After guiding on Alabama's Guntersville Lake for over 40 years I have seen a lot of big, largemouth bass taken on crankbaits of all kinds, various shapes, different sizes, many colors and all kinds of diving depths.
Not only are these lures productive on Guntersville Lake (just ask David Fritts) in the winter, spring and summer seasons but in the fall season they excell as well! Often fooling more big bass, than when using many other types of lures!
So my advice for fishing this fall season and even on into the early winter months with crankbaits? Rig up!
These are great lures for covering all depths of the water column with some model crankbaits running from 1 foot to 20 feet deep!
So rigging up several rods will be neccesary on any given trip to Guntersville lake this fall and early winter season, to discover which depth (or depths) you should be fishing.
Keep in mind there are many variables that will determine what depth most of these largemouth bass bass will be holding in on about any day on massive, Guntersville lake Alabama's largest man made lake, impounded in 1939.
Shallow diving crankbaits, (both round-billed and square-billed models) may be needed, like when following a few days of heavy rains that can stain the water, bringing both baitfish and bass shallow.
Suspendede bass may be in that water column holding anywhere between 4 and 7 feet deep, requiring crankbaits that rundeep, especially on partly cloudy days.
Just like during the summer months you may discover bass on this lake anywhere. There may also be some very deep bass in and around the very same spots they inhibited this past summer season.
Requiring deep diving crankbaits and the use of lighter line, coupled withlong rods, to help get in some very long casts, to get these crankbaits at their maximum depths, often much deeper, in that 10-15 foot range. Depths other lures fail to reach.
Brighter colors may be needed in stained water conditions, or the use of shad colors or crayfish colors may be needed in clearer water conditions.
Try crankbaits this fall and winter season! Like said, "You don't know unless you throw"! How will you know if these bass will even hit a crankbait or two, if you do not even tie one on and fish it.
Experiment, not only with various diving depths, but try different shapes, lure actions and even try crankbaits, both with built-in internal rattles and those crankbaits, "without rattles"...either type may be needed!
Thanks and Good Fishin'
Reed Montgomery Owner of Reeds Guide Service - Website www.fishingalabama.com Birmingham, Al.
"Guntersville lake's oldest, professional -- bass fishing only -- guide service for over 40 years"