Early fall is popular time for anglers because almost every kind of lure presentation works. That being said, the technique I have the most fun during this period with is throwing wakebaits.
When "pumpkin spice" flavored coffee ads start popping up (for the record, I only drink black coffee--no sugar, no cream), I start pulling out my wakebaits. I sharpen and/or replace hooks, split rings and start imagining the heart-stopping strikes of a bass slamming a wakebait.
There are plenty of articles on how to work a wakebait out there, so I won't be covering the basics. In this article, I'm going to share how I get strikes at high-pressured local regional park ponds. I found this technique by accident when I was trying out an expensive balsa squarebill that I ordered for the first time. It looked great and was advertised to dive 3 to 4ft, but the one I got actually only dove like three inches below the surface. It was obvious that it wasn't weighted right; I paid good money for a defect. I remember being ticked off and frustrated while I repeatedly cranked it faster and jerked my rod to try to get it to run at least a foot deep. And, that's when the magic happened--a huge blow up that sent my lure sailing through the air. I didn't hook the fish, but it got my gears in my head turning.
The method to the madness: You need to make the bass feel left out
What I mean by that is that you need to create a scene where it looks like your wakebait is "feeding" on small bait fish. This is almost the same concept as using a topwater prop bait. The difference is that with a prop bait the strikes usually come during the pause, but with wakebaits, it's more of an "ambush strike" out of nowhere while the bait is moving, which makes the hit so aggressive and exciting. I visualize the bass being drawn to a feeding commotion and striking out of the reaction of missing out on an easy meal of an unsuspecting fish that is preoccupied with feeding on small surface forage. Triggering that reaction strike is what this technique is all about.
Fishing wakebaits like a jerkbait is the simplest way to describe the technique. To be more specific, it's more like fishing a LC Staysee than a LC Pointer; that is, I tend to use more of a pumping action verses twitches to get a downward diagonal slashing action. And, instead of adding a pause like with a prop bait, I incorporate a wake on the surface in my retrieve. To break it down further, two-thirds of the time during my retrieve the bait is actually under the surface and one-third of the time the bait is waking on the surface. And, the speed of the retrieve is about the same as a typical buzzbait retrieve or a tad faster.
Where to fish wakebaits: Two places--one for action, one for big bass
Submerged "deep grass" for action
You have to find areas with submerged grass that you can't actually see. This is KEY! Try to remember back during the earlier months where you ran into patches of grass while cranking the bottom. Those areas with "deep grass" are what you want to target. If you don't remember any spots, a good place to try is around the aerators you often find at small ponds.
Areas where shallow meets deep for big bass
At this location, you might not get much action, but it's your best shot if you're targeting big fish. Areas with steep drops near the shallows are likely places where the bigger fish just sit, hide out and wait for the schools of small fish that roam around the pond in the shallows. I've witnessed on several occasions two or three big bass suddenly appear out of deep areas and corner a school of fish by the bank and violently feed. So be prepared when your bait is near the bank. Thinking back as I write this, most of the big bass I've caught on wakebaits have been "Oh $h1t!"moments right by bank.
When to fish: Late afternoon until it gets dark
Your best chance is when the fish are transitioning from their "day spots" to "night spots." I've found that about an hour after the sun goes down (when it's dark but not too dark) is probably the best window of time for wakebaits. It gets harder, but not impossible, the later it gets.
Gear: Basic crankbait set up will do just fine
What I use:
Rod: Medium-light composite
Line: 15 pound braid
Reel: 5.1:1
Lures: Personal preference
I remember Mann's Baby 1-Minus being popular back in the day as well as the Footloose by Bandit. There was a time where I even used squarebills as wakebaits, but over the years, I realized that there is a time and place where certain lure designs just work better than others. My current go-to is the Fat Mini SR by Lucky Craft. It actually feels a lot like a squarebill, but has all the wakebait actions--including a seductive rattle--that simply get the job done. It's the ultimate lure for the aforementioned wakebaiting technique.
Before the weather starts to cool off completely, I suggest meeting a fishing buddy after work at a local pond and bust out the wakebaits. In my opinion, it's the funnest way to catch bass while the weather is still warm.
Thanks for reading!
