Best bass lures for fall | Best fall baits for bass
There I was, a broke bass angler trying to catch a few bass when work slowed in the fall.
The thing is, at the time I was catching only a couple of bass (if I was lucky), and many days I hardly ever caught anything.
The big problem was that every video from a so-called fishing guru just wanted me to buy the lure they happened to be sponsored by, but I didn’t realize it at the time. That meant spent all my hard earned money on lures that just didn’t work, which killed my only chance of catching a good amount of bass.
Then, as if by chance, something amazing happened…
I went to my wife’s high school reunion and I had a conversation with a private fishing guide who also was a former professional bass angler. Over a few “frosty beverages” he began to tell me all his secrets, on where to find bass and specifically what lures attract and catch bass in the fall and why!
Instantly it became crystal clear to me how to choose the best lure and turn it into a bass catching “magnet”, because I saw it wasn’t about casting out any random lure, it was about casting out the right lure for that specific situation.
Now I could quickly and confidently choose the right lure for the job.
My plan was to fish more consistently to make sure the blueprint I was given really worked..
So I started going out every day that I had available. But I didn’t stop there.
I started devoting a lot of time to researching every article and literally buying book after book in order to learn as much as I can about fall bass fishing.
I even traveled across the country for in-person on the water mentoring lessons on how to be a better bass fisherman during the fall.
After that, I applied the same fishing strategies to different bodies of water.
Bottom line: In the end I was able to 10X my catch rate and the size of the bass was significantly bigger, all in less than 60 days!
I want to help by clearing up any confusion on fall bass fishing lures. That is why this blueprint makes on-the-water decisions a LOT easier and faster and cuts down our prep/research time by 95% or more.
I’m so excited to share this with you so you can get these types of results too!
Best of all it’s free and you can come back to it anytime you want…
All I ask in return is to share this with anyone who may find it helpful. That’s all.
Early Fall Bass Lures | Fall Transition Bass Fishing Baits
Drop Shot
Drop Shot – The drop shot can be utilized at any depth and can be paired with nearly any soft plastic bait.
"I’ve learned there is a big difference between a finesse fisherman and someone who fishes finesse once in a while. Right now in the pro ranks, just about everyone has embraced drop-shotting, and why not? It’s easy and often effective"
Here are some Drop Shot Worms for you to consider...
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Here are some Drop Shot Weights for you to consider...
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Deep Diving Crankbait
Crankbaits. Crankbaits are great because you can target the exact depth in which the bass are holding. These little lures are also awesome because you can really match the hatch with most color patterns.
The best fall crankbaits will perform better depending on the type of line you have tied on. Wide-wobbling baits will perform better using 12-17-pound test fluorocarbon line.
"A lot of anglers think too shallow when they’re fishing in the fall. It’s early fall, not late fall. Most of the quality bass are out on the drops and in deeper water. I’m fishing right now at around 10 feet and I’m catching them. I’m also catching a lot out around 14 to 16 feet deep. That means I’m throwing a deep diving crankbait."
Here are some Deep Diving Crankbaits for you to consider...
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Chatterbait
Chatterbait – When the fish begin to intensively eat the shad in the lake, a chatterbait is an excellent imitation of those baitfish.
"Any standing or emergent vegetation, flooded bushes, or riprap banks are good targets to ply with top water presentations. If the fish don't want to eat on top, I move lower in the water column...I can fish the Project Z Weedless ChatterBait in vegetation, flooded brush, laydown trees, under docks, and around any rock I come across. "
Here are some Chatterbaits for you to consider...
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Texas Rig
Texas rig – The Texas rig is great because you’re encouraged to drag the Texas rig through any type of cover without being snagged.
The bullet weight’s smooth, pointed shape improves the rig’s ability to slither through dense vegetation, submerged brush, flooded timber, rock piles, and natural humps.
"So my approach to fishing in the fall is always, I pick up my confidence baits, I try to cover as much water as possible, and it seems like for me, time and time again, one of my best confidence baits and best producers year-round is this Missile Baits D Bomb, right here. And I'll throw it in the fall a ton still. We got really clear water. I'm almost always gonna be flipping a green pumpkin color and I'm almost always gonna try to be as close as I can to bluegill beds or bluegill that are still, you know, hanging around docks or stuff like that."
Here are some Texas Rig Creature Baits for you to consider...
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Mid Fall Bass Lures
Spinnerbait
Spinnerbait – The spinnerbait will attract and catch fish in the breeziest conditions. Spinnerbaits can be fished really slow or very fast.
"The spinnerbait pattern will be showing up in the coming days on northern lakes for largemouth and smallmouth. Burning a spinnerbait – cranking it fast just beneath the surface in clear water – can be deadly. A similar technique works in the South, too, but it happens a little later because it takes longer there for the water to cool down. What happens during October in the North occurs in November in Missouri and December in Texas."
Here are some Spinnerbaits for you to consider...
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Walking Topwater Bait
Walking topwater bait – When you see bass busting shad on the topwater, walking a topwater bait through the shad boil can catch you a bunch of big bass!
Its large size and profile typically attract larger bass.
If the conditions are calm and the water is clear, most professionals choose a walking bait in a very clear/ transparent shad pattern.
In fact, sometimes a bait that is completely clear with a white feathered treble hook on the tail is the way to go.
If the water color is semi-stained, then go with a walking bait that has a little chartreuse, red, or orange in it.
"In the fall, all around the country, most of the bass are schooling and herding bait, and a lot of times they're surfacing. When they're not surfacing, they stay suspended. It's a big challenge to catch suspended bass, but I think one of the best ways to catch suspended bass in the fall is on a topwater plug. When they see that chrome reflection skipping across the water, it's a natural reaction for them to come and get it."
Here are some Topwater Walking Baits for you to consider...
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Frog Bait
Frog bait – In late summer and all the way into middle fall frogs and toads are still a stable part of a bass’s diet.
When you see bass chasing bluegills near grass mats and vegetation, throwing a frog bait is an absolute must.
"During the summer months, bass position themselves underneath these mats of vegetation to take cover from the direct sunlight. As the weather cools and the fall transition has taken place, the bass are in this vegetation for its warmth. Not only does this keep bass in feeding mode, but that warm water will attract more aquatic insects and in turn baitfish or bluegills, which bass are looking to feed on during the fall, before the big winter temperature dips... By searching out the greenest vegetation that you can find on the lake or river you are fishing means you are fishing in areas that still have a good amount of oxygen in the water. This is critical as the areas with more of the brown, dying or dead vegetation will have low amounts of oxygen in it and not attract the baitfish, which is an absolute must for fall fishing as that is what bass want in the fall…FOOD!"
Here are some Frog lures for you to consider...
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Umbrella Rig
Umbrella rig – If the bass are ultra-aggressive and chasing shad, then you want to throw an umbrella rig. This rig mimics a school of baitfish that bass find it hard to ignore.
"I call it a 65 to 65 rig, once the water drops to 65 degrees in the fall, I will be throwing it all winter…until spring water temperatures rise above 65 degrees. I will throw this combination around isolated laydowns, on river channels, on laydowns along bluffs or floating docks over deep water where a lot of those big [fish] suspend, it’s a killer rig, and it often gets the biggest fish of the day."
Here are some Umbrella Rigs for you to consider...
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Jerbait
megabass vision 110 – IG photo cred @megabassamerica
Jerkbait – A jerkbait is an excellent shad imitation. A jerkbait’s other feature is that it attracts bass from a very far distance.
These are great all-around baits that you can throw it up shallow, or throw it for suspended fish.
A good bait for early to mid-fall would be the Lucky Craft Pointer 100. It has great action, a bigger profile, and a relatively wide body roll.
When the water gets really cold, most professionals shy away from that big profile jerkbaits with wide body-roll motions.
That is where a jerkbait like a Mega Bass Vision 110 comes into play.
This bait has an amazing side-to-side action with very little body roll.
The Mega Bass Vision 110 should typically fish a bit shallow in 3-5 feet of water, whereas the Vision 110+1 can get dive deeper into 6-10 feet, possibly longer if you make a really long cast or if you’re using really thin fluorocarbon line.
"In the fall, they really help me locate fish quickly, and they can really make a big difference at the end of the day in my catch. Jerkbaits allow me to fish in a slight breeze and in heavy winds, it’s a bait that I can fish in the wind and not worry about the difficulties of line control with a bottom bouncing lure, but I have more control over it than a crankbait."
Here are some Jerkbaits for you to consider...
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Flat-Sided Crankbait
Flat-Sided Crankbait – It’s all about the ‘wobble’ with flat-sided crankbait.
These baits tend to perform best in stained and off-colored water due to their small changes in vibration, tight body roll action, and running depth.
Lastly, remember you do have to reel this in quickly just because it’s a flat-sided crankbait.
Cast these baits parallel to long rocky banks and jetties that have good sun exposure during the mid-to-late fall and all throughout the wintertime.
"Wiggle Warts aren’t just a spring bait, I’ll throw ‘em to catch bass in the fall too. You either want to call those fish up or put a bait right where they are, When they won’t rise for a topwater bait, he’ll crank a Wiggle Wart through the school. If I can reach those fish with a Wiggle Wart, I can get bites. [I] can get you some reaction bites from some fish that won’t bite those baits that run straight through the school – fish that really aren’t active and really aren’t in the feeding mode."
Here are some Small Body Crankbaits for you to consider...
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Small Body Crankbait
Small Body Crankbait – Once the morning bite has slowed and the bass retreat to deeper water, grinding a small tight wiggling crankbait over their ambush spot typically catches a few more bass.
Tight-wiggling baits that are narrow and thin will have the best action using an 8-10-pound test fluorocarbon line.
"Wiggle Warts aren’t just a spring bait, I’ll throw ‘em to catch bass in the fall too. You either want to call those fish up or put a bait right where they are, When they won’t rise for a topwater bait, he’ll crank a Wiggle Wart through the school. If I can reach those fish with a Wiggle Wart, I can get bites. [I] can get you some reaction bites from some fish that won’t bite those baits that run straight through the school – fish that really aren’t active and really aren’t in the feeding mode."
Here are some Small Body Crankbaits for you to consider...
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Late Fall Bass Lures
Jigs
Jigs – Jigs can be used during the entire fall season, but really excel in late fall. When you see the bass stacked up on your sonar crawl a jig with a finesse cut skirt.
Later in the fall when you start targeting the backs of coves, make sure you target the darkest and deepest spots that you can see. The bass will use these shallow/hidden spots as ambush points. Then, simply pitch the jig in there and wait for the bass to hammer it!
"I hate to say it’s a finesse jig, because it’s more like a finesse flipping jig. The reason I like this is the 5/16-ounce weight gives it a little faster fall; it triggers a reaction bite. And, once again, I typically like that small, compact lure. It gets a lot of bites. It has 3-inch Strike King Jig Chunk trailer because in the fall I want to keep that profile small. As for color, in the fall I like black-and-blue with a green pumpkin trailer: It’s just a different combination other people don’t throw. I keep stressing how important it is that, in the fall, the fish have seen everything under the sun, so you want to do something a little bit different to try to get yourself some more bites."
Here are some Jigs for you to consider...
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Squarebill Crankbait
Squarebill crankbaits – When the water temperature is in the 50s and the color is off, a squarebill is perfect.
Works well if you go up rivers and into creeks and target shallow structure, brush and laydowns.
"We’ve learned [squarebill crankbaits] are far more versatile than that and work well in different types of cover and throughout the season, including early and late in the year. The reason? The erratic action that causes a squarebill crankbait to work left and right and deflect wildly off cover will trigger bites in all types of conditions. They work in clear water as well as dirty water and around grass as well as they do rocks and wood. In fact, they can be deadly in open water when fishing off the bottom or away from cover."
Here are some Squarebill Crankbaits for you to consider...
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Lipless Crankbaits
Lipless crankbaits – I put these in a separate category because of their tight wobble.
Most professionals are seen retrieving them parallel to the structure or you can jig them vertically.
In the late fall and winter months, color choice for lipless crankbaits is not rocket science.
Similar to your standard crankbaits you need to match the lure as close as possible to the forage as much as possible.
For example, Ghost Shad and Ghost Minnow, Chartreuse Shad are natural colors that you need to use if the water is clear.
Whereas, an interesting anomaly is sometimes bright colors work really well in highly stained water. Colors such as red-white, bright red, or fluorescent orange crawfish patterns will surprise you!
"The rattle bait is phenomenal in the spring, but it's just as good in the fall, if not better, some of the best days that I've ever had with a rattle bait have been in the fall when the water temperature has cooled and is in the low 70s and upper 60s. It's incredible how shallow the bass will be when they're feeding on shad."
Here are some Lipless Crankbaits for you to consider...
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Buzzbaits
Buzzbaits – The buzzbaits large profile and aggressive sound in the water normally draw out the biggest, meanest bass to bite it.
Many times smaller bass will completely cower when a big buzzbait zips over their head. Make sure you cover as much water as you can.
Target steep banks that offer a lot of shade. Areas that have rock transitions are great high percentage locations, meaning locations that have rocky conditions that go from thick basketball-size chunk rock to small tiny gravel.
If it’s breezy this is the first topwater that many professionals will choose.
"Whatever cover you come to, you always want to throw past it; you never want to land on top of it. If it’s a big piece of cover, yeah, I’ll throw at it twice, but nine times out of 10, a fish that’s on a piece of shallow cover will eat that buzzbait the first time. The fish usually bite the bait pretty good, so you don’t usually need a trailer hook. The only time I’ll use a trailer hook is in really clear water."
Here are some Buzzbaits for you to consider...
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Last Cast...
WOW! I hope I didn’t over deliver, but with this blueprint you can now quickly choose the best lure for that specific body of water—by yourself, without having to watch a ton of videos that would waste 6-8 hours of your time, and these lures are more likely to catch you more fish!
And that’s why I was excited to share this with you so you can get these types of results too!
Checkout These Other Fall Fishing Articles...
- The Real Secret To Fall Bass Fishing [57 Tips, Patterns, Techniques To Catch Fall Bass]
- Experts Reveal 37 Great Fall Lures That Work and Are CHEAP!
- Are Crankbaits Good In The Fall? [Little Known Ways to Get More Bites]
- The Coolest Lipless Crankbait DIY Hack You Don’t Know About
- Best Crankbait Rods Under $100? (And Which I’d Buy On A Budget!)
- Best Jig Rod for Bass Fishing [Review Guide]
- Best Rod For Senko, Shaky Head, Wacky Rig, Neko Rig, Ned Rig – Finesse Fishing [Buyer’s Guide]
- FINALLY! Comprehensive Drop Shot Rod for Bass Fishing Review Guide
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