Bass, pickerel, and northern pike will follow the baitfish (food)–-so anglers should too! Whether you are fishing from the shore or from a boat, focus on the coves that are immediately adjacent to the main lake. “Fall is one of my favorite times of the year to be on the water, the fish are more active and there are fewer anglers so I have many lakes all to myself! As day length shortens, game fish are triggered to actively feed. Anglers should keep in mind that baitfish are moving from the main lake areas at this time and into the mouths of coves and then further into the backs of coves as the fall season goes on. Additionally, jigs that mimic crayfish and other small presentations such as jerkbaits and shallow diving crankbaits that imitate baitfish in shallow water are highly effective.”- Cameron Young, MassWildlife Palmer Fish Hatchery Technician and Avid Bass Angler Bass are opportunistic feeders and a large, slow moving swimbait is difficult for even the most wary fish to pass up. Popular and highly successful tactics for fall bass fishing include using large swimbaits that mimic forage such as yellow perch, bluegills, and even stocked trout. Bass feed heavily as the water temperatures drop from the 70s down to the 50s, and the fall is a phenomenal opportunity to catch the "fish of a lifetime". Fish metabolism is driven in large part by water temperature and bass will find shallow water in the fall, particularly late in the day when the water is the warmest. Bass will congregate around remaining weed beds, currents, and drop-offs where schooling baitfish are plentiful. In anticipation of a long, cold winter bass will school up and become more active, seeking out larger prey to "fatten up". “Bass fishing in Massachusetts heats up as water temperatures cool down in the fall. Largemouth bass are arguably the most popular freshwater recreational fish due to their large size, fast growth, and incredible fight. Largemouth bass are similar to smallmouth bass, however largemouth bass have larger mouths (back edge of mouth extends past the eye) and a dark, broken horizontal bar pattern on their side, while smallmouth bass have smaller mouths (mouth doesn’t extend past eye) and vertical bars. Bass can be found in most waterbodies across Massachusetts. Below are some helpful tips about how you can target bass in the fall.
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