Tips for Fall fishing at LOZ, Table Rock, and Norfork

The easiest fishing is the shallow bite in 10 ft. or less of water. The primary forage is Gizzard Shad, Blugill, and Crawfish.

Shad is the most abundent forage in highland lakes and most fishermen start with a shad colored lure. Shad color, white, black, or variations of these colors will work. Some lures to try are spinner baits, wide wobbling crankbaits, lipless cranks, top waters, and swim jigs.

Crawfish is the second food source for these lakes. They are bottom dwellers and lures such as jigs, shakey heads and texas or carolina rigged crawfish work well. Fall craw colors are muted and dull. Basic browns, blacks, watermelon, and pumpkin or variations of these colors will work. Bass tend to stay away from craws imitators with flake colors in these lakes during the fall. Trailers can match or be in the same general color family as the jig. 3-4 in. double tail trailers are the most common.

Blugill imitators are the most under used lures in highland lakes. People look around the shallows and all they see are small blugill. They often say the lake is not a good blugill lake. What happens is the bass feed heavily on mid sized blugill and they don't get a chance to grow to a large size. Definitely try blugill pattern crank baits, spinner baits, and jigs. Blugill colored swim jigs are very good also.

My secret fall color is a northern Yellow Perch pattern crank bait or swim jig. Even though there is not a Yellow Perch within 200 miles, bass love the pattern.

A technique to try on these lakes if the bite is tough: dead stick a forage colored swim jig or a lipless crank bait on the bottom around secondary points. Let it sit for at least 30 seconds. SNAP the lure off the bottom in case a bass has the lure.

If you have any questions, just ask. Lots of knowledgable folks on OFF.

 

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