The Fall Rattle Bait Bite
One of the things I look forward to each fall is the lipless crankbait bite!
We usually associate lipless crankbaits with springtime fishing. Rattling baits like SPRO's Aruku Shad are highly productive power-fishing lures. These excellent search baits cover a lot of water quickly and can be counted on to trigger reaction strikes from both aggressively-feeding bass as well as those lurking in ambush. For those reasons it's many anglers' go-to bait early in the year. However, as bass move farther back into the pockets in the fall and start their pre-winter feeding, a lipless crankbait can once again become your bait of choice. It can be just as much fun to fish in the fall as in the spring; you just have to pick your spots off the grass to fish it!
It's the kind of bait that bass chase all year round, but there are some differences in how you fish it in the fall vs. the spring and a lot of that has to do with adjusting to the fall grassy points, at least in a shallow lake like Guntersville.
As the days shorten and lake temps decrease, grass quickly thins out on long points that taper off into deep water. Fishing a lipless crankbait off transition points dropping from 5 feet down to 10 in depth and more can be very productive.
First of all, I downsize my lure selection in the fall. Instead of working that 1/2-ounce ArukuShad65 or 5/8-once ArukuShad75, which worked so well last spring, I switch to a smaller 3/8-ounce ArukuShad Jr. (https://www.spro.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=58) so I can work it easily over the top of the grass. The smaller size also allows you to move it slower and have it just tick the top of the grass giving the bait some deflection while reeling it.
You can also retrieve the pint-sized lure in a more stop-and-go pattern as it has smaller hooks and it drops slower, which gives you time for the bait to just slightly hang on the grass before ripping it upward, enhancing the presentation.
I realize that to a lot of fisherman, hanging a crankbait in the grass gets aggravating; but if you use the rod tip to help you snap it out of the grass when it hangs, it will catch you more fish. The smaller quarter-ounce bait pops out very easily, and this pause-and-flee presentation is deadly in the fall. It just requires just a little extra willpower and patience. Try it yourself, and I bet you'll be pleased with the results around grassy areas in the fall of the year.
Many times bass are most aggressive in the fall, and fishing lipless crankbaits will increase your catches big time during this season. Don't be intimidated by the grass, but use its tendency to snag your bait to your advantage. Rattling the grass can be very productive, and the fall is a great time to prove it.
Captain Mike Gerry
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Phone: 256 759 2270