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Thumpin' Fall Smallies
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Go Deep When lakes "turn over" in the fall, stratification between the surface layer of water and the deeper water is eliminated. That point at which these layers meet, the thermocline, has confined bass and forage all summer. Venturing below this line during this period of stratification would mean entering cold oxygen-deprived water. Now however, without a thermocline to serve as a floorboard, baitfish are free to roam the depths. Smallmouth, particularly big fish, are sure to follow. As bass move toward deeper wintering areas, the amount of "fishy" water on a particular lake is compressed. Bays without 30-40 feet of water can be eliminated. Come fall, Mattson fishes near deeper basins and targets ambush points to inlcude sunken humps, deeper points, ledges and breaklines. "Access to deep water is key," says Mattson. Using electronics to locate fish is very important as well. "Typically, I will keep moving, idling over each likely spot until I see bass on my graph. Only then do drop the Minnkota and wet a line." Often, bass appear to be present but won't bite. Mattson may return to these areas several times in a day. "Fall frenzies happen when a school of baitfish drift through an area and turn the smallies on," says the smallmouth expert. |
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Steve
Mattson detected this big fall smallmouth on his electronics. He quickly
dropped a Northland Fishing Tackle Thumper Jig dressed with a Slurpies Swim'n Grub on the
fish and she ate it. (Photo by Norm Mattson) |
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Stay Vertical Once fish are located, the fun begins. Jigs dressed with plastics are ideal for fall smallmouth that have been spotted on sonar. Mattson likens it to ice fishing. "When a fish is located, I'll drop a bait on them immediately. I'll try to hover right above the fish and can often detect my lure and see fish strike. I try to work the bait just above the fish. A high percentage of fish will bite." Minnow imitating lures dominate in fall. Jigs adorned with grubs, tubes, flukes, and shad-type plastics are favorites for smallmouth all year, but really shine in autumn. Mattson's favorite jig for going vertical on fall bronzebacks is a 1/4 ounce Thumper Jig, produced by Northland Fishing Tackle. The jig sports enough weight ahead of the tie-eye to hang in a horizontal position. Mattson claims that this attribute alone makes the Thumper Jig better for this application than standard ball-head jigs. Additionally, the Thumper Jig features the profile of a minnow's head, complete with large eyes. It also features a small spinner blade attached to its belly, an attractor that gets the attention of deep smallmouth. Finally, Mattson likes the longer shank hook on the Thumper Jig for rigging plastics.
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| The Thumper Jig and Slurpies Swim'n Grub are a dynamite combination for vertically jigging autumn smallmouth. (Photo by Steve Mattson) |
Speaking of plastics, Mattson sticks with two types, grubs and fluke-type lures. Grubs like Northland's new 4 inch Slurpies Swim'n Grub are simple. However, holographic fish-flakes and Sow Sauce scent put them above the standard twister tails by several notches. "The 4 inch grub in a minnow pattern is a smallmouth magnet," says Mattson. As far as fluke-type baits, Mattson likes the Slurpies Jerk Shad, a 5 inch morsel that he typically trims down to about 4 inches when rigging on a jig. He is also a fan of Berkley's Power Minnows and Gulp! Minnows.
Rig Right
Rod and reel combinations for fall jig fishing are pretty simple. Mattson relies on a few seven foot medium action spinning rods. He prefers to spool his reels with 10 pound Berkley Fireline for its sensitivity and lack of stretch. "Often, I'll hook fish in 25-30 feet of water," he reports. "If a smallmouth breathes on the bait, I know it! Fireline also allows me to hook these fish quite easily."
Other vital tools to fall smallmouth fishing include a quality graph and GPS. The graph serves as an angler's eyes below the surface. Structure, baitfish, and bass are easily identified. Reefs, points, and other structural elements as well as schools of fish can be marked as waypoints or icons on a GPS. In addition, trails can be viewed in an effort to fish an area thoroughly. Great lakes smallmouth anglers commonly drift open water areas in grid patterns to connect with schools of roaming fish.
Finally, a useful and fun tool for fall smallmouth fishing, or any deeper angling for that matter, is an Aqua-Vu underwater viewing system. These cameras work well in deep water and can help anglers learn much about bottom content, structure, forage, and the targeted species of fish.
It's not too late to get in on some of the best smallmouth fishing of the year. Many have moved on to hunting and there will be little competition on the water. So grab a handful of jigs, a few soft plastics, and a couple of spinning rods. Then, go put a thumpin' on those bronze footballs of fall.
Travis Peterson
classicbass.com Field Staff
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