Fishing Tips for Fall Angling

How to Fish in Fall

The type of fishing that will be most effective in your neck of the woods depends on geography, the target species, and what you prefer. If you live on the Great Lakes and you want to catch walleye, trolling crankbaits are a common tactic. But if you’re a bass aficionado living in Texas, chances are you’ll think about casting topwater.

The most effective methods for how to fish in fall can change from region to region—and even lake to lake. Do your homework to find out the local prevailing methods before you load the rods and hitch the trailer to the truck.

The type of boat you have will also affect how you go fishing in fall. If you have a rig like the Lowe FM 1775 WT, for example, you have two livewells with a whopping 33 gallons of capacity. That means you can carry a serious load of live bait and get a serious leg up in live bait fisheries. On the flip side of the coin, if you have a model like the Stinger 175C with large, elevated casting decks, you might want to tilt toward tactics like casting lures near shoreline structures.

The key is simply to identify the most popular fall tactics used by anglers in your neck of the woods, then match them up with your boat, your gear, and your know-how.

Fall Fishing Tips

While every fishery is different, there are a few tips that will benefit every angler. No matter where or how you choose to fish, keep these fall fishing tips in mind:

Hide Your Line

As water temperatures drop, the water holds fewer suspended solids, and clarity tends to improve. As a result, thick leaders and visible lines can have a detrimental effect. If fish are present but they aren’t biting your offerings, consider using fluorocarbon line, which is less visible than other types of fishing line, or try a lighter line with a smaller diameter so it’s tougher for the fish to see.

Let Baitfish Help

In many types of waterways, fall will trigger baitfish migrations as young-of-year fish start moving out of nurseries toward deeper or open waters. This is a buffet for predators, which will often gather around ambush points like the mouths of coves and tributaries.

Consider Larger Offerings

The cooler it gets, the bigger your offerings should be. As the water transitions from chilly to downright cold, large predators will begin conserving energy, preferring one big meal over lots of little morsels. While the old saying “elephants eat peanuts” has some truth to it, offer a hungry elephant a peanut or a bale of hay and see which it goes for.

Slow Down

The cooler it gets, the slower your presentation should be. Remember, fish are cold-blooded. As water temperatures drop, so does their metabolism and general activity level.

Fish at Depth Transitions

When fishing lakes during the “turnover” phase (when surface water cools so much it sinks, displacing water at the bottom and increasing turbidity), look for fish in areas with abrupt depth transitions. Fishing underwater points or the edges of deep holes can often save the day.

Finally, remember that during the fall, it can get quite chilly out on the water. If you want to keep fishing as the season progresses, brush up on your cold weather boating safety. If you don’t already have a boat that’s good for all-weather use, you might also want to consider upgrading to one with a tall, protective windshield and rough water capabilities, like the Lowe Deep-V Fishing line. And of course, always remember to suit up properly for the conditions so you can catch more fish no matter what Mother Nature has in store for you this fall.