Strike King pro Mark Zona explains why October is his favorite time to fish in Zone 6 and highlights a few key patterns to keep an eye out for as summer fades into fall.
“October is absolutely one of my favorite months of the year because the schools are big, and the schools are grouped together very well – there is a mix of a shallow and deep bite,” shares Zona. When fishing during this time of year, Zona is “generally looking for a little bit of sand/rock/grass mix anywhere from 0-20 feet of water.”
In response to the changing weather, bass are adjusting their feeding patterns. “[Bass] are feeding up because it’s fixing to get really bad weather wise. So how I approach this is power and finesse. I want to cover a lot of water to find a biomass of smallmouth, but the key is don't ‘squat’ until you've found them – keep moving,” advises Zona.
Zona keeps a focus on flats during fall in Zone 6. “I love combinations of cover in the fall. To me, there are two different types of flats – shallow flats 0-10 feet, and deep flats 10-20 feet,” Zona shares. “Look for shallow flats. October forage that smallmouth are targeting will be at their largest size of the year. I'm not looking for big drop-offs. Smallmouth love flat ground,” Zona continued.
Ultimately, Zona encourages anglers to keep a few vital tips in mind. “The #1 thing to keep in mind is fast presentations, big profile baits, and covering water as fast as I can to locate schools,” Zona concludes.
Zona chooses to rig the Rage Menace vertically on the hook.
If the water is clear, Zona prefers Green Pumpkin or Blue Craw with a matching trailer. In stained or muddy water, he switches to Chartreuse White or White with a Pearl trailer.
“Thunder Cricket is possibly the most overlooked, big smallmouth bait on Earth," Zona shares.
Zona rigs the Strike King Rage Bug on a 4/0 heavy wire offset hook on a ½ oz Tour Grade Tungsten Swing Head.
His choice for clear water is Green Pumpkin, while he opts for Blue Craw if the water is stained. Black and Blue is his top choice for muddy water.
He opts for the Clearwater Minnow Jerkbait 300 in clear water, and switches to Clear AYU if the water is stained. In muddy water, he uses Sugar Daddy. He throws the KVD Jerkbait 300 in 4 to 8 feet of water.
He opts for the Pro Shizzle Elite 300 Jerkbait in clear water. He will switch to a Sexy Shad 2.0 if the water is stained. Pro Gold is his first choice for muddy water. He throws the KVD Jerkbait 300 Deep in 8 to 15 feet of water.
If the water is clear, he will throw a Light Melon Purple 3.5" Coffee Tube, while more stained water calls for Green Pumpkin Purple or Dark Melon.
“I'm using a 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 to cover water quickly. I'm fishing with a fast fall presentation. I want a reaction bite. The bait is always staying close to the bottom and I'm making 1’ – 18” ‘pops,’” Zona states.
He opts for a Smokey Shad Z-Too in clear water. If the water is stained, he throws Arkansas Shiner. He throws Pearl in muddy water.
“1/0 dropshot hook. 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 oz. Covering water quickly. Three quick twitches then I reel. Faster presentation than what most drop shotters are using,” Zona explains.
Strike King pro Jay Przekurat highlights typical bass patterns in Zone 6 as fall fades into winter.
“October for Zone 6 is the time of the year the bass are in full out fall feed mode. This is their last chance to catch a big meal before they go and lay low for the winter months,” shares Przekurat.
The falling water temperatures encourage bass to migrate to deeper water. “Water temperatures will be in the 50's and upper 40's, for the most part. Near baitfish and other places that are close to deep water are where the bass will end up wintering, and those are the places that I will key in on,” says Przekurat.
One last factor to consider? Wind. “When wind is present, those can be some of best times to catch some crazy amounts of bass in October,” concludes Przekurat.
If the water is clear, Przekurat prefers Electric Shad. In stained water, he switches to Green Gizzard. For muddy water, Przekurat will favor Pearl Flash.
With a unique and exclusive tail design, Rage Swimmer provides anglers with a custom, hi grade soft bait with superior action.
Przekurat opts for Green Pumpkin in clear water conditions, and switches to Blue Craw if the water is stained. For muddy water, he will favor Bama Craw. He uses this style bait on a heavier jig or by itself on a swing head.
"Fished deeper on bigger rock piles or sand/grass areas this is a great way to fire up a bigger school of smallmouth when the water is cold," Przekurat says. "Sometimes smallmouth want a bigger presentation of a jig and this is a great bait to do just that. Dragged on the bottom is the best way to present this bait to a hungry school of smallmouth."
Przekurat’s choice for 3.25" Rage Swimmer trailers in clear water is Electric Shad, while he opts for Green Gizzard in stained water and switches to Pearl Flash in low-vis or muddy conditions.
Sporting a heavier wire for more stability, the Bladed Tour Grade Titanium Umbrella Rig has 5 willow leaf blades to add flash and attract more fish.
He opts for Green Pumpkin Purple & Gold Flake in clear water, and switches to a Light Melon Purple if the water is stained.
The coffee scent causes fish to hold onto the tube longer while masking human and plastic scents. The small tails of the 2.75" Fat Coffee Tube replicate falling baitfish/prey in the water, attracting more strikes in the fall months.
If the water is clear, he will throw Blue Glimmer, while more stained water calls for Chartreuse White.
A proven go-to bait in the fall, the ½ oz Tour Grade Spinnerbait can be fished at virtually any depth and any speed. Przekurat will let the fish dictate exactly what retrieval speed he needs to employ.
He opts for Blue Gizzard in clear water. If the water is stained or muddy, he will throw the Super White Spinnerbait.
Perfect for finicky fish, the 3/8 oz KVD Spinnerbait features a smaller Perfect Skirt® for a realistic look and smaller profile, generating more strikes.
