There's no denying that forward-facing sonar has created a division among anglers, and thankfully, there are plenty of ways to catch bass this fall with or without the technology. Soon-to-be rookie on the Bass Pro Tour, Jacob Walker enjoys doing both and has a plan for this fall that includes both approaches. No matter how you want to catch fish this autumn, there are some things that he looks for that will get you pointed in the right direction and help you have success on the water.
Chasing the Baitfish
Baitfish, especially shad, are a critical part of fall fishing, and the forward-facing sonar technology has made it much easier to locate the baitfish. Walker says it has also opened his eyes to exactly where the baitfish are this time of year. Common bass fishing knowledge says the bass chase the shad into the backs of creeks, which can be true, but it is also not always the case.
"Regardless of whether you are fishing a lake, reservoir, or river, the bass are generally going to be heavily focused on baitfish in the fall," he said. "Early on in the fall, especially when we haven't had a lot of rain like this year, a lot of the bait is still on the main body of the lake. Everybody thinks that you have to go way back into creeks once October starts, but I don't think the big push is until November and December when the rain and current forces those baitfish back."
Near his Alabama home, gizzard shad are always a big focus of larger bass, but threadfin shad are also a significant factor. "They always eat gizzards, but you have a lot of smaller threadfin this time of year that were hatched in the spring," he said. "I always try to mimic the smaller fish, but that's not to say you couldn't catch them on a bigger glide bait, but generally speaking, I try to go smaller."
Catching these fish with his forward-facing sonar includes using a jerkbait and a minnow on a jighead, and his go-to is the ultra-popular Deps Sakamata Shad. "I start in creek mouths and obvious places and look for places where the bass are piled up around baitfish," he said. "I use a 4- or 5-inch Sakamata Shad and the new 4.5-inch size. Even though it's not much bigger than the 4-inch in length, it has a bigger tail that can be good in dirtier water, especially with the fall turnover happening in many places."
The slightly beefier body of this 4.5-inch bait also allows him to use a bigger hook. "It fits a 3/O hook better than a traditional 4-inch bait," he said. "This time of year, how I work the bait depends on the fish's mood, but a lot of times you'll see them busting through bait balls and can use a heavier weight than you normally would. Sometimes I'll go up to a ¼ or 3/8-ounce just to be able to get my bait to those fish faster, but also sometimes they are really high in the water column and a 1/8 or 3/16-ounce head will allow you to keep it up higher for those fish, especially in the mornings."
Going Shallow
While targeting fish offshore with your electronics can be great, fall is also a good time to get shallow and target things along the bank. One of Walker's favorite approaches is as simple as it gets: a jig with a creature bait like a 3.6-inch Deps MS Craw on the back, pitched to shallow cover.
"This is when a lot of fish get super shallow, and it can be even shallower than fishing in the springtime," he said. "I fish a lot with a buzzbait, spinnerbait, and a walking topwater, and also love to flip shallow cover with the jig. That MS Craw is a very versatile bait and can be used as a jig trailer, on a Texas-rig or free rig, or on a buzzbait in place of the skirt because it has such great action. During the fall, I like to put the trolling motor on seven, put a lot of water on it, and hit as many targets as possible."
Another of his proven shallow water fall lures is a ChatterBait, and he adds a 5-inch Deps Deathadder on the back. "That bait gives your ChatterBait a nasty action," he said. "I love throwing it in shad patterns, but the green pumpkin on a B Hite Delight Jack Hammer is a great bluegill imitator when you are fishing shade lines or around docks, but most of the time, I'm trying to mimic shad."
No matter where you stand on the forward-facing sonar debate, there are options in the fall. You can chase the fish with your electronics or beat the bank with power fishing techniques, and the great thing about fall fishing is that both can lead to some fantastic days on the water.
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