COLUMN
NEWELL’S NOTES
ROB
NEWELL
L
12
Making a Case for Fall Fishing
ast fall I spent more days on freshwater lakes than I have
in a long time. In the months of September, October and
November I covered several bass fishing events, includ-
ing the two FLW Tour Invitationals. Being on lakes in autumn
again reminded me just how much of a blank slate bass fishing
is during the latter part of the calendar year.
I know, I know: Springtime is fishing season, and fall is
hunting season. Sometime around August, boats go in the
garage and the deer stands come out. It’s a common cycle
for those who love the outdoors. I get it. And yes, I’m well
aware that springtime is when “the big ones move up,” and
that’s good for the tournament business.
In recent years, national bass circuits and tours have
become very spring-centric. The number of events jammed
in between February and June is large, and the tendency is to
“chase the spawn” northward through the country with the
warming months.
As a result, patterns and story lines become a bit repeti-
tive: prespawn, spawn, postspawn … prespawn, spawn,
postspawn … repeat.
Those few fall events I attended last year offered a
refreshing break from that February-through-June cycle.
Were there “giants” caught?
Not really.
Was the fishing “tougher” than it was in mid-April?
Sure it was.
Yet fishing in the fall allowed other techniques to shine,
other anglers to shine and most of all it helped shed some
light on a part of the year that we in the bass fishing world
know less about than the same old springtime spawn tune.
With that, I contend that bass fishing in the fall is cool –
literally. If you’re getting ready to put your fishing tackle away
for the “off-season,” here are a few good reasons to keep it
close at hand.
all-Day topwaters
Who doesn’t like topwater fishing, right?
Last fall I was reminded of just how well topwaters work
when things start cooling down. Surface favorites such as
buzz baits and walking baits work all day long. Just ask James
Watson, who won the Norris Invitational buzzing Whopper
Ploppers all day.
In grass lakes, summer vegetation growth has peaked
and started to wane, creating that perfect window for hollow-
bodied frogs.
If topwater is your thing, fall is prime time to tickle the top.
Spinnerbait revival
Whatever happened to the spinnerbait? It was a staple in
bass fishing 30 years ago, but now it’s pretty much relegated
to making an occasional appearance during the shad spawn.
Perhaps one reason is that most tournaments are now in
the spring, when vibrating and swim jigs are better mouse-
traps than the old spinnerbait.
Fall and spinnerbaits go together like gold and King Midas.
When the water cools and shad schools start migrating back
FLWFISHING.COM I auGuSt-SepteMber 2017