Fall Bass Want Bugs. Here’s Why.
When summer starts fading and the mornings turn crisp, a lot of bass fishermen automatically reach for bigger bait.
That can be a mistake.
As fall approaches, insects can become an increasingly important part of a bass's diet. And when bass are looking for bugs along the shoreline, a small, properly worked imitation can produce some surprisingly good fish.
You don't need a tackle box full of fancy new lures. Sometimes the old ideas still work just fine.
Fall Changes What Bass Eat
During the heat of summer, bass spend plenty of time chasing minnows, frogs, crayfish and young baitfish. They'll eat insects when the opportunity presents itself, but bugs usually aren't the main course.
As the days shorten and the nights cool down, that changes.
Grasshoppers, crickets, cicadas and other insects begin finding their way into the water around shorelines. Bass know where these easy meals end up—and they start looking for them.
That makes the edges of ponds, creeks and lakes especially interesting in early fall.
If you've got trees, brush or grass hanging over the water, pay attention. That's where insects are most likely to fall in, and that's where bass may be waiting.
Don't Be Afraid to Go Small
There's an old fishing rule that says big baits catch big fish.
But fall bass don't always get the memo.
Small insect-style lures can produce bass of all sizes, including some surprisingly good largemouth and smallmouth.
The key is matching what the fish expect to see.
A small bug sitting on the surface looks like an easy meal. A frantic, oversized lure charging across the water can look like something completely different.
For small topwater bug baits, light spinning tackle can make sense. A light-action rod and lighter monofilament allow you to cast tiny lures farther and present them without overpowering them.
And that's important because these baits aren't meant to be ripped across the water.
_______________________________________________
Here is a SPECIAL OFFER for a product from one our trusted sponsors:
_______________________________________________
Fish It Like a Real Bug
Here's where a lot of fishermen make things too complicated.
Don't work a bug lure like a conventional topwater plug.
Think about what a real insect does after it hits the water.
A horsefly might sit motionless for several seconds before struggling across the surface. A grasshopper may make a few frantic movements, then stop.
Your lure should do the same.
Make a short movement.
Stop.
Let it sit.
Then give it another twitch.
Sometimes the best retrieve is no retrieve at all. A bug that lands beside a bush and simply sits there can look like an easy meal to a bass.
And don't assume the strike will come while you're moving the lure. A bass may hit the instant you start bringing it back.
Fish the Right Water
Bug baits make the most sense around places where real insects are likely to end up.
Start with:
Overhanging trees
Bushes and shoreline vegetation
Shallow banks
Farm ponds
Quiet creek sections
Slack water behind current
In moving water, look for areas where the current slows down. A real insect that falls into heavy current won't stay in the strike zone for long.
But a bug trapped in an eddy or slack pocket is a different story.
That's an easy meal sitting there waiting to happen.
Don't Confuse Fall Fishing With Summer Fishing
As autumn progresses and the water gets colder, bass behavior changes again.
When baitfish become the dominant food source, especially around windblown points and steep drops, bigger lures can once again make sense.
That's when suspending jerkbaits, larger streamers and other baitfish imitations can shine.
The lesson isn't that you should throw tiny bug baits all fall.
The lesson is simpler:
Pay attention to what the bass are eating.
If insects are falling around the shoreline, imitate insects.
If shad are getting pushed toward deeper water, imitate shad.
Don't fish according to the calendar. Fish according to what the fish are telling you.
_______________________________________________
Here is a SPECIAL OFFER for a product from one our trusted sponsors:
_______________________________________________
The Old Trick Is Still a Good One
Fishing has changed dramatically over the years. There are better rods, better reels, better electronics and more lures than most fishermen could have imagined decades ago.
But bass haven't changed nearly as much.
They still eat what's available.
And when fall insects start hitting the water, a little bug sitting quietly beside a shoreline bush can look like an invitation a hungry bass doesn't want to pass up.
So before you fill the boat with giant fall baits, dig through that tackle box.
That little bug lure you haven't touched in years might be exactly what the bass want.
Comments