There is something very special aboout fishing for smallmouth bass in the fall. The leaves are in full color, there is a lot less angling pressure and the bigger smallmouth bass are on the feedbag big time!



Depending on where you like to fish for smallies in fall, my favorite is and always has been in near cottage country, the opportunities for locating and catching some of the biggest brown bass of the year are excellent.


On this particular fall day, I was fortunate enough to locate some of the best smallmouth fishing of the year by choosing a bait and presentation that both locates fish fast and inspires them to eat.
The Strike King football finesse jig in the new 3/8th oz size married up with a Strike King Jr. KVD chunk trailer threaded up the hook shank for a small, yet bulky profile these smallies just could not resist.

As a back up plan, I rigged several rods with the same 3/8 oz football finesse jigs, except I threaded onto the hook shank, a strike king baby rage craw.


Strike King 3/8 oz Football Finesse Jig

Strike King Jr. KVD chunk

On this day, it was important to locate the areas that had some of the bigger bass present without having the luxury of using topwater baits (which locate the most aggressive fish very quickly, especially in the a.m.). I choose an area that featured a rocky point leading from very shallow water along its edge to a gradual drop with a large weedy flat off to one side.

After missing the first 2 bites I had, while fishing the bait off the bottom, I decided to cast out the jig `n chunk and instead of letting the bait settle to the bottom, I began to use a subtle "lift & drop" technique to attract and inspire those bigger bass that were feeding higher in the water column.

Ardent Edge Casting reel

Bingo, first cast hooked a big black brute, which I lost on the jump.
Next cast, bamm, another big fat fall brusier of a bass slammed the smaller jig as it was falling after a couple lift and drops.
This brute made it into the boat.
Over the course of the day, I fished similar areas that featured rocky points with flats nearby and/or old weed beds that still had baitfish present and fished the jig `n chunk similar to the way I did to inspire those first big bass to eat.

One thing I should note, when you watch this show, you will see and hear my opinion on locating green weeds in fall. The majority of "experts" have preached over the years, "you need to find the greenest weeds you can to locate fall fish",..... HOGWASH!!

You`ll see for yourself, just how many big, fat bass (and bonus walleye) I locate and catch in old, brown dying weed.
If you find green weeds with baitfish and bass/walleye present, good for you.

BUT, never assume you need green weeds to locate bass, thats not the most important factor for them.
COVER & STRUCTURE are paramount factors for both largemouth and in this case, smallmouth bass.

Be a smart angler, today`s angler, an extreme angler and believe what you see, not what you hear!