Fall LMB Tactics

[timberhall]

Fall is approaching fairly soon. I have been fishing Mantua for bass this year and was wondering if any one had some good ideas or tactics for the bass as the weather starts to turn. Come mid September my boy and I start chasing the trout till the ramp gets to much ice. But I thought I would see how long I can still get bass for.
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[Pharticus]

[quote timberhall]Fall is approaching fairly soon...[/quote]
Quit depressing me...
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[DGonewild]

I've caught them all the way until I can't launch my boat. But I am a bassaholic... I have even heard that some folks catch lmb through the ice there. Though I have never done that myself. I'm pretty sure they are off the banks a little. Haven't been up there in a while.
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[gstott]

I'm all for fall, it's some of the best fishing of the year, bass included. It's what follows fall that makes me want to slit my wrists.

As for fall tactics, bass tend to get more active and move shallower when it starts to cool off. They really put the feed bag on before winter. I have caught them two days before Thanksgiving before, in Idaho even. We still have several months of good bass fishing ahead of us. Unless they drain the reservoirs [mad]
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Slit yer wrists? What you need my friend is one of them pigtail digging gadgets - they have a sharp blade, so you can slit things if you really need to. See picture below.

I'd agree about fall - lots of fish strap on the feedbags as water's cool, and they sense the 'ice-age' coming. You'll probably find bass becoming more aggressive and ready to come out of ambush and slam a nice fat offering. Figure young baitfish have sized up over the summer, and they don't have to lose as much energy as hot-oxygen depleted waters would offer. So they might be more willing to come out and attack.

If you can find some structure, or depth changes - I really think a lot of Mantua is deeper than my finder ever tells me. Thick bed of weeds - so it might say 6-8 ft deep, when really it's 10-15, to hard bottom.
If you can punch down THROUGH the whole mess - you might find a pocket under the weeds - bass will hang out looking for food to fall down through, and slam it when it hits bottom.
Be ready for a good bush-wacking to haul them up through the salad bowl (heavy braid). I was surprised how heavy little dink Bluegill become after they wrap a weed frond or two!

Same thing on the weed edges. Been surprised how many times I'd pull a curly tail across what looked to barren weedbeds, only to be greeted by a flocking school of bass and panfish on the chase - coming out of the woodwork.

Find those spots where it drops from 8ft to 20ft (unless it's way low...?) and those weed walls will be hiding a slurry or hungry predators. I find a lot of trout frequenting those same transitions.

As for Bass On Ice. Seen some nice smallies from the View, and others elsewhere. Watched a number come up and watch ME on camera - caught several in between panfish and trout, but this was my nicest - last Winter - Mantua- 17 incher. Very different tug from the others, for sure! (more like a lump, or brick that don't move!)

So yeah - they still feed in winter.

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[Pharticus]

Hmmm... that's an awfully colorful getup you've got goin' on there in that picture. I'm surprised Barney didn't ticket you for violation of the Fashion Police Code.
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[gstott]

I just might have to give ice fishing a try again someday, though I need to get caught up on school this winter.

I've never punched mats, but Mantua would be a great place to try it. I guess if they ruin my favorite ponds up north I'll be spending more time there anyway.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Nyuck - don't you know - ice-fishing ain't about style, it's about comfort. Toasty Toes Man!

What is it folks seem to have against purple?
Guess I could wear camo like many, but then I might disappear on the ice...