October is here, and the year is heading into the homestretch. Fall has officially arrived, and the fishing is picking up nationwide as the weather cools. It's also a great time to go fishing, as many other anglers are focused on hunting, and the pleasure boat traffic is drastically less than during the summer.
You can capitalize on the fall-feeding frenzy if you choose the right lures. Here are five lure styles that work across the country in October.
Swimbaits
The swimbait is a large category of lures and encompasses everything from micro 2-inch baitfish imitators to huge baits that weigh several ounces. With that in mind, baits in the 3 to 5-inch range are typically used and work everywhere. Boot tail swimbaits like the Keitech Swing Impact FAT are great in October, and they come in a plethora of colors and many different sizes, so you can match the color and size to the baitfish the bass are eating.
If shad is a main meal for your local bass, pair a shad-colored version between 2.8 and 3.8 inches long and pair it with a round ball jighead, or add it to an underspin to get more flash. The jighead size will vary based on how deep you plan to fish, but a ¼-ounce head is a good starting point, and you can always go lighter or heavier if needed. These small swimbaits work great in October when fishing around suspended balls of shad, and simply reeling them through the water works well.
When the bass are eating something a little bigger, you can up your size to a 4.8 or 5.8-inch version of the same swimbait and choose a color to match a bluegill, perch, trout, or whatever the bass are gorging on. These bigger baits still have excellent swimming action and can be fished on jigheads, underspins, or weedless on a weighted hook like the Gamakatsu Spring Lock Monster Hook.
Topwaters
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Topwater walking baits shine in October. Fishing a topwater can be great in October, even if the water has started to cool substantially. The fish feed heavily on baitfish, and a topwater does a great job imitating them on the surface. Many styles of topwater baits will work, but it's hard to beat a walking topwater bait like a 6th Sense Dogma or Heddon Super Spook. Plopping-style baits like the River2Sea Whopper Plopper, Berkley Choppo, or Deps Evoke Zero are other great options.
These topwater baits are great for fishing on the surface and are excellent at calling fish from a long distance to strike them. Like swimbaits, there are many color options to choose from if you want to match a specific forage, but truthfully, color matters less in topwaters as bass often see the commotion and only get a good look at the bottom of the bait. A solid white or bone color works well in most instances, but more translucent colors help change the bait's look, especially in clear water.
Spinnerbaits and ChatterBaits
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The spinnerbait excels anytime the bass are feeding on shad. We'll group these two since they often work well in the same areas, and both do a great job of imitating baitfish. A spinnerbait will have much more flash because of the blades, and a ChatterBait's vibration is excellent for tricking a bass into biting. Match these baits with a shad-colored trailer and a white skirt, and you'll have a great bait to fish with this fall.
Both lures excel in October because you can cast and reel them and cover a lot of water. Some great spinnerbaits are available, including some with more vibration than the old generation due to their use of different wires. These include the Z-Man Sling BladeZ and Shimano Swagy, which have more vibration and still have great flash. For ChatterBaits, it's hard to beat the Z-Man Evergreen Jack Hammer or the ChatterBait Evo.
Alabama Rigs
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The Alabama Rig shines in October and is a top bait throughout the fall and winter. Another great way to imitate fleeing baitfish is an Alabama Rig, which includes multiple swimbaits simultaneously swimming to simulate a school of shad. These baits work very well in the fall when bass are suspended for the same reasons a single swimbait on a jighead works, but they have the appeal of a bigger profile and sometimes added flash from added blades on bladed Alabama-rigs.
The Alabama Rig is well-suited for times when bass are grouped up and feeding, and it's possible to catch more than one bass at a time, which is tons of fun. One downside to fishing them is that heavier gear is required, and they can become a chore to cast and fish for extended periods, but they work great. Be sure to check with your state regulations, as some limit the number of hooks allowed on one rig.
Jigs
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A jig works all year long, and this month is no exception. They imitate a variety of forage and should be on your deck year-round. Bucking the baitfish imitating trend is the old standby, a jig. Whether it's a jig that can be pitched to docks and laydowns or a finesse jig that you drag along a rocky bottom, a jig works very well every month, including October.
Finesse jigs are great for mimicking crawfish scurrying along the bank and work great all month. For casting and pitching jigs, colors like green pumpkin work well for imitating bluegill. If you are after matching shad, another option is a white swim jig, which you can fish through the water column and help you catch more October bass.
Many different baits work well in October, which overall is an excellent month for bass fishing. The water has finally cooled, and the fish are getting more active, so grab your gear and tie up these five baits, and you are well on your way to some great fall fishing.
