We’ve just had a slight cool front come through as I sit here to write this in early fall. I’ve already taken a few dove hunting trips where I managed to bag a few before sweating through my shirt.
That’s one problem about late summer fishing: the heat. I don’t enjoy it, nor do the fish; they are much more challenging to catch in August.
However, as fall approaches and the water cools, the bass fishing gets just as good as that after spawn bite, especially in a kayak.
This is because most bass move back to the shallows to feed heavily before winter slows down their metabolism.
Rarely do you have to paddle far to find bass willing to bite.
Where to Start in the Fall
A majority of bass have just spent the summer in deeper portions of the body of water you’re fishing, so one of the best places to start in the fall is near a depth change to determine if the bass are still in a summer pattern or if they’re in their fall pattern.
You’ll find fish a little deeper if they’re still in their summer pattern. If they’re in their fall pattern, you’ll catch them in the shallows.
During warm stretches in the fall, I’ll fish deep to shallow, but if we’ve had a few days of cooler weather, I like to start shallow and move to deeper water if I’m not getting bites.
The great thing about fishing from a kayak during the fall is that you can often stay closer to shore, which means you’re less likely to get run over by boats; plus, when the bass are shallow, you get to do more catching than paddling.
Best Fall Bass Fishing Lures
While in recent years, I’ve begun to learn to slow down with some finesse fishing techniques, I’m still very much a power fisherman, and that plays right into the hand of fall fishing.
My favorite fall lures are a
Crankbait
Spinnerbait
Bladed-Jig
Jig
I learned to bass fish with a crankbait, and similar to the spring, a crankbait is incredibly effective this time of year. I love a squarebill that runs 3-5 feet deep in bluegill patterns, but I recommend using colors closest to the baitfish in your body of water.
The spinnerbait is another of my favorites because I can fish it a little deeper and change the speeds if needed. A white and chartreuse spinnerbait is usually tied onto my line in the fall to emulate shad.
I was late to hop onto the bladed-jig bandwagon, but I quickly discovered why so many anglers sing its praises once I started throwing it. Because it’s so versatile, the chatterbait is a great lure to use when fishing shallow or along a ledge in the fall.
No fishing lure list is complete without the jig. I prefer a swim jig this time of year because you can always slow it down and drag it if they’re not biting it on the move.
Moving lures are great to throw from a kayak because it’s dang near impossible to stay in one place without the aid of a kayak trolling motor or PowerPole.
My hook-up ratio drastically improves using these lures, thanks to better hook sets with moving lures from my little plastic boat.
Last Cast
Besides pumpkin spice lattes (of which I’m not a fan), fall is generally spent hunting, spending time with family outdoors, and, of course, watching football.
Most kayak anglers miss out on the incredible opportunity that fall bass fishing offers. The big ones are hungry and much more willing to bite than they were during the summer, so get out there and catch’em!Author’s ProfileWesley Littlefield lives in Northeast Oklahoma, he’s a contributing author of Anglers. Growing up he was introduced to several different styles of fishing by his dad and discovered how much he simply loved being on the water. He has followed in his father’s footsteps, introducing his wife and daughter to the incredible adventures the great outdoors offers!
