Fall Largemouth Bass Fishin’ Tips ~ Delaware Ponds

After a few hot muggy days last week we returned to some cooling temperatures, high pressure with sunny skies and a building breeze. Most would argue that these are not the most perfect conditions to induce a good days fishing. It is beyond any shadow of a doubt and surveys have proven that the vast majority of fishermen say the wind is their biggest enemy on the water. Although, the combination of falling water temps and increased wind speeds are very beneficial to anglers, provided they no how to use them to their advantage. Two weeks ago I said we were going to talk about Largemouth Bass and how they relate to structure when water temperatures fall and the autumn breeze becomes steady.

As ponds start their cooling trend Largemouth Bass will relate to structure whatever it is in their respective bodies of water, much like Crappie or other panfish schooling around a brush pile or deep hole. Although Largemouth don’t necessarily school on structure, they do maintain a territory in the most prime location they can secure. This is dictated by size and aggression as larger fish typically hold the most productive areas. In the state of Delaware this whittles down the acreage due to the fact our ponds on average are only about 4-5 feet deep and there are no great expanses of deep water to take into consideration. So what do our Bass relate to as far as structure goes? You guessed it, WOOD! Something just about ever pond, river or stream in the state has a lot of.

In the present or similar conditions Largemouth will move up on wood (submerged stumps, blow downs, stationary drift and brush piles.) This can help eliminate unproductive water, narrow down target areas and save anglers precious time with dwindling daylight hours on our horizon. All these Bass tendencies help to keep us in the strike zone longer and increase our productivity, so take advantage of this fortuitous time. The question of what baits to use is broad. This is another advantage for the angler as it’s not winter and we are not relegated to fishing “low and slow” with a jig-n-pig. Suspending jerk baits, slow rolled spinner baits, soft plastics and jigs are all in play as the cooling water sends Bass into a feeding frenzy.

I know some of you are saying okay, but what about that remedy for the wind you mentioned earlier and how is it supposed to be advantageous for me? Well, there is no remedy for solving the wind problem. I can tell you this though, in every publication I have ever read, through my own experiences and from professional Bass fishermen around the country they all have the same tip. As uncomfortable and as CRAZY as it sounds, always cast into the wind. Your cast is sometimes only a quarter of the distance as usual but it does pay off. I reluctantly tried this technique myself many years ago, knowing that windy days are usually the toughest. It has paid off in dividends over the years. We’ll until next week, concentrate your efforts on wood structure and don’t be afraid to stare that wind down until it pays off.