| One of my favorite times to fish is in the fall for | | | | These aggressive smallmouth can be fished fairly |
| lunker smallmouth bass. A great lake for fall | | | | quickly with mid to shallow running lures. I have |
| smallmouth is Kagawon Lake on Manitoulin Island in | | | | even had great luck fishing them with small jigs |
| Ontario, now fishing sand bars will work well on | | | | and live bait while drifting slowly along the sand |
| most lakes and rivers. Now the north east end of | | | | bar, of course this is only appropriate with a good |
| the lake has a large sand bar area just south and | | | | wind speed and direction to keep you on the sand |
| to the west it drops off to much deeper water. | | | | bar. A spinnerbait is a good choice for working in |
| Sand bars are common in most lakes and rivers, | | | | and around the sparse cover on the sand bar and |
| but for the best results the ones adjacent to | | | | you are less likely to get foulded up. I like the 1/8 |
| deep water produce great action. In most lakes, | | | | ounce size with 6 even 8 pound test line, because |
| sand bars form along shorelines and areas facing | | | | small spinnerbaits outfish the larger heavier sizes in |
| prevailing winds, that is what you have on this | | | | the fall. |
| lake. The sand bar runs for about 3 miles along | | | | The spinnerbait color is important on some days. I |
| the shore and runs out about half a mile till it | | | | have had good luck in stained water with a |
| drops off to much deeper water. | | | | chartreuse Colorado blade, jig and twister tail. |
| Sand bars are forgotten pieces of shallow | | | | When smallmouth bass are aggressive this |
| structure on which large smallmouth bass gather. | | | | combination is deadly. When the bass are less |
| In the fall big lunker bass turn from sullen sulkers | | | | energetic, lures that blend in with their |
| into voracious predetors stiking out at anything | | | | surroundings seem more acceptable. When |
| that comes into their range. The pressing urge to | | | | smallies are after crayfish in clear water, a copper |
| store energy for the long winter sends them on | | | | blade and a brown to brownish-orange grub has a |
| feading frenzies into shallow water areas they do | | | | definate edge. Silver blades with smoke coloured |
| not usually frequent during the day. They can not | | | | grubs are good when the bass are feeding on |
| wait for the right light or time of day to make | | | | minnows. Take a good variety of baits and lures |
| their move. | | | | to cover all conditions. |
| Fall smallmouth bass like to hold and feed over a | | | | Varying the retrieve of these baits will produce |
| hard smooth bottom that provides an | | | | more action, a steady retrieve back to the boat |
| unobstucted view of the surounding area. They | | | | and then a lift and drop action on the next |
| use the scattered cover on these sand bars | | | | retrieve may produce better results. Other lures |
| because it attracts schools of baitfish and small | | | | that work well on sand bar smallmouth are |
| panfish, which they prey on. I have very often | | | | medium to small crankbaits, especially long narrow |
| seen small groups of large smallmouth bass roving | | | | minnow imatators, and spinners. At the more |
| in 3 to 6 feet of open water between small | | | | heavily fished areas, a subtle twister-tail or tube |
| patches of vegetation. Smallmouth are particularly | | | | jig can pay great dividends. |
| vulnerable to angling in these open areas because | | | | Most anglers often overlook sand bars and |
| they can detect your lures and bait from long | | | | beeches because they see them as sterile |
| distances and attack viciously. When there are | | | | structures without the usual rocky profile |
| two or more bass present, the largest very often | | | | associated with smallmouth bass. Next fall, find |
| will strike first with the others in close pursuite | | | | yourself a nice sand bar with some vegetation or |
| right up to the boat. A second lure worked just | | | | other sparce cover and you could have schools |
| behind that first strike will very often give you | | | | of lunker smallmouth bass all to yourself. Just get |
| that double-header. | | | | out there, enjoy nature and go fishing. |