The early fall bite is often focused around shad , but Wiggins asserts that bigger fish focus on bluegill and other panfish .
PHOTO BY ROB MATSUURA
“ When it ’ s tough and you get one bite in practice , it ’ s not always a good idea to go back to that area in the tournament , unless it ’ s a really productive stretch ,” he said . “ You may have just caught that one fish around there , and you ’ d be better off running new water that looks similar . You ’ re taking a chance you may not catch them , but you ’ re also taking the chance to win . Running fresh areas is how I always played it , because eventually , you ’ ll run into another fish that will bite .”
Focus on big-bass baits and baitfish
Both Lawyer and Wiggins agree that bait selection is critical for catching the larger fish required to win Regionals and team-trail championships . Each favors proven big-fish lures .
“ In almost every fall event I ’ ve ever done well in , I stuck with a handful of baits ,” Lawyer said . “ A couple of them , like a vibrating jig and squarebill crankbait , will get that bigger bass but can also be a limit-filler . A vibrating jig is a perfect fall bait because you ’ ll still catch numbers , but it can bail you out and help you catch a kicker .”
Two others baits that Lawyer has learned tend to produce bigger-than-average bites are a jig and walking topwater or buzzbait .
“ Those are always players late in the year , no doubt ,” Lawyer said . “ They may be baits that you only throw a handful of times in the day , like walking that bait over a point or throwing a buzzbait behind a dock when it looks right . You won ’ t get many bites with them , but those bites will be difference-makers when you do .”
Wiggins typically turns to topwater baits in the fall because of their efficiency in addition to their tendency to fool bigger-than-average bass .
“ Topwater is always a deal to catch big fish , and 80 % of the time for me , that ’ s a buzzbait going down the bank ,” he said . “ I ’ ll also mix in a plopper-style topwater or walking bait , but the key is covering a lot of water . You ’ ve got to cover some ground this time of year .”
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The annual migration of shad to the creeks and shallow water is always a focus for fall fishing , but Wiggins says the presence of bluegill can be even more critical .
“ Most people don ’ t realize how important bluegill are this time of year , especially for the big bass ,” he said . “ Bass are out there chasing shad in the middle of the lake , but a lot of the biggest bass will be up shallow , in the shade , where those bluegill like to hang out . Running shade is a huge deal .”
Lawyer echoed Wiggins ’ statement and said that , for him , bluegill-eating bass supersede the shad feast .
“ Most of the time during those Super Tournaments and Regionals , the bigger fish are focused on the perch ,” he said , referencing all sunfish . “ If I got in an area during practice and saw a bunch of them , I kept note of those places .”
the forward-facing sonar effect
The one caveat to any modern fishing discussion is forward-facing sonar , which has to be factored into all tournament strategies nowadays . Both Wiggins and Lawyer agree that it could play a role in winning year-end tournaments , but it ’ s far from a guarantee .
“ Forward-facing sonar can be so dominant that you must always keep it in your mind , but most of it will come down to the fishery ,” Wiggins said . “ Some lakes , it ’ ll 100 % be the deal during the fall , and some lakes it ’ s not . The only way to know is to try it during practice and see if using it to catch big ones is easier than going down the bank .”
Lawyer also advised to keep FFS as an option , but not to live and die by it .
“ The biggest thing is the body of water and how it sets up ,” he said . “ On somewhere like Grand Lake in Oklahoma , you ’ ll need to stay on the bank . If you ’ re fishing Lake Hartwell in South Carolina , you can ‘ Scope all day and never come to the bank .”
Whether it ’ s a club championship among buddies or a season-ending event with a prized boat on the line , you want to win this fall . Doing so will require a different mindset , a focus on the right lures and a willingness to take some risks .
MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2024