The transition from summer to fall and then fall to winter can be some of the best times of the year because things are changing fast. As the seasons move from one to another, the bass are also on the move with the changing water temperatures and adjustments to their underwater world.
Staying on top of these shifts can keep anglers on their toes, but getting ahead of the trends can lead to some great fishing, according to Major League Fishing pro Fred Roumbanis.
Many Changes Happening
When asked about these transitional periods, Roumbanis started by saying they will depend very much on where you live and the bodies of water you fish. Originally from California, Roumbanis has also lived in Oklahoma and now calls Arkansas home. Things are much different in all of those locations.
"The fall fishing here in Arkansas is great because it's finally started to cool down after a tough time of year to catch bass in the middle of the summer," he said. "The dropping water temperatures are crucial to get the baitfish moving and make the bass more active, but the same happened when I lived in Northern California. These changes get the baitfish moving and greatly impact bass fishing no matter where you live."
Baitfish are the key, and Roumbanis is looking for them in several likely areas. "A lot of times around home, it's shallow stuff and in little pockets and creeks," he said. "I also look for little flats, maybe on bends in the river, where the bass can come up and feed and get back down. There are a lot of scenarios depending on where you are fishing."
It could differ entirely in deeper fisheries or those with lower-than-usual water levels. "On deep, clear lakes, you can find baitfish out much deeper, and it could be something like dock cables in a marina or over humps, and that's where LiveScope comes in to find the balls of bait," he said. "I also do really well in the fall on bluff walls, especially if the lake has been drawn down because those steeper areas aren't affected as much. Rolling down those shade lines is a great way to locate bass this time of year."
Roumbanis typically looks for multiple areas with a different purpose when fishing a tournament this time of year. "I've learned that you'll usually have some spots that are really good for schools of fish where you can get a limit pretty quickly," he said. "The bigger fish this time of year tend to be loners and on very specific pieces of cover, which will change constantly. But, getting a quick limit is always good, so you have time to run a bunch of spots the rest of the day looking for your kicker."
Top Fall Transition Baits
Like the areas he looks for in the fall, the baits are also wide-ranging. Roumbanis uses a host of different lures based on the lake type, situation, and water clarity. The one theme among all of them is they are almost always shad-imitators.
"I like to throw a lot of topwater this time of year, and a buzzbait with a Yamamoto Zako or Swim Senko on the back is very good," he said. "We also throw a ChatterBait a ton in the fall because you can fish so fast and cover water. The one thing I like to do this time of year is to downsize to a smaller bait like the ChatterBait Mini Max and use either a Yamamoto Swim Senko that I cut down a little or the 3-inch Yamamoto Zako. The small Zako is great for getting a smaller profile and has a nice tight vibration on the back of a smaller ChatterBait."
Roumbanis still sticks with baits that look like a shad on deep, clear fisheries, but small swimbaits typically get the nod.
"I like to fish a Shad Shape Swimmer on a ball head, but you can also fish it on a small underspin, which can be a deadly combination in the fall," he said. "I also like to fish a small swimbait on a drop-shot, which many people don't think about, but it works very well when the bass are so focused on shad. They have a lot of good colors in that swimbait, and natural shad, sexy shad, and green gizzard are all good ones."
Two other baits that Roumbanis relies on in the fall may be different from what you think of immediately when looking at a shad. Still, the 3-inch Yamamoto Yamatanuki and 4-inch Fat Senko do the trick when you have the right color.
"I use a lot of the smoke-colored baits, and baby bass can be a perfect color in both because it looks like everything from a shad to a bluegill or any small baitfish," he said. "On the Fat Senko, I like to fish it on a 1/8 or 3/16-ounce Zappu Inchi Wacky Head to get that tight wiggle on your bait as it falls."
Fishing during the fall can be frustrating until you find the baitfish. Chances are that the fish will be feeding somewhere on the lake, and once you find it, it's game on.
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