How to fish bass in fall… tips or hints? Fly fishing for bass?
October 19, 2009
I am going to fishing at some reservoirs in Idaho. Supposed to be good bass fishing, but does bass fishing slow down in fall? How should I fish for them. i want to outfish my buddy so I need an ‘edge’. Also, can you fly fish for bass right now? How can i do it? this will be happening at the end of October, btw.
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I’m not a bass fisherman, but I can tell you that most reservoirs in the western states are LOW right now, especially the reservoirs used for agricultural purposes. They are at their lowest point of the year and will be for another few weeks — the water has been drawn off for the year’s final agricultural uses, but there hasn’t been a lot of incoming moisture. Less water means better fishing. If I were going bass fishing at the end of October, I’d fish the way you normally do — fish structure, weedbeds, and bars or points. You’ll likely run into brown trout or rainbow trout — stockies or naturalized nonnatives.
During the few spin fishing trips I made this summer, I concentrated on Texas-rigged worms (Google it or search here in Y!A) and had just enough success with it that I’ll be doing it more in the future.
I see a lot of bass and sunfish coming to the surface in the fall — I don’t know if it’s the season or the available forage, or what, but I’ve always assumed they are after minnows, so imitating baitfish is something I’d try, too.
Yes, by all means take your fly pole and fish for bass (and whatever else is in the lake), especially if you see surface action. There are many kinds of bass poppers for fly fishing, and you can use streamers to imitate minnows, crawdads, etc. If you’ve never used streamers, it’s not unlike spin fishing. Clouser Minnows, Micky Finns, Bunny Tails, and other fly patterns can be really deadly for imitating minnows. You’ll want a heavier rod — at least 5 weight but maybe 6 to be safe. Lots of streamers have bead or bullet heads, but if yours don’t, use a sinking leader or add some splitshot. Assuming you’re fishing from a boat, cast into shore or at an angle to the shore and retrieve as you would a spinner bait. For bank fishing, wade out if you can and cast back to shore.
Good luck skunking your buddy!
idk about fly fishing, but since its starting to cool down the bass are coming back up and beginning to be more active.
fall is usually regarded as the 2nd best season for bass, behind spring, because the fish are all trying to fatten up for the winter. you can try to find the fish in schools cruising around eating up the natural forage or fish the points in creeks and coves. keep an eye on the water temp as it has more to do with theier movements than the air temp or month