It’s a common occurrence throughout the country — bass follow shad into the shallows for a feeding frenzy in the early fall. Casey Scanlon explains how to capitalize on this summer to fall transition with a mix of topwater lures and a pitching tube. This exciting bite happens in just a few feet of water, targeting isolated cover like docks, woody cover, and grass clumps. Scanlon establishes a solid pattern by covering water efficiently with a buzzbait and plopper-style bait and catches some quality fish.
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BUZZBAIT SETUP
PLOPPER TOPWATER SETUP
TARGETING SHALLOW WATER COVER
Shallow boat docks and grass clumps act as prime ambush points for bass, especially as they begin their fall transition. Scanlon emphasizes the importance of isolated cover, explaining how bass often hold near single pieces of grass, wood, or boat docks. Don’t pass on a good-looking piece of cover without making multiple casts to it. The first cast often gets their attention, while the second or third cast or pitch triggers the bite.
ADAPTING TO CHANGING CONDITIONS
As the day progresses, Scanlon switches tactics, using a jig or Texas rig to target bass hiding around boat docks and laydowns. He adapts to the changing light by choosing a slower, Texas-rigged tube to penetrate the cover. For Scanlon, a tube has a realistic shad-imitating profile while its streamlined shape snakes through the branches of brush with minimal hang-ups.
BEST BAITS FOR SHALLOW WATER BASS
For Scanlon, the best topwater lures for skinny-water fall transition bass are a buzzbait and plopper-style topwater bait. He starts the day with a buzzbait and toad combination to cover water and target the most active fish around cover. Similarly, he reaches for a plopper-style bait to cover large flats. The plopper’s aggressive sound and vibration can draw bass from a distance, making them excellent search lures. Scanlon then covers his go-to rod setups for each presentation
BOAT SETUP
