By Bob Jensen

Bass chasers know that in the spring largemouth bass can be found in shallow water. What many bass chasers don’t realize is that, throughout the Midwest, those same bass can be found in the shallows during the autumn. When they’re in the shallows in the fall, they can provide some great action, and every now and then the really big ones can be caught. Here’s how.

I’ve caught largemouth in the shallows on warm overcast days and on warm days when the sun was brightly shining. “Warm” seems to be the key. A few days of cold weather in the fall seems to signal to the bass that a change in their environment is coming, but a warm period of weather makes them bite. If you can go fishing during a stretch of warmer weather in the fall, you should do so.

Just as in the spring, look for the areas where there is some vegetation. Wild rice, lily-pads, and rushes will all hold fish. If you can find an area that has a combination of these types of vegetation, you will increase your chances for finding fish. Many bass the past few autumns that were holding in pads surrounded by rushes or rice have entered my boat.

There are a couple of ways to catch these fish, but my favorite is a Reed-Runner Pro Series spinnerbait. The Pro Series is preferred because the blade turns better at slow speeds, and slow speeds are usually preferred in the autumn months.

Go with a large blade on the spinnerbait, and thread a trailer onto the hook to add bulk. In the fall, fish are looking for large meals, so a large bait will appeal to the biggest fish. A Power Bait Jerk Shad or four inch Power Minnow is a good trailer choice.

Another good lure selection would be Jungle Jig tipped with a five inch Power Hawg. Swim this bait through the lighter vegetation, and let it fall into the heavy stuff. If two anglers are fishing, have the spinnerbait go through the cover first. This will take the more aggressive fish.

Use the jig after the spinnerbait to take the bass that are more cautious.

Hopefully, you’ll be pulling big fish from this vegetation, so heavy gear is necessary. A Lightning Rod Flippin’ Rod with at least seventeen pound test Trilene XT is a good choice, but don’t hesitate to go with heavier line. The bass don’t really care how heavy the line is in this situation, and you’ll land more with the heavy stuff.

During the fall months it’s not unusual to have the entire lake to yourself. Look for the areas where the vegetation is near deep water, and keep moving around. Don’t hesitate to go back to an area that was unproductive earlier in the day. A spot that held no fish at ten in the morning will sometimes provide lots of action at two in the afternoon. Be there when the fish show up and I’ll bet you return for a repeat performance sometime soon.

For more fish-catching information, visit fishingthemidwest.com