Ok, it's September. Now what?

[fiker]

Early Fall seem difficult for me to locate and lock on fish.

I know that there's a certain amount of pre-Winter feeding going on, but....

Are fish still located in the Summer haunts?  Is now the time I start looking for bait fish moving into the creeks and channels.  Are they hanging around outside waiting to come in?  Are they suspended out over deeper water?

Do I fish fast or slow?  Jigs or spinnerbaits?

I'm fishing Lake Orion this coming Saturday.  I've never fished there.  Never even seen the lake before.  As I study the lake maps, and look at Satellite pictures it seems like a really nice lake.  Lots of places for the fish to be.  Where do I start?  I've gotta believe that the weeds are starting to die off.  So do I fish docks, off shore humps, creeks, or migration routes leading to the creeks? 

[Manxfishing]

Orion's a great lake
I've never fished it in the fall thou

As far as fishing these days
It all depends on the weather.

But I've found fish to be shallow these days
Senko's or craws in front of the weed lines or in sparce weeds
And I've beening do well with big DS bait thrown shallow
Calm day I'd fish slow, Windy I'd fish faster

[LennyB]

Hey Rick,
It's a largemouth lake. There will be fish shallow and deep. Just about all of them will be between the deep weed line and the bank. Fish the deep points along that out side weed line with a jig and if that isn't happening move up on the flats with a spinnerbait or senko, depending on the conditions. Keep going back and forth till you find them. Hope you guys do well.

[djkimmel]

Pop'R in the morning can be hot there too. I've only been there twice with kids events but there were lots of bass on the inside weedlines just in from points. Nice bass. Even caught a few while trying for panfish.

[McCarter]

JIGGGGGSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

if that dont work, break out a chatterbait or a square bill and start covering some water.  The squarebill bite is heating up on kent and pontiac.  those are the only two lakes i have fished recently.  im sure they are eating it elsewhere.  i really wanted to throw a chatterbait today on pontiac but i left them behind by mistake.

McCarter himself

[Skulley]

My toughest time for locking onto fish is the dog days of July and August and especially August.  I went to Long Lake the other day and with the cool weather coming on as well as overcast skies, I really started catching them good.  Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits were the ticket............at least that day and the deep weed edges were key.  The water was still in the upper 70's but the fish were moving and active.  It was the front side of a cold front so that had a lot to do with it too.  As the clouds move out through the end of the week, I am sure the conditions and the bite will change.  Fall is my favorite time of the year to fish as the big girls feed up for winter.  I was also out on the Detroit River this past Labor Day weekend and my fall spots are just starting to turn on.  There were not a lot of fish on them just yet but it will be only a matter of time.  Usually with the combination of cooling water and shorter day light hours the fish start to put on the fall feed bag.  I am looking forward to another great fall of catching big bass.


BD                       

[chrisvmo]

Chatter baits and square bills are money this time of year. Try finding big openings in the weeds with hard bottom on weedy flats. When we have these big fall cold fronts come through like yesterday the fish will move in and hold tight to weeds and cover so try ripping and pausing lipless cranks and jigs through weeds.

[pjvt07]

Hey guys kinda new at this forum stuff but i needed some help! I am headed out to Lake Macatawa Saterday to do some bass fishing and i am wondering is anybody can pm me some locations that have been good or hidden rock piles, or hot docks. What are people using to catch fish out there right now? Anything helps thanks guys!!

[djkimmel]

Now that is a challenging lake. I've only been there 2 or 3 times. Stay in the channel when running. That's one thing that was obvious to me.

[bigjc]

JIGGGGGSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

  i really wanted to throw a chatterbait today on pontiac but i left them behind by mistake.

McCarter himself

Brian,  You didn't miss out on much.  I threw a chatterbait quite abit duing the HVB tourney, and caught nothing but pike on it (several pike in fact).  I am really starting to like the chatterbait, even though it catches a ton of toothy critters!

[djkimmel]

Blade-jigs are a good bass (and toothy critter) bait. I've caught some big largemouth and smallies on them.

[bigjc]

DK,

We have engaged in this thought before, but keep it down about the blades will ya...LOL

[djkimmel]

I'm just telling you and fiker. No one else!