It’s time for my Top Four Baits of the Month! September is one of those crazy transition months where fishing can be totally different depending on where you live. If you’re up north, those first cooler nights can already have the water temperature dropping and bass starting their move toward fall patterns. Down south, it might still be hot, humid, and basically feel like August. That’s why you have to stay on your toes in September! A couple weeks of hot weather can keep bass locked into summer patterns, but a stretch of cool nights can change things fast. Like we’ve done all year, I’m breaking this down into two baits for northern anglers and two baits for southern anglers. Pay attention to your water temperature, watch what the forage is doing, and let the conditions tell you which bait to pick up.
NORTH: Bait #1 — Drop Shot
My number one September bait for the northern half of the country is the drop shot. This is a carryover from August, but it continues to catch fish as summer starts fading away. What I love about the drop shot is that your bait stays suspended horizontally off the bottom, dancing naturally like the minnows and other forage bass are feeding on. If the water is clear, the fishing is tough, or I’m targeting smallmouth, I’m going with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm. I like the 3- and 4-inch sizes in simple natural colors like green pumpkin, black, pearl, and natural shad patterns. I’ll nose-hook the Flat Worm on a drop-shot-style hook to give it maximum movement.
If I’m around largemouth, dirtier water, weeds, brush piles, or deep docks, I switch to a Berkley Bottom Hopper, especially the 6-inch version, and Texas rig it on a small straight-shank hook.
My basic September drop-shot setup:
- Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm for clear water, tough bites and smallmouth
- Berkley Bottom Hopper for largemouth and heavier cover
- 1/8- to 1/4-ounce drop-shot weight depending on depth
- Green pumpkin, watermelon seed, black, Ike’s Morning Dawn, and natural shad colors
NORTH: Bait #2 — Spinnerbait
When those cool September nights start dropping the water temperature, bait number two becomes a major player, the spinnerbait. Guys, I’ve caught more bass on a spinnerbait starting in September than almost any other time of the year. As the water cools, forage starts moving. Shad, perch, alewife, herring, cisco, whatever the bass are feeding on begins to transition, and the bass follow it.
That means I need something that lets me cover water and find those moving fish. My favorite setup is a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce Molix Double Willow Spinnerbait. Those willow blades give you flash, vibration, and the profile of little baitfish, while letting you fish quickly. Cover flats, points, grass edges, pockets, and anywhere you see baitfish activity. The big lesson here is don’t keep fishing where the bass were. When those temperatures start dropping, the bass can move quickly. Pick up that spinnerbait, put the trolling motor down, and go find them!
SOUTH: Bait #1 — Football Jig
Now let’s head south. If September still feels like August where you live, those bass are probably still holding in their summertime locations. That’s when I want bait number three—a football jig. In September, there are still plenty of bass living offshore on river ledges, main-lake points, channel swings, and deeper hard-bottom areas. I want a bait that I can keep in contact with the bottom and just crawl and crash through that stuff. For largemouth and bigger fish, I’ll use a traditional 1/2-, 3/4-, or even 1-ounce football jig paired with a craw or double-tail grub trailer.
But here’s a sleeper: when the water is super clear, the fish are pressured, or I’m targeting spotted bass, I downsize to the Missile Jigs Micro Football Jig, available in finesse and HD versions. That little compact profile can be deadly, especially on spotted bass lakes. Pair it with a small craw, double-tail grub, or even a Ned-style trailer.
Remember the football jig rule:
- Full-size jig for largemouth, bigger bass, and stained water
- Missile Jigs Micro Football Jig for clear water, pressured fish, and spotted bass
- Keep it on the bottom and crawl, drag, and crash it through cover
SOUTH: Bait #2 — Swimbait
Last but not least is my favorite September big-fish bait, the swimbait! Guys, think about what has happened to the forage since spring. All those little shad, bluegill, and other baitfish have spent June, July, and August growing. By September, there’s a lot of bigger forage swimming around, and those bass know it! I generally like swimbaits from 5 to 8 inches, but 6 inches is my sweet spot. When I’m covering open water, flats, and non-specific cover, I love the 6-inch Berkley CullShad. Its boot tail creates body roll and tail action, so I can cast it out, reel it back, and cover a tremendous amount of water.
But around specific targets—deep docks, laydowns, bluff banks, or isolated stumps—I’m going with the 6-inch Berkley PowerBait Chop Block. That single-jointed design lets me chop the bait side to side and keep it around the strike zone longer. Both are soft-plastic baits, so I can even add nail weights when I need to get them deeper. Remember this one: September starts with an S, and swimbait starts with an S! Whether your fish are still holding onto summer or already making that first move toward fall, these four baits will help you adjust, find the fish, and put more bass in the boat!
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