lake lanier , Georgia
Georgia ’ s Lake Lanier has blossomed into one of the best spotted bass fisheries in the country . There ’ s never a bad time to visit this Chattahoochee River system impoundment , as the magnum spotted bass will bite year-round . Early fall can be especially good if you ’ re a fan of topwater fishing , according to Lanier guide and 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American champion Emil Wagner .
“ It ’ s a lot of schooling fish and throwing topwaters over humps , points and reef markers ,” Wagner said . “ Those schools will have anywhere from 10 bass to hundreds of them , and you can throw pencil poppers , walking baits , swimbaits and flukes to catch them , or slow down and get them to eat a drop-shot or jig .”
As the water cools and the baitfish begin to move around , expect nearly nonstop action on the surface when you find active fish . As a bonus , the striped bass are plentiful and mean , and you ’ ll likely tangle with several in a day of fishing . Wagner advises visiting the popular lake just north of Atlanta during the week , and not just because of the decreased boat traffic .
“ They draw more current through the dam during the week , and while it ’ s not as noticeable as other lakes , it makes a big difference ,” he said . “ The bass pull up and set up better on those spots when the current is running .”
2023 All-American champ Emil Wagner shows off some of Lanier ’ s hefty spotted bass .
PHOTO COURTESY EMIL WAGNER
Minnesota ’ s Mille Lacs Lake proved during the 2022 Bass
Pro Tour that it ’ s a prolific producer in September .
Mille lacs lake , Minnesota
Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes ( or 11,842 , to be exact ). Of all those lakes , Mille Lacs is one of the most well-known in bass fishing circles and continues to pump out big smallmouth every year .
And September is a perfect month to visit , as proven when Dustin Connell caught 20 smallmouth for 82 pounds , 9 ounces – a tad over 4 pounds per fish – on the final day of Bass Pro Tour Stage Seven in early September of 2022 . Jonathon VanDam finished 14th in that event and eighth in a 2017 Bassmaster tournament ( also held in September ), so it ’ s no surprise that he ’ s a fan of Mille Lacs in the early fall .
“ Mille Lacs is fairly unique for a northern smallmouth fishery because there are so many more rocks , shoals and boulders in shallow water that hold fish ,” he said . “ It also has a good bit of grass , and September is a great time to catch big smallmouth on topwaters around it . It ’ s also a perfect time to throw crankbaits , spinnerbaits and swimbaits .”
Even though September weather can still be pleasant during the day , VanDam says that the bass can feel that winter is approaching , which kicks the bite up a notch .
“ The days are getting shorter , and they know it ’ s time to feed up ,” he said . “ The nights will also get a little chilly , but the nice thing is that it can still be pretty warm when you are out fishing during the day . You start seeing that mid-September , and the bite will only get better once you get into October .”
lake chatuge , North Carolina / Georgia
Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains on the border between North Carolina and Georgia , Lake Chatuge is a beautiful fishery that ’ s full of bass . It ’ s good all year long but offers a great summer and early fall getaway because of its cooler temperatures . Caz Anderson operates a guide service , Fish Chatuge , that caters to those looking for a unique fishing opportunity in the mountains .
“ It ’ s a highland reservoir that stays cooler than other fisheries in the state ,” he said . “ The lake has a great topwater bite that starts in June and goes until October for bass chasing blueback herring . September is great because you have a lot less pleasure boaters out there . One highlight of the lake is the hundreds of brushpiles placed by anglers that are perfect for topwater fishing with shiny pencil poppers , walking baits and swimbaits .” While spotted bass are the dominant species , largemouth live here , too , and start showing up offshore in more significant numbers in September .
“ When we get the first cold snap of the year and the lake starts to draw down , the largemouth will show up in the same places as the spots ,” Anderson said . “ The tournament-winning weights start to go up then because someone will find a 6- or 7-pound largemouth .” lake roosevelt ,
Washington
This 150-mile impoundment of Washington ’ s Columbia River is full of big walleye and trout , but it ’ s also a spectacular smallmouth fishery in the summer and fall . If you find yourself competing in a tournament this time of year , expect to see plenty of bags in the high teens and a winning weight over 20 pounds — all smallmouth . Fish will be caught on finesse rigs but will also chase topwaters , swimbaits , and jerkbaits .
54 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2023