Man, It's Been a LONG Time...

[Simp]

It's been a long time since I've been on here. Had a lot of stuff goin on, haven't had a whole lot of time to go fishing. But I want to if I get the chance, and I need a few tips.

The weather is getting a little cooler, starting to top in the mid 70s, and that's REALLY hospitable temperatures for fishing. So what's a good time during the day to go fishing? And what lures are the bass hitting this time of year?
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[gdn443]

The best time to go is when the bites on. But seriously anytime of the day is good now. Crankbaits in the fall.
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[trophytrout89]

I've been having a lot of luck with spinner baits.
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[bigpikeguy]

Simp, welcome back buddy. Thought something bad happened or something. Glad to see you are OK.

Anyway, i went to Lake Erie this past weekend and i did awesome on shad raps. The one i was using dives to about 10'. I got two 4 pounders and quite a few smaller bass on it. It was raining like hell and i could barely see 50' in front of me. The harder it rained the more fish i landed. Hell i forgot how miserable i was. I was a darn good trip. Heading back October 17th and it cant come sooner lol.

To to answer your question CRANK BAITS!
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[Simp]

All right then. I've got a nice sized shad rap, i think it's an 8. I'll give that a shot. I got a few smaller ones but I don't like to fish em with my baitcaster. Too light.

I appreciate the concern BPG. Nothing happened, thankfully, I've just been super busy and no time to go fishing. Last time I went was the week of Friday, July 24th, and I caught my 23rd bass of the summer. Then I went to Nebraska to spend a week with my girl and bring her back home, and ever since then I haven't done a whole lot of fishing...I even gained the weight I lost back, unfortunately.
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[bigpikeguy]

Just work drop offs with the shad rap. Cast out into deeper water and work your bait up to the shallow water. If you feel your bait hitting the bottom thats fine just slow up the retrieve a little till its just barely touching the bottom. That always does the trick for me, and its dynamite in the fall. You may need to play around with color and speed a little but you will eventually get it right.

Glad to hear all is well. []
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[Simp]

I worked my SR for a few, with now luck, then I figured "Well it's sunny, and I have a very bright rattlin' rapala." So I threw that one out. I had one curious soul, but he just wasn't curious enough. He threw my hook after about a 3 second struggle.
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[lurtch]

glad to see you back guy..we acctually kind of missed you and your zany reports..
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[Simp]

Well hey, if I can't report on catching 15 fish over 5lbs each, why not go zany eh? lol.
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[lurtch]

i believe someday you will..your to stuborn to quite untill you do
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[jimhouston]

Ive been having alot of luck on topwaters. caught a couple on crankbaits to. for the topwaters i wood recomend an excalibur popper.
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[Simp]

Indeed I am bud.

Thanks for the tip jim, I'm gonna look into that one.
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[Martini78]

I've been super-busy at work and doing a lot of fishing on top of that. This is my first day on in a while... Winter will bring with it more time to type.

Anyway, I fished a whole lot this summer/fall and tried to post when I could. I just got back from our State Bass Classic last weekend at Raystown Lake. 64 boaters and 64 co-anglers qualified. I ended up 19th on the co-angler side.

All in all, it was a good year. I had a 2nd, a 4th, a lunker check and qualified for the State Classic. Now I'm picking apart deep weed edges and channels to keep up with the largies. Shaky head has been dynamite here in PA for largies. Largies and smallies have still been hitting spinnerbaits and crankbaits but finesse has taken over with the water temps dropping.
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[Simp]

Congratulations on the success bro.

So shaky heads are working for you now in the dropping temperatures? Toss em, and shake them pretty low, because of a decreased strike zone?
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[Martini78]

Yeah, I've been fishing SLOW with the shaky head. Even at the Classic, I was fishing a 4" Texas Rigged Senko just like a shaky head. I had it T-rigged to keep it weedless, but I'd let it fall to the bottom, shake it, pause 20 seconds, shake it, pause 20 seconds... on top of that bites are tough to detect. It seems like the largies are just closing their mouth on the bait and not really moving.

I think spooning should be pretty hot right now also. Like I said, the bass are hitting a spinnerbait, but they're hitting it on the initial fall when the lure hits the water. All they see are the willows flashing sunlight and they slam it.

I think if you can get on a jerkbait bite or a crankbait bite, you'll have fun with smallies right now (in colder states like PA). I think you gotta bring a finesse rod with you though for the largies or try spooning.
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[Simp]

It's good to know it's working. That's my favorite tactic, the one I've had the most success with.
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