The Fall Crawl
An easy method for catching big bass
By Wayne Ek
The author with a nice late fall largemouth, that fell for the fall crawl. |
Crawling a jig or tube across the bottom during the annual fall frog
migration is probably one of the easiest and most productive patterns
for catching big fall bass. There is a problem, however. The window
of opportunity to exploit this pattern is very small. Here in central
Minnesota we will usually see the frog migration start in late September.
By early November this pattern is pretty much over.
The Pattern:
This pattern has been
around for ages; I think it just gets overlooked. The pattern starts
around the same time hunting season opens and after a hard summer of
fishing a lot of anglers just don’t have the
time or energy to fish and hunt. Also, around this time of year the
weather can get rather cold and nasty, so fishing under those conditions
just doesn’t sound fun. But once the frog migration starts, the
pattern holds no matter what the weather. First, let’s do away
with an “ old wives tale”. Aquatic frogs, like the leopard
frog, mink frog and American bullfrog, do not burrow into the mud on
the bottom of the lake during the winter. Nor do they hibernate all
winter. They do estivate during the winter, which means they are in
a dormant state, very lethargic and sluggish. These frogs will settle
on the lake bottom. They may lay behind brush, rocks or submergent
vegetation or may even be partially covered by silt. Because they absorb
oxygen through their skin they cannot be completely covered by mud.
It’s thought that during the winter they may even crawl or slowly
swim around at times. These frogs need two things to survive the winter,
they have to be in oxygen rich water, and need to be in deep enough
water so they do not get ice bound.
The Location:
Because this pattern
is based on frogs, you would think that the best fishing locations
would be in marshy, shallow water areas. I’ve
found that not to be true. I have my best luck in water that is 5
to 10 feet deep and has a hard or semi-hard bottom, like sand, pea
gravel or marl. Some of my best locations have nothing to do with
marshy areas, but are rocky shorelines bordered by heavily forested
areas.I’ve
also found a couple of areas that have homes lining the shoreline
with manicured lawns, but behind the homes are large marshy areas
and the shoreline is a sand/gravel mixture.
The Equipment:
Fall bass have the potential
of being the largest bass you will catch all year. They have been feeding
strong since late August to put on weight for the hard water period.
I like to use the same rod that I do some of my pitching and flipping
with. This is a Quantum PT (PTC666F). It’s a 6’6” medium
heavy with a fast taper. I use the Quantum Energy PT reel (E750PT)
with a lower gear ratio (5.1:1) for a little more power.
For line I use a quality fluorocarbon. Normally on a pitching/flipping
stick I would be using a braided line in the 50-pound class, but for
this pattern you are fishing open water, light submergent vegetation
or no vegetation. Also, this pattern extends into the post lake turnover
period, so the water can be extremely clear. So a good quality fluorocarbon
line in the 14 to 17 pound class works great. For lures I’ve
had my best results with just two types. My first choice is a ½ oz.
Strike King Premier Pro-Model jig in blue/black with a 3X electric
blue trailer or green pumpkin jig with a 3X watermelon trailer. And
my second choice is a 4.5 or 5-inch green pumpkin tube, Texas-rigged
with a ½ oz. tungsten weight.
The Presentation:
The fall crawl
is so easy and simple that most people I take out don’t
believe me at first. All you have to do is cast out and let the bait
settle to the bottom. Now put your rod tip in the water and point your
rod at the bait. Ok, this is the hard part for most experienced anglers,
don’t move the rod. No shaking, hopping, jigging, doodling… nothing
at all. Just turn the reel handle a couple of times very slowly and
stop. Don’t move the bait with the rod; just very slowly turn
the reel handle. You’re just crawling the bait ever so slowly
across the bottom. You would think that with the water so cold and
the bait moving so slowly across the bottom that the bite would be
light or soft. Nope, the bite is savage. They just crush the bait and
run, so hang onto the rod.
If you get a chance this fall try this pattern,
even if you have to fish in weather better suited for duck hunting.
I think you will be surprised at the quantity and quality of bass
you can catch this time of year. This is truly a muti-species pattern,
as I catch walleyes and northern pike right along with the bass.
Have a safe fall and we hope to see you on the water.
The author, Wayne
Ek is a fishing guide, writer and tournament angler from Alexandria
Minnesota. For more information you can reach Wayne at www.agapefishingguides.com
