By Mike Frisch and the Fishing the Midwest Fishing Team
Fall can be one of the best times of the year to be an angler because lots of fish are on the bite and typically some of the entire year’s biggest specimens find the bottom of landing nets now. Fall can also, however, be a bit of a confusing time too as fish can be found shallow, deep, and everywhere in between!
One predictable place that I have been able to locate a variety of fish species during autumn is in and around green, living weeds. Green weeds provide oxygen, bait fish, and cover, all things big fish need to survive. Some of my favorite fall fishing spots have been good for many years because, for whatever reason, the weeds in those areas seem to thrive well into fall. One of my favorite spots, for example, is in a shallow, off-colored lake where the weed growth typically ends in the 10-to-12-foot depth range. The weeds on that outside edge and up onto the adjacent flat are a mixture of varieties but consist mainly of coontail. I catch crappies, bass, northern pike and walleyes all from the same area in the fall.
When targeting crappies in weeds, I have found that casting and retrieving a panfish plastic slowly over the tops of the weed growth often results in bites. The Mr. Crappie Shadpole and Slabalicious baits in bright colors have been my favorites for this pattern for several years now. This fall, however, I am going to be throwing some of the new baits in their upsized XL versions trying to target even bigger slabs. It seems that each year my season’s biggest crappie, often a fish 15” or bigger, comes fishing this pattern.
Big crappies inhabit weedy fall honey holes but so do oversize largemouth bass. During summer, I target some of these same areas by looking for holes and pockets in the weeds where I can “drop” big, skirted bass jigs with plastic trailers. These same combos will produce during fall, but as the weeds are often a bit thinner now, I prefer cast and retrieve baits that I can fish over and through the weedy cover. The Hybrid Hunter crankbait has a unique action and loud rattle that often produces aggressive strikes. It catches big bass, but numbers of bass seem to love this bait as well.
Crappies and bass love green weeds in the fall, but so do northern pike. One lure that the bass love, but pike have a definite attraction to also is the vibrating jig. In fact, if I just want to “get bit” and don’t care what species is providing the bite, a Thunder Cricket vibrating jig tipped with a Blade Minnow trailer is my choice. Again, a simple cast and swim the bait over the weeds retrieve generates hard strikes from pike and other predators as well, including bass and the occasional big walleye.
When walleyes are the target during fall, I rely on the old standby, a jig and minnow. An eighth-ounce jig tipped with a big fathead or sucker minnow and worked slowly on the edge of, or even through, the weeds has proven very productive. Slow seems to be the key to the retrieve but hang on because the strikes from walleyes and the other predators can be aggressive in fall!
If aggressive fish in the fall are on your bucket list, head for the green weeds on your favorite lake, employ some of the presentations just detailed, and get ready for what should be some fast-fishing action!
As always, enjoy your time on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure!
Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit www.fishingthemidwest.com to see more fishing tips and view recent TV episodes as well!
Photo – Mike Frisch with a big fall crappie caught in green weeds.
