Fall Fishing On Chickamauga: Topwater, Fluke, and Crankbaits

The guys are back on Chickamauga, exploring new water, and catching fish. Come along for a Fall day of junk Fishing as they catch them on everything from deep cranks to topwater to tail spinners and soft jerkbaits. When its "one of those days" you do whatever it takes to keep putting fish in the boat!

Tim kicked the day off with a finesse rod in hand. He was dropshotting deep edges in search of quality fish. When Matt climbed on board the duo turned their attention to reaction baits and were quickly rewarded with a nice fish on the Tactical Crankbait. Soon after they bite shifted again and the guys began switching between a tail spinner, a fluke, and a popper to put fish in the boat. They fished shallow, deep, and everywhere in between. They caught fish in 2 feet and 30 feet of water and worked for every bite they got. 

Toward the end of the day the guys accepted the conditions, downsized their baits and immediately saw success. Some days the bass want a tiny offering and this was one of those days. You couldn't get bit on a walking bait, they'd eat a popper, but when Matt went all the way down to a tiny popper he was immediately rewarded with multiple fish. When the going gets tough don't just beat your head on the wall, take the time to adapt your presentation, try new areas, and you might just catch the fish you're searching for. 

Below is a breakdown of the baits and gear the guys were using throughout the day. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item.

Crankbait... 

-River2Sea Tactical DD 75 (Glass minnow): http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Topwater... 

Larger Popper- Megabass Pop Max: http://bit.ly/2qqfmm1

Tiny popper- Megabass Pop X (Mat Shad): https://bit.ly/3i9T3sg

Tail Spinners... 

-Damiki Axe Blade: http://bit.ly/2w2uB9t

-Jackall Deracoup: http://bit.ly/2p8X4b0

Soft Jerkbait... 

Bait- Zoom Super Fluke (Smokin Shad): http://bit.ly/2aqys0H

Hook- Gamakatsu EWG Superline 4/0: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

Dropshot... 

Bait- Roboworm 6" Fat (Pro Staff Peoples Worm): http://bit.ly/2awYSxM 

Hook- Owner Mosquito 1/0: http://bit.ly/2fqYFCR

Weight- Swagger Tungsten 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2UY7cgx

Matt's Tail Spinner/Popper Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Aldebaran 50 MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Power Pro maxcuatro 20 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 12 lb mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

"Bang For The Buck" Tail Spinner/Popper Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 6'10" Medium (Pre-Order Available): https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

Reel- Shimano Curado 70 MGL HG: https://bit.ly/3jdrMqa

Line- Power Pro 20 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 12 lb mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Where Do Bass Go In Fall? (And How To Catch Them!)

Don't worry, we can help! As the nights get cooler and your water temperatures begin to drop, you might notice the fish you've been catching are beginning to disappear. At first the cooler nights help, the fish become more active and start feeding on baitfish throughout the day but the farther we get into Fall, the fish start behaving differently and in some cases, they disappear completely. Where do they go and how can you keep catching them? Let's find out...

As we progress through Fall there are two distinct groups of bass. The Fish that go shallow will ambush baitfish around cover. If grass is present they will congregate in the liveliest grass beds, if not they will use pockets along the shoreline to corral bait. The deep fish have already made the transition to hard bottom. You will find them congregated around rock with quick deep water access. 

As the nights get cooler, the water temperatures drop, and grass begins to die. The shallow fish will begin to behave like their deep water counterparts and immediately move to hard structure. You'll find them on laydown trees, dock pilings, and rock. Just like the deep water fish, the best spots to find shallow fish will be where they have quick access to deep water. As this transition happens the baits we use to target them will immediately change. 

Below you'll find a breakdown of the baits we have the most confidence in during Fall. We've separated them for shallow and deep water fishing to make it easier for you to choose the right options for where you fish. Many of these techniques will be discussed in-depth in the coming weeks and months but we wanted to give you a head start on them now so you're prepared as the transition happens. All of the bait and gear links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Tim's Shallow Baits For Fall... 

Squarebill- Lucky Craft 1.5 (BP Golden Shiner): http://bit.ly/2BGxKPa

Frog- Live Target Hollow Body 65 (Bright Green): http://bit.ly/2Q40BAk

Walking Bait- Teckel Kicknocker (Lime Ice): http://bit.ly/2nvxkoA

Swimbait- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Underspin- Owner 1/8 oz Flashy Swimmer 5.0: http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

Tim's Deep Baits For Fall... 

Crankbait- Tactical DD Crank 75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Favorite Colors: Mirrored Minnow, Ghost Minnow, Glass Minnow

Tail Spin- Jackall Deracoup 3/4 oz (Dera Shad): http://bit.ly/2p8X4b0

Blade Bait- Damiki Vault 1/2 oz (Black Holo): http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

Spoon- Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz Duh Spoon (Morning Dawn UV): http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

Jig- Dirty Jigs 1/2 oz Pitchin Jig (Go To): http://bit.ly/2amL3of

Jig Trailer- RI Sweet Beaver (Green Pumpkin): http://bit.ly/29W3RZW

Tim's Tactical Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 906 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam MGL XG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- 12 lb Sunline Crank FC: https://bit.ly/3fohguC

Tim's Tail Spinner Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Curado 70 MGL HG: https://bit.ly/3jdrMqa

Line- 12 lb Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Budget Speed Cranking Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'2" MH Glass: http://bit.ly/2QADLTq

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 DC XG: http://bit.ly/2LWzw2Q

Line- 12 lb Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G