Steven Paul / Rick Clunn
November is one of the most dynamic months of the year for bass anglers. Across much of the country, the air turns crisp, fronts roll through, and bass seem to change moods by the hour. But while many anglers focus on how cold it feels outside, the real key this time of year isn’t the weather, it’s the water temperature.
Follow the Food, Not the Fish
When I talk about temperature being the key, I don’t mean it’s controlling the bass directly. What it really controls is the bait, primarily the shad. In the fall, threadfin and gizzard shad begin their annual migration toward the backs of creeks and rivers. They’re chasing nutrients. The backs of those creeks are where the most nutrient-rich water flows in, and that’s where plankton and in turn, shad concentrate.
Every living thing in the system is preparing for winter. The shad are feeding up, and so are the bass. It’s what some refer to as bass “putting on the feedbag”. The more you understand where the shad are positioning, the easier it becomes to find the bass.
Why the Creeks Matter
No matter how big or small your lake is, the major creeks and river channels bring in nutrients. As those nutrients collect in the backs of creeks, the shad gather. That’s where I start looking every fall. And when the water level begins to drop, as it often does this time of year, I key in on shallow flats and points in those same areas.
Even when a cold front moves through, those shallow flats warm up faster on sunny afternoons than adjacent water does. That can keep both bait and bass active longer than you might expect.
Reading the Signs
On Grand Lake in Oklahoma not long ago, I saw this in real time. Before a front, water temperatures were in the upper 60s to low 70s, and… Continue on Livingston Lures Bllog.
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