Top Water, then what?...

[Vedo]

Been fishing around the Lexington area in West Tennessee and I have been able to get a few reactions strikes on spooks and other top water but cannot seem to get any bites on anything else. Anyone in the area have any ideas about what they are biting, or are they just being difficult with the upcoming water changes.

[31Airborne]

The short answer is baitfish.  It's about tome for that fall feed so the predator fish are keying on bait.  Recommend using your electronix to learn where the baitfish are holding.  If they're deeper spoons, drop shots, or a heavy swimbait head may be the best way to get something in front of feeding fish.  If the fish are suspending you might consider a damiki rig or a-rig.  A weightless fluke would be a great way to target fish working the shallows or holding on wood. 

I was on Cherokee 2 weeks ago and the topwater bite was killer.  My next presentation was a squarebill - they wore that out, too.  As the sun came up I switched to the jig and c-rig.  This set of patterns held up for the entire week I was there.  Everything I did, every place I stopped was based on the presence of baitfish.  If I didn't see baitfish I didn't fish it.

The transition from dead of summer to fall feeding can often be a fickle time for fish.  Recent heavy rains can have an effect, good and bad.   A little bit of time spent over your electronix can help break the code as to where the fish are holding.

[Vedo]

Thanks!! I have thrown some fluke, but I am either bank fishing or using a kayak and don't really have the use of electronics. I have been trying some shad like swim baits but they just turn there nose up at em.

[SteveHTN]

If they’re hitting topwater this time of year, that usually means the bait is fairly shallow, and they’re thinking your topwater is a wounded baitfish that rose to the surface. So you can try other shallow runners like squarebill, with some pauses on the retrieve and let it rise, which also makes it look like a wounded bait. Now, if you’re fishing Douglas, with 84 degree water on a 90 degree day in October......couldn’t tell ya. Found all kinds of bait with fish suspended underneath, and nothing short of dynamite woulda worked

[brwnbass]

Go find your nearest creek arm, or go upstream towards the river that feeds the lake. The topwater bite usually starts there. Try a buzzbait or whopper plopper. They will let you know pretty quick which one they prefer. If they are really shallow, you may have to go to a frog & throw it on the bank, then ease it in the water to avoid spooking them. The frog is a very subtle topwater bait & works good in shallow water. Like B said, if they won't bite topwater or the bite fades, the fluke is a good way to catch some more. I like to use bright colors ( chart, pink,white) so that i can see my bait on a long cast. I throw the fluke on 20lb braid with no leader, so i can get it waayy out there. I throw the frog on 30lb braid, unless its around grass. 14lb mono or 30 lb braid for the rest.

[Vedo]

Thanks guys. Had some luck with the whopper plopper and some shad like swim baits, I think they are still trying to figure out what they want to do with the temps going up and down here lately. Hoping this cold spell will get the water temps down and get them moving more

[brwnbass]

The falling water & temps should get them feeding up soon.