choose from, but we’ve released new Nako Tungsten Tear Drop Shot Weights, crafted from 97% eco-friendly tungsten for stealth, durability, and vibration, with easy-to-read size stamps and a crimped swivel for quick changes. Owner Mosquito Hooks work for dropshotting and perfectly accommodates a wide range of soft plastics. The new Haymaker EWG Worm Hooks are also now available, featuring an extra-wide gap for various soft plastics, a Z-lock shoulder bend for secure bait placement, and an angled-up super needle point for fast, powerful hooksets. The popular All Purpose Hooks are built with an extra-wide gap and are made to accommodate a wide range of soft plastics. For creature-styled baits, a more popular choice to use is the Stand-Up Jig because it sits the bait up-right in a defensive stance! The WEEDLESS Block Head Jig features high-quality construction that helps increase your hook-up ratios and keep your bait clean from snagging rocks or vegetation. The Block Head Jig is perfect for ned rigging the HellaMite with its mushroom-style head that seamlessly matches a wide variety of soft plastics. The Offset Block Head Jig, offers the same mushroom-style head with a unique offset hook, making it a go-to for weedless Ned Rig applications. The Shakey Ultrahead can permanently secure baits by inserting the pin in the center and screwing the twist lock coil spring for perfect rigging every time! The Ultrahead Wacky Jig features precise weight positioning and hook orientation for the ultimate wacky presentations. For fast Texas rigging, we use the Bullet-Type Rig which has an attached weight saving you precious time when fishing cover. The 4x Jungle Flippin Hook is designed for big fish and the toughest conditions. The Range Roller Jig Head is crafted for precision with its high center axis design, perfect for hover-strolling and mid to bottom strolling with forward facing sonar, ensuring an enticing rolling action that triggers bites. We also just released Keep’em Fresh Bait Bags! These bags are the ultimate solution for anglers who need their gear to perform. Built like a tank, this bag is 20x stronger than regular zip bags and offers 100% waterproof protection with a rock-solid double zipper seal. Whether it’s for soft plastics, snacks, or your smartphone, this reusable and versatile bag keeps everything safe from water, mud, and grime. It’s lightweight yet spacious, it fits snugly in your tackle box or backpack, making it perfect for your next adventure. |