Schooling begins in mid-September in much of the nation and continues through October, or even into November in the South. (Skeeter Boats)

In late September, cooler nights and shorter days kick-start a chain reaction in bass lakes across much of the nation. The shallows reoxygenate, baitfish schools migrate back to creek arms and shorelines, and bass follow like wolves on a caribou herd. In many lakes, the “turnover” occurs—when surface water cools enough to sink and mix with deeper layers. Once that happens, bass are no longer trapped by oxygen levels. They can hunt wherever the bait is, often roaming shallows they abandoned in summer.

As lakes cool into the 60s, bass feed with urgency. They’re not just eating for today; they’re building fat reserves to survive leaner winter months. Shad, bluegill, and young-of-year threadfins make up the buffet. Schools of bait often push into coves, backs of creeks, and around grasslines—countless millions of 1- to 2-inch long baitfish, sometimes making “bait rain” at the surface. Bass hang nearby, ambushing anything unlucky enough to get separated from the school. At times, the whole wolf pack rushes the bait, resulting in boils, splashes, bass turning somersaults and bait scattering everywhere.

On Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, the fall shad migration can turn a quiet grass flat into a war zone of explosions. In Texas, Lake Fork is famous for October schooling action, where bass drive bait to the surface, attracting “white tornadoes” of gulls that feed on the bait from above. Even in the north, places like Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake see a few furious weeks of shoreline blitzes before ice claims the water. On Tennessee’s Chickamauga Lake, mid-October often produces similar chaos along creek points and ledges. In Georgia, Lake Lanier and its creek arms often see spotted bass blitzing shad through the shallows. Wherever you are, the pattern repeats: find the bait, and the bass are close behind.

Fall fishing is a game of movement. Finding the bait is half the battle. Electronics can help, but so can simply watching for surface flickers, diving birds, or nervous water. 

Once you’re in the right neighborhood, it’s time to play offense. Topwater lures are first-string picks; walking baits, poppers, and buzzbaits shine when bass push shad to the surface, and the commotion often draws strikes from multiple fish competing for food. 

Noisy topwaters like the Berkley Choppo come into their own for fooling spotted bass and largemouths during the fall schooling frenzies. (Berkley)

Crankbaits in shad patterns cover water quickly and mimic forage perfectly, ideal for combing creeks and points. Spinnerbaits with flash and thump are deadly around grass edges and stained water. Soft plastics—flukes and swimbaits rigged weightless—dart and glide like wounded shad, perfect for schooling situations. Reaction baits like Strike King’s KVD Squarebill and Rapala’s DT series also trigger vicious strikes in mid-depth structure. The key is mobility. If a spot goes quiet, don’t settle—keep moving until you intersect active fish.

Fall isn’t just about numbers. Some big fish are caught in late September and October. Fish that had caved-in bellies in August are now fat as ticks, bulked up from weeks of nonstop feeding. Unlike in winter, these fish aren’t lethargic—they readily attack fast-moving, over-sized, and noisy lures. Berkley’s Choppo, River2Sea’s Whopper Plopper and Heddon’s Super Spook are favorites on top, while big flutter spoons like those from Dixie, Nichols, and Lake Fork draw whoppers deep.

Schooling can break out anywhere in fall, but it’s primarily found on feeder creek arms and large bays. (Tracker Marine)

Not every day is fireworks, to be sure. Early cold fronts can scatter bait and slow feeding, while unseasonably hot days can delay the action. But when weather stabilizes, fall bass fishing can feel almost unfair. 

In the South, peak feeding often stretches well into November. In northern states, the window is tighter—sometimes just six weeks between the first cool nights and the onset of true winter. But whether you’re on a Tennessee reservoir, a Midwestern farm pond, or a New England river, the rule holds: fall is the best shot of the year to connect with aggressive largemouth.

— Frank Sargeant
Frankmako1@gmail.com