What's Your Goal This Fall?

To be more specific, do you want to get bites, or will you just be satisfied seeing activity on the water? I gotta believe that, in most cases, anglers will be looking for bites.

While topwaters, crankbaits and spinnerbaits will be many anglers' first choices throughout the season, there are some other--often forgotten--lures that, as I learned from a Wired2Fish report I happened across recently, will help you catch fish this fall, starting with micro lipless crankbaits.

While many anglers will focus their attention on such lures as the 1/2- and 3/4-ounce Rat-L-Traps and Red-Eye Shads, out-of-the-box thinkers more likely will opt for smaller 1/4-ounce models. Because baitfish notoriously are small this time of year, tiny lipless baits do an admirable job of mimicking the forage.

Besides being the right size, these lighter lipless crankbaits are better suited for probing shallow depths in which bass are targeting shad and other baitfish. The lighter lure is less obtrusive in skinny water and can be fished around myriad cover types.

There's nothing whatsoever fancy about this presentation. You simply locate baitfish congregating around shallow cover, cast your lipless plug, and slowly reel it in, bumping the bottom as you go. A 1/4-ounce lipless can be fished in the same areas where anglers are fishing topwaters, spinnerbaits and squarebills, but it shows pressured bass something different. Many times, this difference puts those bass in the boat.

And while some anglers are reaching for their favorite topwaters or squarebill crankbaits during the fall months, others grab what often are left out of the conversation: wakebaits. These latter baits come in all shapes and sizes...from big, jointed options to small plugs that resemble traditional crankbaits. They dive anywhere from a foot deep to merely inches below the surface, depending on line size and rod angle. Furthermore, they're an excellent choice when bass won't commit to topwaters.

Wakebaits are perfect for fishing around shallow grass, rocks, laydowns, or other types of shallow structure in a scenario where bass are keying in on baitfish.

Finally, another often overlooked great option for fall bass is the floating jerkbait, whether it be the Rapala Original Floating Minnow or the Shadow Rap Shad. The Original Floating Minnow has been a proven fish-catcher for many years.

Floating jerkbaits can be twitched slowly on the surface or jerked to deeper depths before their buoyancy forces them upward. Bass spend a lot of time looking up at baitfish this time of year, and a floating jerkbait appears to be fleeing from the fish hiding below, which ignites a predatory response bass hardly can resist. Like suspending jerkbaits, floaters need to be seen by bass to get them to react and therefore are best suited for clear to slightly stained water.

While topwaters and soft-plastic jerkbaits are among anglers' favorite fall-fishing lures, there are days when it seems bass merely will swipe at these offerings. Floating jerkbaits, on the other hand, excel in this particular scenario. With two or three treble hooks dangling from their slender body, floating hard jerkbaits typically will get at least one hook in a fish that swipes at them.

The hard baits mentioned here can help you have some unforgettable days of fishing this fall. Head toward the the backs of creeks on your favorite local fishery, find schools of baitfish, follow the wind, and enjoy the fall madness many anglers miss out on each year.