Catching Bass In The Fall Transition On Frogs, Jigs, and Dropshot

Come along for an awesome topwater morning! We launched the bass boat in total darkness so we'd be ready for first light. As soon as you could see, the bass began exploding on our frogs! Once the sun was up we headed to the docks in search of bass with jigs, dropshot, texas rigs, and an old faithful curly tail grub. Ross England has filmed several finesse videos with us in the past but today you really get to see him approaching docks. Hop in the boat and enjoy a great day of fishing on Clearlake!

During the Fall transition, low light is a critical time for catching big bass. These fish are adapting to changing conditions and will often feed heavily at first and last light when their odds of success are the highest. Once the sun is up they'll sit in the shadows and wait for their next feeding opportunity. Understanding when its time to fish reaction baits and when its time to slow down and finesse is the key to consistent success.

In today's video we began by targeting the active morning feeding period with three different frogs (linked below). Once the sun hit the water the active bite vanished. If we had stayed in this are it would have been a struggle all day to get bit so we opted to move across the lake to an area covered with docks. By switching to hard cover (dock pilings) and shadows we were able to consistently catch fish the rest of the day.

Ross England has made a career targeting bass in docks. He loves to finesse fish amongst the pilings and today we got to see it in action! He used a combination of dropshot and curly tail grub to coax midday bass out from under the docks. It was a pleasure to watch him methodically approach each dock and successfully locate the bass within.

Below is a breakdown of the equipment we used during today's video. You'll also find links to the videos we've done with Ross in the past as well as a link to his guiding website.

Videos Featuring Ross...

-Dropshot Fishing Tips: How To Catch Fish All Winter : http://bit.ly/2kCiNFZ

-Dropshot Tips For Big Bass! Ft. Ross England : http://bit.ly/2k7U9Na

Ross England's Clearlake Guide Service Website: http://bit.ly/2mb7DIP

Matt's Baits In Order Of Appearance...

Frog- River2Sea Bully Wa 2 (Little Allen, Ghost): http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

Creature- Keitech Crazy Flapper 4.4 (Green pumpkin Fire): http://bit.ly/2c3cXrp

Jig- Dirty Jigs Finesse Jig 5/16 oz (Green Pumpkin Craw): http://bit.ly/2eJinXo

Jig Trailer- Yamamoto Double Tail 4" Grub (Watermelon): http://bit.ly/2db9w1p

Underspin- Owner Flashy Swimmer 5/0 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

Underspin Swimbait- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact (Pro Blue Red Pearl): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Ross's Baits...

Frog- Jackall Kaera (Glitter Bluegill): http://bit.ly/2Fz6SA3

Grub- Yamamoto 4" Single Tail Grub (Smoke Blk Flake): http://bit.ly/2kFzGPZ

Grub Hook- Revenge Darter Hedz 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2cHMZbm

Dropshot Worm- Roboworm 6" (Margarita Mutilator): http://bit.ly/2asZyH3

Dropshot Hook- Owner Mosquito Light (Size 1): http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

Matt's All-Around Dock Combo...

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Curado DC HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- 50 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 12 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Ross's Finesse Combo...

Rod- Powell Endurance 7'3" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2QyFvNk

Reel- Shimano NASCI 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- 8 lb Power Pro Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- 8 lb Seaguar Red Label: http://bit.ly/2LOVEwA

Where Do Bass Go During The Fall Transition? (And How To Catch Them)

Fall is fast approaching and the bass are already on the move. If your fish are starting to disappear and you don't know why, we're here to help! As the nights get cooler the bass fishing changes over night, stumping many anglers. The offshore fish begin to gather and the shallow fish abandon their Summer cover in search of new spots. If you're not ready for what comes next it can leave you scratching your head.

The Fall Transition comes much earlier than most anglers realize. Its not a slow progression, the bass will begin their movements overnight. One day you're on an awesome topwater bite, the next you can't find a fish. When this happens its time to step back and look at what is motivating these fish to move. Whether you're targeting shallow bass or deep, the bass' next movement is motivated by the baitfish's location. As the bait begins to gather, so will the bass.

If your fish are out deep, expect them to begin gathering on the best structures. Expect to find them on corners of ledges with deep water access, long tapering points that break to deep water, and later you can expect them to transition toward the backs of deep coves. Shallow fish will abandon the scattered weeds in favor of thick weed clumps and hard structures. As the seasons progress these fish will begin bunching up along ambush points and pockets.

Below is a breakdown of the gear we recommend using during these conditions. We've separated it into shallow and deep approaches depending on which group of fish you're pursuing.

Shallow Flipping components...

Stopper- 6th Sense Peg X: http://bit.ly/2bHjowk

Weight- Vader Tungsten 1.5 oz: http://bit.ly/2NjDYtV

Hook- Owner Jungle Wide Gap 5/0: http://bit.ly/2sBsR1Z

Bait #1- Jackall Archelon (Green Pumpkin, School Gill): http://bit.ly/2uo4sN5

Bait #2- Strike King Rage Craw (Green Pumpkin, Dirty Craw): http://bit.ly/2uoqsLJ

Shallow Reaction Baits...

Crankbait- River2Sea Biggie Squarebill (Abalone Shad, TS Minnow): http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

Crankbait- Lucky Craft 1.5 Squarebill (Ghost Minnow, American Shad): http://bit.ly/2BGxKPa

Topwater- River2Sea Rover 128 (Ghost Minnow, Sooner, You Know It): http://bit.ly/2acSVea

Jig For Deep Or Shallow...

Jig- 1/2 oz Pitchin Jig (Go To, Molting Craw): http://bit.ly/2amL3of

Jig Trailer- Sweet Beaver (Green Pumpkin, Tramp Stamp): http://bit.ly/29W3RZW

Deep Water Baits...

Crankbait- Strike King 6XD (Chartreuse Sexy Shad, Delta Red, Pro Blue): http://bit.ly/2ery44M

Crankbait- Strike King 10XD (Chartreuse Sexy Shad, Delta Red): http://bit.ly/2gHT4F0

Hook Upgrades...

6XD - Gamakatsu EWG Size 2: http://bit.ly/2cZrsbY

10XD- Owner ST-36 Size 1/0: http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

Biggie- Owner ST-36 Size 2: http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

Preferred All-around Combo...

Rod- Expride 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- 50 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 15 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Budget-Friendly All Around Combo...

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX: http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

Line- 15 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Bass Fishing: How To Catch Bass On Tough Days

Eat! Eat! Eat! Food is all that bass are thinking about in the Late Fall! These creatures know the cold season is coming and they waste no time filling their reserves with anything that passes in front of them. This time of year an angler can gain a ton of confidence in new lures by targeting bass that are anxious to feed. Need to learn how to catch bass on crankbaits, swimbait, jigs, etc? No problem! It all sounds wonderful until they shut down. All of a sudden you can’t get a bite, no one can, so what do you do now?

Today Tim breaks down his approach to catching bass that are shut down. Anyone can get a bite when the fish are chasing but knowing when its time to stop and adapt can be the difference between a great day and a frustrating outing. Knowing when to downsize to a dropshot, Neko rig, or other finesse bait is an art all its own. Tim explains the signs you need to keep an eye out for and follows it up with tackle recommendations.

Below is a breakdown of the tackle that Tim uses during tough conditions. When the fish turn negative, fish with confidence, knowing that you’ve adapted at the right time. The bass are still there and with a little persistence you can salvage your day on the water.

Dropshot Presentation...

Worm- Strike King Half Shell: http://bit.ly/2iR9awm

Hook- Owner Mosquito Light 1/0: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

Weight- Vike Skinny Tungsten Dropshot: http://bit.ly/2kppo3p

Swimbait Presentation...

Swimbait- Keitech 2.8 Fat Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Head- 1/8 oz Guppy Head: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Ned Rig Presentation...

Worm 1- Roboworm Ned Worm: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Worm 2- Z Man Finesse T.R.D.: http://bit.ly/2hs4RtR

Head- 1/8 oz Owner Block Head: http://bit.ly/2qL0A8n

Neko Rig Presentation...

Worm- Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Hook- Mustad TitanX Neko Hook: http://bit.ly/2yYcJLc

Weight- Swagger Tackle Pagoda: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

Other Great baits when fish are slowing down...

Baby Brush Hog: http://bit.ly/2bnpCRx

Man Bear Pig: http://bit.ly/2s51oIV

Roboworm 4" Fat Worm: http://bit.ly/2awYSxM

Tim's Favorite Finesse Combo...

Rod- G Loomis NRX 852S JWR: http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Reel- Shimano Exsence 3000 Reel: http://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Line- 10 lb Power Pro Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- 6 lb Sniper Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

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Bass Fishing: Best Baits For Fall Fishing

Look inside Matt's day box at what he's really using! There are no secrets, no hidden baits, these are the baits we're taking to the lake to catch fish right now. From Shallow to deep, big to small, it all fits in a single Plano box.

Many anglers complicate their Fall bass fishing but it doesn't have to be that way. With just a small handful of baits we're able to cover virtually any circumstance that could arise. The real beauty of this box is that it will catch fish in almost any water temp, water clarity, and regardless of what sort of baitfish the bass are eating.

Do you have any favorite baits that aren't in the box? Some would say the spinnerbait or chatter bait are missing (and they are) but for most Fall fishing conditions the Underspin, square bill, and lipless will fill the void.

Below is a breakdown of the baits in the box...

Swimbait Heads/Underspins

Matt Allen Swimbait Head: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Dirty Jigs Guppy Head: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Blade Runner SpinTrix UnderSpin: http://bit.ly/29UVegz

Spoons and Tail Spinners...

Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz and 3/4 oz Spoons: http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

Damiki Axe Blade: http://bit.ly/2w2uB9t

Crankbaits...

LV-500 Lipless: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

River2Sea Ruckus Lipless: http://bit.ly/2pl6LQl

6th Sense Quake Thud Lipless: http://bit.ly/2ybPQDK

Biggie Smalls Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

Crush Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2HbaCGT

Lucky Craft Silent Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2vmq67T

Topwaters...

Reaction Innovations Vixen: http://bit.ly/2rp11nr

Megabass Dog X Diamante: http://bit.ly/2Q5GPUH

River2Sea Rover 128: http://bit.ly/2acSVea

Swimbaits...

River2Sea S-Waver 168 and 200: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

The Box...

Plano Waterproof 3740: http://bit.ly/2fvjcFB

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Need Apparel? Tacticalbassin Gear is in stock! Get your hats, Hoodies, and sunshirts by emailing Tacticalbassinapparel@gmail.com