How to catch bass in the late fall period.
When water temps drop to the low 50s and upper 40s signifies the start of the late fall for bass in reservoirs. The bass have come out of the creek arms in the mid fall and have staged in the deeper water at the mouths of the creek arms and other main lake structure. This is in preparation for the winter that lies ahead.
The feeding times for bass have now shortened in the late fall. Feeding times for bass occur in short bursts. The late fall period for bass is the most iffy of the 3 fall periods (earl, mid, and late). Bass will be following the shad out of the creek arms. The shad are the bass’s main food source. Shad feed on phytoplankton. Phytoplankton in the lake will rise with the sun to the lakes or reservoirs surface.
The shad will follow the phytoplankton, and in turn the bass will follow the shad. Late fall best bites occur when the sun is highest and temperatures are warmest. Early and late periods of the day are usually slow because of this phytoplankton movement. For presentation it is hard to beat ½ ounce hair jig. Retrieve them very slowly. Jigs with twister tails and swim baits with lots of action do not work so well in the late fall period. You want a bait that is lethargic without a lot of action that mimics other fish and bait during this cold water period. I would describe as dead and semi lifeless.
Your goal when fishing the late fall period is not to cover a lot of water. This is a reversal of strategy of bass fishing in the summer. Any deep weed edges that have weeds this time of year are prime. Most weeds have died by late fall. The only remaining weeds will be your deep weeds. Creek mouths are also prime in late fall for bass.