Strike King pro Mark Rose advises anglers of typical water patterns for Zone 4 in the month of September.
“Water temperatures are still warm early September; however, we’ll usually start getting some cooler nights starting mid-September,” shares Rose. When fishing top water, the shift in temperature can often be beneficial. “The cooler water temperatures create some good early morning and late evening top water bites,” says Rose. Keep an eye on the radar when fishing in Zone 4 because “water clarity varies based on summer rains,” Rose offers.
As late-September approaches in Zone 4, there are some other changes anglers can expect. “Some lakes will start to see water levels fall as the winter drawdowns begin in late-September,” Rose concludes.
If the water is clear, Rose prefers Black Lab. In stained water, he switches to Green Gizzard Shad. For muddy water, Rose will favor Chartreuse Sexy Shad.
The Sexy Dawg was designed to be an easy to work, far casting, premium “walk-the-dog” topwater lure with great action.
A top choice for Rose in clear water is Blue Craw, while he opts for White if the water is stained. In low-vis or muddy water, Rose picks up Black Blue.
The Strike King Tour Grade Swim Jig design is perfect for moving through cover, emulating a swimming bait fish or darting crawfish. Rose keeps his rod tip low to keep the bait near cover, letting the fish determine retrieval speed.
Rose opts for Green Pumpkin Tour Grade Football Jig in clear and stained water. In muddy water, he picks up Junebug.
This fantastic jig head is great around rock cover and excels in deeper water for fish that will not chase a fast-moving bait. The football head design helps the bait stand up.
If the water is clear, Rose will throw Green Gizzard Shad, while more stained water calls for Wicked Firetiger. When the water is muddy, Rose grabs Chartreuse Blue Black Splatterback.
The Pro Model Series 3 is a proven crankbait in the 6 to 8 foot range, depending on how light the line is.
Rose opts for Blue Glimmer in clear water. If the water is stained or muddy, he will throw White/Silver.
The Tour Grade Spinnerbait features a hand-tied skirt and a double willow leaf blade for maximum disturbance in the water.
