Top 3 Lures Amy J Takes with Her Fall Bass Fishing and Tips on How to Use Them

There’s something about fall fishing that I look forward to each year; the cooler air which calls for hoodie weather (my favorite!), the trees all around me that look like they are on fire with the beautiful bright colors of the changing leaves, and of course the rewarding feeling of catching Bass during a not so easy time of year to catch them.

I spend most of my fall days fishing from my kayak and always have 3 rods with me. While I know that fall fishing varies depending which part of the country you are fishing, I am in the state of New Hampshire and here are the 3 lures I always have tied on and that work best for me for Largemouth Bass in the fall. 

1. Chatterbait/Vibrating Jig -this is probably my favorite bait all year round. It can be fished several different ways, but in the fall I like to throw the chatterbait in shallow water or along the banks, anywhere there is still green grass and pads. Slow retrieval is key. I reel as slow as I possibly can, only fast enough to be able to feel the vibration of the bait. My favorite trailer for the chatterbait/vibrating jig in the fall is the Doomsday Tackle Little Boy swimbait. My color of choice is Green Pumpkin. 
   
   
   
   
2. Spinnerbait- I like to throw this bait right around what is left of the weeds and lily pads. Again, look for the green stuff. It took me a long time to figure out that you actually can do this and it won’t get snagged most of the time like most other baits. During the fall I find that this bait is good to use especially when the wind starts to kick in, which it usually does and I will throw it all around points and in deeper water. Again, slow retrieval does the trick for me and sometimes I stop and let it fall for a couple second then throw in a quick jerks here and there to cause a more intense vibration to try and get a reaction. I have found that a double willow blade white/chartreuse spinnerbait works best for me this time of year. 
   
   
3. Jig - And last but not least, the jig. Although I do most of my fishing in 10 feet of water or less, sometimes the bass just can’t be found so that is when I will switch to try and find them in deeper water. I like to cast it out and let it fall to the bottom and sit for a moment. I then give it a little shake and then quickly lift my rod tip to lift it off of the bottom a couple feet and then let it fall back to the bottom. If that is not working, I will cast it back out, again let it fall to the bottom and sit for a moment, give it a little shake and then slowly lift my rod top until I can feel it dragging along the bottom and once you feel a “thump” set that hook! My favorite color for the jig is green pumpkin or black & blue and my favorite trailer to use is a Doomsday Tackle Co. Reaper 3.8 to match. 

What I have learned is that you have to change your spots frequently in the fall until you can locate the fish. And once you find one, there are going to be others close by. Don’t give up too quickly! The wait is worth the rewarding feeling of hard work and patience paying off. 

 Follow Amy Johnson on IG @amyjbasslady