November Surprise: Adapting Tactics for Unseasonable Bass Fishing

The air was thick and muggy, a stark contrast to the usual crisp November chill. A persistent drizzle hung in the air, and there weren't any other human beings outside at the neighborhood pond. With the temperature hovering around a balmy 70 degrees I tried to take advantage of the day if the bass were active. My thoughts were to start with moving baits and then move onto finesse if they aren't aggressive.

I started off with a Square Bill Crankbait in a sexy shad pattern. I really did not have luck here.  I only caught one bass after fan casting for some time. So I think the bass were not "lit up" and aggressive.  I then moved onto throwing a jig. I learning a little trick for November from Randy Blaukat that you can find here.  The key here is he reduces the profile of the jig by trimming the skirt and also the trailer length.  He said this might work for those tough fall fishing days and he was right!  Thank you for the tip Randy. I was able to catch a few bass on this modified jig set up.

I also picked up a Zoom Fluke in the Houdini pattern. The Fluke definitely proved to be the day's hero. I caught most of my fish on this bait. I cast it into the wind and let it float towards the bank with a couple of twitches from time to time. The occasional twitching in my mind mimics a wounded baitfish. The strikes were NOT ferocious on this day. The bass were more subtle in terms of picking up the bait. I would feel a small tug or see the line tighten.

As the day drew to a close, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The overcast skies, the persistent drizzle, and the unseasonably warm temperatures had presented a unique challenge. But by understanding the fish's behavior and adapting my tactics accordingly, I had managed to catch 5-6 bass on this day. It felt good to find the pattern, as it always does!  Tight lines to you all!