If you haven’t already winterized your boat and stored away the fishing gear, October is a great time to go bass fishing. You should still find bass very active, as they gorge themselves before the long winter. They are not going to chase down any fast-moving bait, so slow down your retrieve.
During October, bass prefer to remain shallow as long as they can before the cold drives them deeper. You will most likely find them around stumps, laydowns and wooden docks. Bass in October should be feeding on minnows since minnows are about the only food left. Use any lure you want, but just make sure it mimics a minnow.
My first choice is a spinnerbait, and I try to bump it off things as much as I can, so it looks like a wounded minnow. My second choice is a jerkbait that also looks like a wounded minnow when you give it several jerks on its way back to the boat. Most strikes will happen when the bait is sitting still. My third option is to tie on a tube jig or a jig and pig. Tube jigs are best when used in clear water. The jig and pig is a better choice in stained water because its bulk makes it easier for bass to hone in on. They are most likely to hit both baits as the baits fall back down to the bottom.
Now even though I said a spinnerbait is my first choice, what I really enjoy using in October is a topwater bait like a popper or small buzzbait. Bass think it is an injured minnow struggling on top of the water. I like to search for signs of baitfish near the surface then cast right into the middle of them and bring the bait slowly back to the boat. There’s nothing quite like a bass exploding out of the water to engulf your bait.
Even if the bass aren’t biting, it’s just great to be out on the October water. The cool air refreshes the body, leaves flutter gently to the ground, and quite possibly, the only sound is an eagle that is out fishing too. Enjoy every minute of it!
Larry Whiteley hosts the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Radio Show, basspro.com.
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