Fall Pattern ?

[Billfo]

I have not had the time to spend on the lake much yet. Still have only found VERY small bass - UNDER 12", I know I am fishing too shallow (midwest dirty lake habits are hard to break- I still find myself pitching in 3 feet of water).

Have the fall patterns started yet ? I will be back on Indian Creek in 2 weeks. What pattern is currently working for Bass ? Thanks for sharing.

[Tfsh4bass]

I didn't know there was such a thing as "too shallow"

I fished Fri (Baxter), Sun (Mill Creek) and today (Aunts Creek) pretty much 7am to 2pm each day and caught them pretty good. I caught most burning a spinnerbait but also caught some on square bill, swim bait and topwater. Best pattern for me since the water came up a few weeks back has been flatter banks with bushes in the water that are close to changes or deeper water...mostly main lake stuff but I caught some in creeks on Sunday. It has been work to get them to bite as I probably saw more than I caught but I still caught 8-11 keepers each day plus some shorts. They are starting to pack up a bit and every fish I caught usually had 3-4 with him...just had to cover water and find the packs.

[Billfo]

That sounds good. Thanks alot. I will try that.. I am bound to get on them eventually.. I would plan on using white & silver 3/8 spinnerbaits . Would this be a good choice ?

I didn't know there was such a thing as "too shallow"

I fished Fri (Baxter), Sun (Mill Creek) and today (Aunts Creek) pretty much 7am to 2pm each day and caught them pretty good. I caught most burning a spinnerbait but also caught some on square bill, swim bait and topwater. Best pattern for me since the water came up a few weeks back has been flatter banks with bushes in the water that are close to changes or deeper water...mostly main lake stuff but I caught some in creeks on Sunday. It has been work to get them to bite as I probably saw more than I caught but I still caught 8-11 keepers each day plus some shorts. They are starting to pack up a bit and every fish I caught usually had 3-4 with him...just had to cover water and find the packs.

[Stump bumper]

My personal experince is if you have lots of wind and/or dark run off and muddy water spinnerbaits are great. But for the other times (most of the time) that cranks will out produce the spinnerbait bite up shallow. I have been throwing some very small H2O crankbaits latley that has had some very good results.

The spinnerbait is a lot more versitle when getting deeper though.

If you are flipping jigs you may want to down size a little, I have noticed that when people come from OK and start throwing jigs they are very big jigs and they target visable cover in a foot of water. I use a small round head finnesse jig and cover the bottom just like a crankbait. If you see boats two or three cast from shore around a point, they are probally throwing jigs along that point.

Tuesday in the wind I had 30 fish right of the gravel but Wendsday with dead slick I didn't catch one fish less than 15ft deep, even though I saw some hunter packs chasing shad on the bank.

[Billfo]

Thanks for the info.. I have a couple of gravel points closeby I should experiment with. Shallow gravel flat comes out about 20 feet- then drops off to about +25'-30'.. Perhaps I should work the top edge of the gravel drop off and the drop off itself all the way to the bottom. I should be able to try with a crankbait scraping the bottom and try hopping a jig and also burning a spinnerbait. I bet they are there......they are bound to tell me what they like !

I ASSOCIATE GRAVEL WITH SMALLMOUTH. (these may or may not be specificly sm at Table Rock). Cant wait to find out.

My personal experince is if you have lots of wind and/or dark run off and muddy water spinnerbaits are great. But for the other times (most of the time) that cranks will out produce the spinnerbait bite up shallow. I have been throwing some very small H2O crankbaits latley that has had some very good results.

The spinnerbait is a lot more versitle when getting deeper though.

If you are flipping jigs you may want to down size a little, I have noticed that when people come from OK and start throwing jigs they are very big jigs and they target visable cover in a foot of water. I use a small round head finnesse jig and cover the bottom just like a crankbait. If you see boats two or three cast from shore around a point, they are probally throwing jigs along that point.

Tuesday in the wind I had 30 fish right of the gravel but Wendsday with dead slick I didn't catch one fish less than 15ft deep, even though I saw some hunter packs chasing shad on the bank.

[Sore Thumbs]

I fished around Eagle Rock and Owl Creek area about a week and a half ago. I did well as far as numbers go but no big fish. You could have caught Kentuckys all day on a Fluke or a Topwater rig. I think the big ones are still deep. They will be up very soon.

[Billfo]

Sounds like many people DO catch fish on this lake.. I will just have to pay attention to the patterns & learn how to fish all over again (not that I was any good in the first place..LOL) Fishing a body of water this big & this clear & deep is VERY intimidating. I will be there the week of the 11th.. I THINK the big'ns may start to come up shallower for their feeding binge.. Maybe too soon, I will try lots of things.. I will have plenty of time to fish. IF ya see my boat near Baxter stop & say hi !

I fished around Eagle Rock and Owl Creek area about a week and a half ago. I did well as far as numbers go but no big fish. You could have caught Kentuckys all day on a Fluke or a Topwater rig. I think the big ones are still deep. They will be up very soon.

[motoman]

Bill,

-

Lots of great info everyone posted; so I have little to add. But, not sure if you have them on your boat yet or not? The OAF stickers are a great way for us members to see each other at a distance on the water. I've got 'em high on my outboard cover, nice and visible! :-)

-

They're inexpensive, small enough to not be gaudy, but visible enough to be seen at a distance. Phil ships 'em out quick too.

-

http://lilleystacklestore.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16939&cat=0&page=1

-

And Tfsh4bass, you have IM.;-)