Fall is the favorite time of the year for bass fishing’s funniest man, Gerald Swindle. The former waterbug-quick Locust Fork High School running back and kick returner finds peace in a tree stand following a long Bassmaster Elite Series season, and he finds bass returning to a variety of shallow water patterns where he enjoys catching them most. Not to mention, Swindle makes his home in the heart of college football’s SEC Conference, and that always leads to a truckload of smack talk debates with his fellow football lovin’ brothers of bass.
While piloting his Tundra northwest to a Nebraska deer hunt, the G-Man shared his wisdom for finding and catching bass throughout the football season.
Late October
What to Watch: Georgia vs. Florida and Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma
How to Catch ‘Em: “It’s spinnerbait time, and there ain’t a more fun lure out there at this time of year. After fishing slow and deep all summer long, I finally get to go to the back of a creek and cast a spinnerbait,” says Swindle. “I’m throwing a spinnerbait to match the shad they’re feeding on, and I’m not expecting to catch a school of 5-pounders, but I know I’m going to catch a bunch of fish, with a few 3 or 4-pounders mixed in. You can catch them from various habitats, from laydown trees to rip rap.”
Equipment Notes: 20-pound Sunline Shooter spooled on Quantum SM100SPT.BX2 6.1:1 Smoke reel.
Early November
What to Watch: Alabama vs. LSU and Oregon vs. USC
How to Catch ‘Em: “The bass are transitioning to rocks because rocks hold heat even during the cooler nights of late fall,” says the Warrior, Alabama pro. “This is when shallow square-bill crankbaits like the RC 1.5 shine. I may start my day toward the back of the creek, but my main focus will be mid-way toward the front of the creek on all rocky banks and rip rap shorelines.”
Equipment Notes: Swindle notes that while he loves the slower 5.3:1 Quantum Smoke HD 200 reel in the spring and summer, speedier reels like a 6.3:1 Energy PT seem to trigger more strikes with shallow crankbaits during football season.
Late November
What to Watch: Pick a rivalry. Auburn vs. Alabama, Ohio State vs. Michigan, or Florida vs. Florida State
How to Catch ‘Em: “The water is getting cold enough that they aren’t chasing cranks and spinnerbaits as effectively as they were earlier in the fall. So instead, the jig comes into play,” says the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “I’m going to pitch a 3/8-ounce jig to brush around shallow docks, rip rap, or laydowns.”
Equipment Notes: Swindle says he uses a 3/8-ounce jig 90% of the time because it has the correct fall rate, descending slowly enough in colder water.
Bowl Season
What to Watch: As many of the 35 possible bowl games as possible. From the Idaho Potato Bowl to the BCS National Championship because football season will soon be over.
How to Catch ‘Em: “I’m going to look for as many sun-drenched rocky banks on a creek channel swing as I can find,” says Swindle with arrow-straight focus. “Even in the South, the water will likely be in the high 40s or low 50s, so instead of casting, I’m gonna’ drag that same 3/8-ounce Arkie jig from the rocky, sunny shoreline out to 15 or 20 feet deep where the creek channel kisses the bank. Then, I’m just dragging it along the bottom until a bass picks up on it. It’s key to maintain the constant feel and bottom contact.”
Equipment Notes: Swindle stresses using a quality rod like the 7’ 4” Legend Tournament Series rod that affords ultra-sensitive feel for bites that are sure to be un-aggressive and feather-light in early winter’s cold water.
