Fall is officially here, and it couldn’t get here soon enough! With cooler weather and shorter days, the bait will begin migrating toward the backs of creeks and bays. You will see bait all over the lake during this transition, and with that being said, you will find bass all over the lake during the beginning of the transition.

As the fall pattern develops, the key is to follow the food source. Shad will move shallower, and bass will often move with them. That makes the early fall transition a great time to cover water, pay attention to bait location, and adjust your presentation to the conditions.

Best Fall Bass Fishing Baits for the Shad Migration

Since the shad are migrating and there will be an abundance of shad this time of year, you should see all of this year’s fry, averaging 1 to 1 ½ inches in length.

So, everything I fish will resemble shad, and I will keep my baits around that same length as the shad. Keep in mind the clarity of the water you’re fishing. If it’s super clear, translucent colors work great, and I’ve caught many bass in this type of water on a clear topwater bait.

My go-to baits are a topwater bait, spinnerbait, ChatterBait-style bait, small crankbait, and a vibrating bait.

How to Choose Where to Fish During the Fall Bass Transition

What I do is break down the lake into three parts:

Section 1: Main lake, including the mouths of the creeks.

Section 2: Mid-section of the creeks.

Section 3: Back of the creeks.

I will fish all three of these sections until I can figure out which section of the lake holds a higher percentage of bass. I like to start on the main lake and the mouths of the creeks first, then look for an area that has bait in it. Once I find bait, I will start fishing there.

Section 1: Main Lake and Creek Mouths

I will start out with some type of topwater bait. Usually, a walking bait is my favorite this time of year. I’m going to use a shad-pattern topwater since the bass will be eating primarily shad fry.

It will all depend on the lake you’re fishing and what type of cover is available. I fish anything that visibly looks good. I will give this area an hour or so, depending on what I’ve caught. If it’s not producing, I move to Section 2.

Section 2: Mid-Section of the Creeks

Now that we’ve moved farther into the creek, the same rules apply as before. The sun should still be low enough, as long as you started at daylight, to keep fishing the topwater bait.

If not, I will go to a ChatterBait or spinnerbait. I will keep going back and forth with all of these baits until I can figure out what’s drawing the most bites for me.

And keep in mind that all of these baits will catch fish for you throughout the day.

Section 3: Back of the Creeks

Now we will move all the way back into the creek. Again, look for any cover that might hold a fish and look for fish chasing bait.

Another thing I have figured out is watching my depth finder for an actual creek flowing into the back. If there is an actual creek channel, pay close attention to it and how it winds back into the creek.

I have caught a lot of good fish by trying to visualize where the creek is and making random casts in that area.

All of these baits can catch fish in the back of the creek. I will fish the rattling bait a lot in the backs, and I will fish it fast, trying to get a reaction strike. If there’s grass in the lake, this bait works wonders this time of year.

Fall Bass Fishing Rod, Reel and Line Selection

Topwater Rod and Line Setup

For my topwater baits, I like to use a couple of different rod lengths and line choices.

If I’m using a walking bait, I will sometimes go with a 7-foot rod or a 6-foot-10 Assegai rod with a MegaJaws reel, spooled with either 15-pound monofilament or 30-pound Hammer braid.

Spinnerbait, ChatterBait and Vibrating Bait Setup

For spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits, and vibrating baits, I like a 7-foot to 7-foot-3 Assegai rod with a AL-Ti Elite reel.

I will fish them on 15- to 17-pound Fluorokote fluorocarbon line.

Small Crankbait Rod and Reel Setup

For small crankbaits, I will use a 7-foot Assegai spinning rod with a Skeet Reese 3000 spinning reel, spooled with 15-pound Hammer braid and a 12-pound Fluorokote leader.

How Weather Affects Fall Bass Fishing

Keep in mind that each day’s weather can play a big role in how the fish will feed.

If you have a weather pattern where it rains for four or five days, I will probably fish a topwater a lot longer. If it’s sunny and calm, topwater may not work at all.

If it’s windy with clear skies, I will fish the spinnerbait and ChatterBait more.

As we move more into fall, the bait will keep migrating back, and so will the fish.

It’s mid-September now, and I live in Tennessee on Kentucky Lake. We have a lot of shad on our lakes. Most lakes have shad, and if you’re fishing smaller bodies of water, there may not be any shad where you live.

But the fish will move shallower everywhere in the fall. So will bluegill and other fish that bass will feed on, so you can use these same tips to help you find fish in those bodies of water.

Fall Bass Fishing on Natural Lakes

Even on natural bodies of water, if they contain shad, the shad will migrate shallow.

I know on Okeechobee the shad will move out to the main lake during the summer, and as the water cools in the fall, the bait migrates up into the shallow flats.

So, if you live in an area of the country where you’re faced with fishing natural lakes, the same principle will apply. The shad will migrate shallow, and the bass will follow the food source.

Final Tips for Fall Bass Fishing

The biggest thing to remember during the fall transition is that bass are following the food. The location of that food can change quickly as shad and other forage move through the lake.

Instead of assuming all the fish have already moved to the backs of the creeks, let the bait and the conditions show you where to start. Once you find the area with the most activity, you can narrow down your presentation and spend more time where the fish are actually feeding.

That is what makes the fall transition so productive. You’re not simply fishing a seasonal pattern—you’re following a moving food source and adjusting as the lake changes.

Stay observant, stay mobile, and let the fish show you the pattern.

Until next time, tight lines and good fishing.

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