Fishing in September: What's Biting
The species with the strongest bite in September across the lakes in our guide, how to fish each one and where to go.
Largemouth Bass
Cooling water to the 60s sends bass chasing shad up creek arms, often in 3-15 ft. Fast baits like spinnerbaits, squarebills and topwaters let you cover water until you find the schools. As water nears 50F they drift to deeper points and bluffs.
Try: Plastic worms (Texas, wacky, Carolina), Jigs with craw trailers, Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.
Smallmouth Bass
As water falls through the 60s they feed heavily on crawfish and baitfish around rocky points and mid-depth flats of 8-25 ft. Jerkbaits, swimbaits, and crawfish-colored crankbaits are a good starting point.
Try: Tube jigs, Drop-shot with small minnow plastics, Ned rig.
Muskellunge
Fall is the best season: at 50-60F, big fish feed heavily on weed edges and points in 6-20 ft. Large jerkbaits, bucktails and live suckers produce. Midday is also productive.
Try: Large bucktails, Glide baits, Jerkbaits.
White Bass / Wiper / Striped Bass
Fall is prime. Schools push shad into coves and the surface, in water of 55-70F. Run-and-gun with swimbaits, spoons, and topwaters.
Try: White jigs and curly tails, Spoons and slabs, Inline spinners.
Full White Bass / Wiper / Striped Bass guide →
Walleye
Falling water in the 50s and 60s brings them toward shallower rock, bait-rich flats and creek mouths at 8-25 ft. Jig and minnow, swimbaits and crankbaits do the job. Evening is best.
Try: Jig with minnow, Nightcrawler harness on a bottom bouncer, Crankbaits.
Rainbow / Brown Trout
As water cools to 50-55F, trout head to shallower water and river mouths. Browns spawn in fall; rainbows follow bait. Spinners and minnow baits are great.
Try: Small spoons, Inline spinners, PowerBait.