Fall transition / Fall techniques

Last fall got into targeting Smallies on Lake Mille Lacs, using meat. Looking to expand a bit and use some plastics and cranks.
Anybody willing to share what they like to use in the fall?

Major League Fishing is up there now tune and watch what they are using. It is a a big drop shot lake in fall with some cranks mixed in.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Major League Fishing is up there now tune and watch what they are using. It is a a big drop shot lake in fall with some cranks mixed in.

I’ve been watching some of it. Most of them are sitting spot locked with their livescope and a drop shot. Its kind of boring to watch, to be honest. They’re fishing for big dough so they have to do whats effective, but its not how I would I would want to fish if I was out there (not in a tournament). Not to mention the electronics they’re all using with like 3 enormous screens.

Yesterday KVD was doing well on a crank bait as you had mentioned.

The water is still quite warm too. Its almost 70 degrees in many locations.

Yep, I had 69 on the south end this weekend. Just prepping for the upcoming drop in temps!

White Bear was 68 this morning. Bite was just as cold.

Caught a couple on a jig which always get’s me excited, but other than that not much happening.

empty_stringer wrote:

Last fall got into targeting Smallies on Lake Mille Lacs, using meat. Looking to expand a bit and use some plastics and cranks.
Anybody willing to share what they like to use in the fall?

On Green Bay BIG chubs and suckers(5 to 8 inch) will outfish any artificial you want to try. Just a little early yet. Water temp has to get down under 58 degrees.

It will on the pond as well. Doesn’t have to be that cold however.

Hayward trip is this weekend and I’ll be tossing an A rig around for the first time. Spend a fortune on all that tackle but if it works anywhere near as good as it seems to for smallies I’ll be thrilled. Looks like a really fun bite. I will also have a football and finesse jig, ned rig, dropshot, jerkbait, and Dark Sleeper on for this trip.

Weather looks like it’s going to be great.

Smallies were very very hungry this past weekend on the pond.

There had to be 6 foot waves out there yesterday in that wind.

Not on the west side. At least not in the morning, But ya it was breezy. Saturday afternoon was flat calm and misty.

Ok, what about LMBs? They are MOSTLY a weedline fish-do the fish really change or is it more the weedline that changes?

tim hurley wrote:

Ok, what about LMBs? They are MOSTLY a weedline fish-do the fish really change or is it more the weedline that changes?

I fished both sat and mon recently and did pretty decent. It was a little better on sat for quality fish. I was slow rolling a black spinnerbait and snapping a bluegill colored jerk bait. Water temp was 68 on sat and 66 on Monday.

They will follow the bait gradually shallower as it cools. So instead of fishing the deep weed edge you transition to weed flats and throw reaction baits through them. Cranks and jerks are really good in the fall when you start getting low 60-50s water temps. Topwater as well.