It’s October, and you know what that means, it’s time for my Top Four Baits of the Month! October is one of my favorite months because things are changing everywhere. The air is getting cooler, leaves are changing, vegetation is starting to die, and most importantly, the water temperature is dropping. Up north, you might already be getting into a true fall feeding pattern. Down south, you’re probably just beginning that early fall transition. But no matter where you live, one thing is happening: the bass are starting to feed! They know winter is coming, and they’re following the forage. Shad, alewife, herring, cisco, shiners and other baitfish are moving from deeper areas toward creeks, coves, pockets, shoals and shallow flats. The bass follow them like wolves! So this month, almost every bait on my list is designed around one thing, imitating baitfish and covering water. Like always, I’m giving you two baits for northern anglers and two for southern anglers.
NORTH: Bait #1 — Jerkbait
If you live in the northern half of the country, my number-one October bait is the jerkbait. A lot of anglers think jerkbaits are only for winter and early spring. Wrong! October is an awesome jerkbait month because these long, slender baits look exactly like the forage bass are chasing. A jerkbait also lets me cover a tremendous amount of water, and that’s important because both baitfish and bass are moving. I’ll start at the mouth of a creek or cove and work my way toward the back. On natural lakes, I might start on the tip of a shoal and work across it. Keep your colors natural and try to match the forage you see.
Here’s the other big key, change your retrieve based on water temperature. If the water is still in the upper 60s or low 70s, I’m fishing that Berkley Stunna Jerkbait faster and more aggressively. When temperatures drop into the low 60s or even upper 50s, I slow my cadence and add longer pauses. Let the water temperature tell you how fast those fish want it.
NORTH: Bait #2 — Berkley Power Swimmer
Once I locate fish with the jerkbait, I want something that lets me slow down and pick that area apart. That’s when I grab bait number two, a finesse swimbait. One of my favorites is the Berkley Power Swimmer, especially in the 3.3- and 3.8-inch sizes. If the forage is really small, don’t be afraid to downsize to a 2.8-inch bait. I rig the Power Swimmer on a Berkley Fusion19 jig head with a 90-degree line tie. Head size depends on depth and wind. In zero to 10 feet, I’ll usually use about 1/8 to 3/16 ounce.
When those fish are deeper, in that 10- to 20-foot range, I’ll move up to a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce head. Wind is another factor, the stronger the wind, the heavier I’ll go so I can maintain contact with the bait. This is an awesome cleanup bait. Use the jerkbait to cover water and locate the bass, then slow down with that Berkley Power Swimmer and catch the rest of the group.
SOUTH: Bait #1 — Molix Spinnerbait
For my southern anglers, bait number three is one of the greatest baitfish imitators ever created, the spinnerbait! I don’t care how many new baits come along; a double-willow spinnerbait is still one of my absolute favorites during the October transition. It’s weedless, relatively snagless, comes through wood, and those flashing willow blades look like fleeing baitfish.
The biggest tip I can give you is to match the hatch. When I’m around small threadfin shad in that 2- to 4-inch range, I like a compact Molix Muscle Ant Spinnerbait, generally around 3/8 ounce, with smaller blades. When the forage is bigger, adult threadfin, gizzard shad or blueback herring, I’ll step up to a full-size Molix Venator Spinnerbait in 1/2 or even 3/4 ounce with larger willow blades. White and silver are always great starting colors. Just like the jerkbait up north, the spinnerbait lets you keep moving. Start near the mouth of a creek, hit every target, and keep working toward the back until you find where the bait and bass are holding.
SOUTH: Bait #2 — Topwater
Last but definitely not least, October is topwater time! As baitfish move shallow, bass start looking up, and there’s nothing more exciting than watching one explode on a bait at the surface. I actually have three different topwaters I
rotate depending on conditions.
In relatively clear and calm water, I love the Berkley J-Walker. Its walk-the-dog action lets me cover water while perfectly imitating a struggling baitfish. When the water gets stained or there’s more wind and chop, I switch to a Berkley Choppo in the 90 or 105 size. That plopping action creates extra sound and disturbance that helps bass locate the bait.
Finally, around heavier cover, grass, docks and laydowns, I want something more snag-resistant, and that’s when I grab a Molix Lover Buzz SS buzzbait. I can fish it with a skirt or remove the skirt and add a soft-plastic toad for a totally different look. Guys, October is about movement, baitfish and feeding bass. Pay attention to your water temperature, follow the forage, keep moving until you locate the fish, and then slow down and pick that area apart. Try these four October baits, and I guarantee you’re going to put more bass in the boat!
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