Story by Corey Casey | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
When the air starts to cool and the leaves begin to change, bass fishing enters one of my favorite seasons—fall. It’s a time of year when bass are on the move, chasing schools of baitfish and feeding up before winter. The action can be fast, the strikes can be explosive, and the opportunities to cover water and find fish are endless. For me, fall fishing is all about keeping a rotation of confidence baits tied on that let me adapt to the conditions quickly. My lineup includes a mix of topwater and moving baits: a Rebel Pop-R, walking bait, frog, ChatterBait, jerkbait, and lipless crankbait. Each of these plays a unique role in helping me locate fish and put them in the boat.
When I know I’m around fish, nothing beats the subtle splash and chug of a Pop-R. This bait shines in the fall when bass are keyed in on baitfish near the surface. I’ll work it with short pops and pauses, letting the sound and action call fish up. It’s a perfect choice when bass are schooling in pockets or around bait balls, and I’ve had plenty of days where a Pop-R accounted for numbers of quality fish.
When I’m still in search mode, I turn to a walking bait like the Zara Spook. The side-to-side “walk-the-dog” action covers water fast and draws fish from a distance. Its tremendous drawing power makes it my go-to for locating aggressive bass, especially when they’re suspended under shad schools. Once I get a few bites, I’ll usually slow down and switch to something else to dial in the pattern, but the walking bait is a big-time player in my fall lineup.
Fall isn’t always just about open water. When there’s still vegetation present—mats, grass lines, or lily pads—a frog is tough to beat. Whether I’m working it across the top or skipping it into shade lines, the frog gives me a way to target bass that are using cover while still feeding on top. A blow-up on a frog never gets old, and in the fall it’s a way to catch some of my biggest fish of the year.
If you know me, you know I always have a ChatterBait tied on, no matter the season. In the fall, it’s one of my favorite moving baits for covering water and imitating shad. The vibration and flash are perfect for triggering reaction bites from fish that are chasing bait. I’ll run it around points, pockets, and grass edges, experimenting with trailers until I find what they want—whether that’s a swimbait, a craw, or a straight-tail style bait.
Another fall staple for me is the lipless crankbait. This bait can be burned across flats, ripped through grass, or yo-yoed in deeper water to imitate dying shad. The versatility and ability to cover big stretches of water quickly make it a must-have. Plus, when bass are schooling, few things get them fired up like a lipless crank ripping through the mix.
When conditions get tough and bass turn finicky, my confidence bait is a jerkbait. Fall often brings suspended bass that hang just off structure or beneath bait schools, and a jerkbait’s stop-and-go action is tailor-made for coaxing them into biting. I’ll vary the cadence depending on water temperature and mood of the fish, but the beauty of a jerkbait is its ability to trigger bites when nothing else seems to.
Putting It All Together
Fall is one of the best times of year to catch both numbers and size, but the key is covering water and finding the bait. With my topwater baits for surface action and my moving baits for searching mid-depths and beyond, I’m confident I can adapt to whatever the conditions throw at me. Whether it’s a subtle Pop-R, a walking bait that calls them up, a frog in the grass, or the trio of ChatterBait, lipless, and jerkbait below the surface, this lineup has me ready for any fall fishing scenario.
Come Fish With Me
If you want to put these baits and techniques to work in person, come join me on South Carolina’s legendary Santee Cooper lakes. I guide full-time for bass and fall is one of the best times to experience the action. Whether you’re looking to learn more about bass fishing or just want to enjoy a fun day on the water, I’d love to help you make it happen. Visit coreycaseyfishingandguideservice.com to book your trip and let’s go fishing!
Corey Casey – Angler Profile
