Best Baits For Fall Bass Fishing

Fall is fast approaching and with it comes the opportunity to catch big largemouth in the shallows. Instead of struggling to get bit on the outer ledges or deep in cover like you've done the last few months you can now target shallows flats, pockets, and breaks for schooling fish. 

In this video we cover the Top 5 Baits every angler should add to their Fall Fishing arsenal. If you struggle to catch bass in fall you're making one of two mistakes. Either you aren't fishing shallow enough or you aren't covering enough water to locate bait balls with schooling bass. The key to success is to keep moving until you locate the right size bass. Once found, each of these baits will help you capitalize on the school to catch as many bass as possible. 

Baits discussed in this video...

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Photo Courtesy of Sean Moffett

Dirty Jigs Football Jig

Norman DD22 Crankbait

Lucky Craft LV-500 Lipless Crankbait

River2Sea S-Waver 168

Heddon Super Spook

Tips for Flippin' and Pitchin'

Flipping heavy cover has evolved drastically the last few years. A term that once meant throwing a texas-rigged plastic into brush now encompasses everything from punching matted vegetation to pitching a jig around docks. Perhaps the term has been abused or perhaps we're learning new ways to expand and catch bass that are hiding in the dark. 

However you want to look at it, Flippin' has changed. In this video Matt breaks down everything from traditional texas rigged plastics on a straight shank hook to newer twists including screw locks, Superline hooks, and even jigs. The changes include rods as well so if you're flipping with a 7'6" rod you might want to consider expanding into both shorter and longer rods for different approaches. 

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Below is a breakdown of some of the gear Matt and Tim have found to help them catch more fish when flipping and pitching in cover...

Flipping Rods...

-Light Flipping 7'2" Zodias
-Heavy Flipping 7'6" Expride
-Heavy Flipping 7'9" Extreme 795
-Punching 8' Champion 805

-Reel: Shimano Curado 200 7:1

-Line: Sufix 832 65 lb braid

-Favorite Flipping Jig
-Favorite Punch Jig

-Tungsten Weight With Liner
-Dirty Jigs Punch Skirt
-Bobber Stop (Weight Stop)

-Gamakatsu EWG Superline Hook (4/0 Size)
-Owner Twist Lock Hook (4/0 and 6/0)
-Straight Shank Super Heavy Cover Hook

Preferred Baits...

-Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver
-Missile Baits D Bomb
-Strike King Rage Bug

Jig Fishing: Rattle Vs. No Rattle

Coast to coast anglers agree that jigs catch giant bass. Whether you're dragging ledges, pitching docks, or flipping vegetation, its tough to find a more consistent presentation to produce big bites. One aspect of jig fishing that anglers can't seem to agree on is the use of rattles.

Some guys swear that rattles help them catch more fish. Other guys insist that the natural presentation without rattles is the key to getting the big bites. This Week Tim breaks down the benefits of both methods and explains when you should and shouldn't use a jig rattle.

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Most jigs come with a way to attach rattles but some do not. If you happen to use a style that does not, check out these simple rattle holders.

We hope these quick tips help you this Spring as you break out the jig rod in pursuit of a kicker!

Jig Trailers for Every Situation

This is a video about colors,  glitters, and actions, its not about brand preferences. If you've wondered what all these different trailers are for and whether or not you really need them, this is the video you've been waiting for.

As fishermen, especially jig fishermen, we all have very strong opinions of which jigs are best. At times we can't even agree on weight or color, let alone brand. The guy on the front deck will swear a 3/4 ounce is working best, the guy in the back can only get bit on 3/8 ounce. Ever been down this road? It happens to us all the time! Today we're putting that all behind us and focusing specifically on the jig trailers.

Gaining an understanding of why a grub works better than a chunk one day, but doesn't work near as well as a creature bait the next day will absolutely make you a better angler. The next time your jig bite disappears overnight we hope you'll have the knowledge to adapt and begin catching those fish again.

Our most common jig trailers are as follows:

Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver: This bait has very little action but provides a great "profile" in combination with the jig.

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Net Bait Paca Chunk: This trailers has a great floundering action that is deadly in a variety of conditions, often getting bonus bites swimming back to the boat.

Yamamoto Double Tail Grub: Tried and true, this bait gets bit year round, even in ice cold water.

Strike King Rage Tail Chunk: This trailer has a TON of action and is great at drawing reaction strikes on a fast-falling jig.

Zoom Super Chunk: When rigged properly this bait actually has some action (little known fact). But its generally considered a "dead action" bait focused specifically on profile. For whatever reason, it catches a lot of fish!