Strike King pro Greg Hackney describes the best fishing spots in Zone 1 for the month of September.
“In lower water conditions with warm temperatures, fish will start to move to flats with isolated cover and vegetation,” shares Hackney.
If the water is clear, Hackney prefers White. In stained water, he switches to Chartreuse White. For muddy water, Hackney will favor Black.
This is a must when chasing active fish in shallow water with a prevalence of vegetation and cover. And a powerful strike on a Strike King Mini Pro-Buzz will have you hooked on topwater action.
Hackney chooses Plum Crazy Craw when fishing in clear conditions, while Red Shad is his go-to in stained water. In muddy conditions, he opts for Junebug.
He loves utilizing the Zeus Worm to swim around cover, attracting suspended fish.
The body of the KVD Zeus Worm is sectioned, so that anglers can easily downsize to a 7-inch worm without losing any of the life-like action of the tail. It’s developed with the advanced Perfect Plastics pouring system to create vivid, strike-enticing colors and features an unmistakable tail action that mimics swimming baitfish, driving bass wild.
Hackney’s Flip-N-Tube choice for clear water is Smoke with Red & Black Flake, while he opts for Black and Blue if the water is stained. Hackney grabs Black Neon if the water is muddy.
This is another lethal lure when fish are holding near shallow vegetation. A great choice to give the fish a subtle presentation.
If the water is clear, he will throw a White Silver Tour Grade Spinnerbait, while more stained or muddy water calls for Chartreuse White.
This can be an ideal choice for covering water quickly on structure-filled flats. It can be worked through vegetation well, bounced off wood cover, and burned just beneath the surface to create a wake.
Hackney opts for the Green Gizzard Shad KVD 1.0 Squarebill in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Chartreuse Sexy Shad, while he will switch to Chartreuse Perch if the water is muddy.
Perfect for shallow water power fishing, the squarebill design and unique “hunting” action will constantly wander with erratic movement while still running true.
Strike King pro Shaw Grigsby gives anglers all the tips and tricks for landing big bites in Zone 1 during September.
“September is not so much different than typical summertime fishing, as the Fall pattern doesn’t really break until late October. With hot summertime temperatures dropping overnight, the early morning bite is what I’m typically trying to take advantage of before temps begin to climb later in the day,” begins Grigsby.
“The night bite can make for some unforgettable action this time of year. You’ll want to change your approach based on how much light you have, whether that light comes from the moon or lighted docks. On dark evenings, making noise is key. Buzzbaits, a Sexy Dawg, or swimming a Rage Toad can be killer. During moon-lit evenings, I like a dark-colored spinnerbait like the Strike King Tour Grade Night Spinnerbait. I also like a 7” Mag-Cut-R-Worm and other dark-colored soft plastics. Don’t forget about lighted docks and boat ramps! The lights attract bugs, which attract bluegill, which attract bass. I love a KVD 1.5 in these situations,” says Grigsby.
“Back to the daytime… This time of year can mean wonderful early morning and late evening bites. If loud baits aren’t triggering strikes, I immediately go to fishing something quieter like a swim jig, Thunder Cricket or spinnerbait. The spinnerbait often gets overlooked because of the emergence of bladed jigs, but sometimes the bass prefer the spinnerbait since everyone is using bladed jigs now,” advises Grigsby.
If the water is clear, Grigsby prefers Clear Water Minnow. In stained water, he switches to Bone. For muddy water, he will favor Black Lab.
“The Sexy Dawg does well at mimicking an injured baitfish. Cast it out, give it 3-5 seconds before you work the bait. Some of the biggest fish I’ve ever caught have come after the ripples have settled from the bait hitting the water. Twitch it slow. Your job each morning is to figure out what the fish want in terms of cadence. Keep changing it up until you dial in the best cadence,” says Grigsby.
Use a J300 Elite if you find schooling fish. Hit them with the Sexy Dawg when they’re on top, then follow up with the jerkbait when they go back down to deeper depths.
