It’s October, and that means fall fishing is kicking in all over the country. The leaves are changing, pumpkins are out, Halloween is around the corner, and those bass are making big moves. Now listen, fall doesn’t look the same everywhere. If you live north of Virginia, you’re already in full fall mode. If you’re south of Virginia, you’re just easing into it. But no matter where you live, the number one thing in October is baitfish. Shad, herring, alewife, cisco, shiners, minnows are what the bass are chasing. I’m giving you my top four baits for the month, broken down by North and South so you can dial it in where you fish.
Northern States (Virginia Line and Above)
Bait #1: Soft Plastic Fluke-Style Minnow
Up north, places like New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Minnesota, fall is in full swing by October. The water temps are dropping fast, the leaves are coming down, and the baitfish are moving shallow. My number one bait for October in the North is a fluke-style soft plastic jerkbait. I love the 5-inch Berkley Power Jerk Shad, but any 3- to 5-inch minnow-style fluke works great.
The action is erratic and looks exactly like a dying shad or baitfish. I fish it two different ways depending on fish depth:
- Shallow or schooling fish: Weightless Texas rig on a 4/0 or 5/0 EWG hook.
- Deeper fish: Same bait on a jighead with a 90-degree line tie to keep it horizontal.
Color is easy—stick with baitfish shades: white, pearl, silver, or a little blue or purple.
Bait #2: Small-Bodied Crankbaits
Bait number two for the North is a smaller profile crankbait. Not the big, fat crankbaits—go compact to match young-of-the-year forage. All that shad and minnow spawn from the spring is only one to two inches long by fall, and the bass are keying in on that size.
Two killer models I throw:
- Berkley SquareBull 3.5 – runs 4 to 5 feet
- Berkley Money Badger 4 – runs 8 to 10 feet
These little plugs get way more bites than full-size bodies in October. Throw them around flats, pockets, creek arms, or anywhere you see bait flickering. Stick with natural colors: silver, shad, white, or translucent.
Southern States (Below the Virginia Line)
Now let’s talk about the South—Carolinas, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Southern California. You’re still in fall, but it’s happening a little slower. The bait is starting to move shallow, grass is still alive, and fish are following the forage.
Bait #3: Compact Spinnerbait
Spinnerbait time, baby! If there’s one bait that’s caught me fish for 30-plus years in October down south, it’s a compact spinnerbait. I’m not talking tiny weights—I’m talking smaller frames in 3/8 or 1/2 oz.
One of my favorites is the Molix Water Slash. It’s got that downsized profile that matches the small shad they’re eating. Here’s how I set it up:
- Blades: Double willows about 75% of the time
- Colors: White, pearl, silver with silver or white blades
- Dirty water? Switch to Colorado blades for more thump
Throw it around grass lines, creek channels, docks, or anywhere you see bait.
Bait #4: Compact Swim Jig
This one surprises people, but the swim jig is a hammer in October, especially down south. As that baitfish pushes shallow and into cover—hydrilla, milfoil, pads, cypress, brush—you need something weedless that still looks like food.
I like a compact model like the Missile Mini Swim in 5/16 or 3/8 oz. Again—bait colors only: white, bone, pearl.
Your trailer decides how it runs:
- Want it high over grass or wood? Use a craw-style trailer with kicking arms for lift.
- Want it deeper on edges or points? Use a boot-tail swimbait trailer to keep it down.
That combo is deadly around grass mats, wood, or thick cover where crankbaits and jigheads can’t go.
So there you have it, my top four baits for the month of October: a fluke-style soft jerkbait, a small crankbait, a compact spinnerbait, and a mini swim jig. Fall fishing is about to explode, and these four lures will help you catch more bass no matter where you live. Good luck!
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