One common question I get from customers and acquaintances is, “What is the best fall bait?” Most times this question is geared toward walleye fishing when posed to me. It is not an easy question to answer in the fall because the best bait can vary so much from trip to trip. Some days small minnows (like larger size fatheads) on jigs is best. Some trips have night crawlers on rigs (even with 60 degree water temperatures) out producing other presentations.
It seems the hot new ticket the last couple years has been jigging spoons and rippin raps. Some fall anglers will swear by and stick to trolling crank baits.
It is always good to try new things, and there is also something to be said for fishing with what you are confident doing. Many different approaches can have their day, and some days different techniques will work, but one will work better than others.
If I had only one option, redtail chubs (jigged or rigged) in the fall would be my priority bait. The problem is, that some years (due to high or low water in the creeks and rivers) they can be difficult to obtain. Like almost all retail principals, high demand with a low supply will drive up the price. That has definitely been the case with redtails over the last few years. With the difficulty getting them, and the price point reaching limits to common sense, some other large minnow alternatives are creek chubs and sucker minnows. You can obtain the desired size and they may be more affordable.
Fish are fish. They are like most animals, they have some preferences, but when hungry, will eat what’s available, especially if it is convenient. We may prefer certain cuts of beef, that doesn’t mean we won’t eat chicken, or for that matter, a bologna sandwich if we are really hungry!
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On a recent trip, several walleyes I cleaned that were caught in the same location had different foods in their bellies. A couple had small perch minnows, a couple had crayfish and some small minnows, and one was full of some type of larva. They all still had a craving for the medium sized sucker minnows we were offering up, even though they were already full.
Sometimes it is not just about the right bait, sometimes it is about the right location, sometimes it is about the right time (peak feeding), and sometimes it is about something triggering the bite when they otherwise aren’t really in a feeding mood. Cracking the code is part of the fun of the experience of fishing. Don’t let anybody fool you into thinking they got it all figured out all the time. Nobody does. Some days it comes easy, some days are more challenging.
When it comes to the fall, for almost all species of fish, minnows or minnow imitators do seem to rule the buffet choice. For walleyes and smallmouth, jigs and rigs work best. For largemouth, the big minnows on the jig can produce big fall fish. Northern pike (the biggest in the system), and musky, love the monster sucker minnows. They are most efficient fished with quick stick type rigs under big bobbers.
When it comes to the fall, you always stand a chance of getting a trophy fish. History of angler experiences proven this to be true. Fish also move and change location in the turbulent fall weather, and it can also be a frustrating time on the water when it comes to catching fish.
It is important to keep present that fishing is more than just catching fish. It is shared time with friends and family. It is enjoying the nature and weather. A wise veteran angler, mentor, and friend once told me (when I told him we could catch more fish doing something else) that he wasn’t as interested in catching more, he was interested in catching them the way he enjoys fishing the most. I didn’t get it then as much as I do now.
(Laabs runs Brad Laabs’ Guide Service in Detroit Lakes.)
