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----Well, it finally feels like fall is just around the corner. No need to talk heat, we’ve all been dealing with it this summer. Sam is about 11 feet low as I type this. I remember back in 96 and 99 when it was this low and the fall fishing was off the hook, both for bass and crappie. Expect the fish to be bunched up and chasing bait. Topwaters should be the first thing you throw each morning. I like walkin’ baits like the Spook Jr., Sammy and Chug Bugs. I don’t tend to get caught up in color as much on topwaters as some. I feel the bass are looking up at the bait, silhouetting it against the sky, so any neutral or baitfish color will work. On calm juicy mornings, the ol’ standby Yellow Magic can be a killer as well. Next on deck is the Fluke type baits. I’m using a Jerk Minnow by Big Bite. I like the action, choices of colors and it seems to hold up to more fish than some of the others. My favorite set up is a 4/0 Owner offset hook and a small split shot pinched on about 10 inches ahead of the bait. Some days the bass want it deadsticked. Just cast it out and let it sit. Then pull it a bit, and do over. Watermelon and RedBug are great colors. Other days they seem to want it moving. Twitch, twitch, pause. Try both retrieves and let them tell you how they want it. Next up is Swimbaits. I don’t use the big monster Swimbaits like they use out west. Small threadfin shad and small bream are the primary forage, so match the hatch. Typically a Cane Thumper , Skinny Dipper or Swimmin’ Fluke gets the nod. Houdini, Sexy Shad and Watermelon Red Ghost are about the only colors I throw. These three will cover just about any situation in the fall. I rig em all on Owner’s 4/0 weighted Beast hook. Very good hookup ratio due the extra large gap designed for soft Swimbaits. Moving across the deck is my cranking rig. Bandits Crankbaits in Square bill, 200 and 300 series are my favorites. Blueback/Chartruese, Rootbeer and any of the many shad patterns are killers. I really like the Bandits and I’ll put em up against any of the high dollar cranks on the market. Sharp hooks, great finish, and they run true right out of the package. Now let’s go deeper. It used to be that if you fished deep structure you threw a Carolina rig. But the last few years the Drop Shot and Shakey Head have been racking up some big stringers. I typically fish these rigs in 15 foot of water and deeper. On Rayburn, straight tail 6 inch Finesse worms are what I use on both. Watermelon and Solid Chartruese are good all around colors. Looking forward to Teal and Duck season this year. Ramp access may be iffy due to low water on the lakes, but if the low water years in past are any indication, this year should be great. Low water tends to concentrate the birds, making them easier to pattern. High duck counts in the breeding grounds add to my enthusiasm. If you want to book a bass, crappie or Duck trip, gimme a shout. Set the Hook Hard
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