The last few days have got me to thinking about the transition from the summer to the fall fishing season. The cooler mornings this week are a hint of things to come. Now I know that we have almost four more weeks before fall officially begins but I am already looking ahead.

The fish of all species are still in their summer pattern and primarily in deep water but as soon as the water temperatures begin to drop in September, the fish will begin moving to shallow water where they will stay for a couple of months or more depending on the arrival of colder weather.

The fall fishing can be fantastic as the fish gorge themselves on shad before winter arrives. During the early fall, largemouth bass and other fish species like hybrid/striped bass and crappie will return to the shallows to feed on shad and fatten up before winter arrives. Fall brings a drop in air temperature and that results in a simultaneous drop in the water temperature.

My wife Wanda hasn’t started her fall ritual yet. But when she starts looking for her long-sleeved shirts; reminds me its time to switch the thermostat to heat and also suggest I call about filling up the propane tank for her gas logs, I know that fall has definitely arrived. I don’t need a calendar, she is a dead give away when fall arrives.

The drop in water temperature triggers a change in the fish’s movements and eating habits. The largemouth and other fish species will begin a migration from their deeper summertime locations to the lake’s creeks and larger coves. As the water temperature drops through the 70s and 60s, the largemouth will feed on shad that have taken up residence in large schools in the cooler oxygenated water of the creeks and large coves.

The movement occurs over several weeks but if you concentrate on locating schools of shad, those shad will let you know the location of the fish. There is no other time of the year when the presence of shad is more vital to an angler’s success in catching fish than in the fall.

Incoming creeks and small streams create high levels of oxygen and this draws the shad. The backs of the creeks and large coves will provide good water and the shad are drawn to those locations. The largemouth, crappie and hybrid/striped bass will then follow these schools of shad.

Threadfin shad are the baitfish of choice on both Oconee and Sinclair and they are the key ingredient if you are to be successful catching fish during the fall season. Find shad and you will greatly improve your chances for finding fish. The fish are looking for shad so they can gorge themselves before the onset of winter.

It does not take a drastic drop in water temperature for the fish to realize that changes are coming. Those temperature changes can begin in early September in both Lakes Oconee and Sinclair. When that occurs, it is time to get out the crankbaits and topwater plugs for largemouth and hybrid/striped bass when the shad move into the coves and creeks. Crappie anglers can begin trolling again with jigs and minnows in those same good springtime locations.

Anglers tend to believe that the largemouth bass are easier to pattern on Oconee in the fall than on Sinclair. On Oconee look for shallow water stumps, dock post and other objects where you can cast topwater offerings like a buzzbait, a Pop-R or a Devils Horse. Other choices for fall largemouth bass on Oconee include spinnerbaits, crankbaits like a Poe’s 300 or a Rat-L-Trap and jigs.

On Sinclair, anglers seeking largemouth bass should look for more open areas like flats and should also concentrate some time on the lake points. Many of those flats and points are the same locations where anglers caught largemouth during the spring transition as the largemouth moved to and from shallow bedding areas.

Look for open water areas on Sinclair that have shallow water that extends out into the lake and is surrounded by deeper water. Shad will congregate on top of those spots and when the shad move onto those places you can really catch the largemouth and hybrid/striped bass in the fall.

Crankbaits are excellent on Sinclair during the fall and lures like a Poe’s 300, Rapala Deep Little N or a Rapala DT-10 are good choices. Crankbaits are hard to beat on Sinclair when the largemouth are feeding on shad in the fall. Topwater lures are also real good during the fall on Sinclair.

The fall fishing season will begin as soon as we have a drop in water temperatures into the upper 70s and will continue until the water temperature drops into the upper 50s. Remember that the presence of threadfin shad in the area you are fishing is the key to fall angling success for largemouth bass on Lakes Oconee and Sinclair.

Large schools of shad can already be seen in the coves. You have time to watch a few early September football games before the fall fishing season really gets cranked up but it can get cranked up in a hurry. Good fishing and see you next week.