Top 3 Lures For Fall Inshore Saltwater Fishing
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
Below are the TOP 3 lures for fall fishing!!!
This is the time of year to kick it into high gear and hunt predatory fish.
Summer is winding down and the fish are ACTIVE.
Take a look!!
Lures For Fall Fishing [VIDEO]
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Equipment Mentioned:
- Moonwalker Topwater Lure
- Slam Shady BOMBER
- Alabama Leprechaun Jerk Shad
- Hoss Helix Hooks
- Hoss Football Jigheads
Water temperatures are dropping which means the fish are actively feeding throughout most of the day.
The fish are now feeding after the sun has risen to its highest point.
Simultaneously, we’re seeing the final migration of the finfish as well as the final shrimp hatch of the summer.
In the summertime, we typically fish near inlets, bigger bodies of water, and wind-driven shorelines.
The fall moves those fish closer to the creek mouths.
You need to make sure you are fishing near bait during this time of the year.
1. Topwater Lures
As I just mentioned, the final migration of finfish and baitfish is moving in during this time.
Once the water temperature drops really cold, those fish will stop reproducing and get flushed out.
This is one of the last chances for predatory fish to gorge themselves on finfish before the winter.
Topwater lures fit the bill and are one of the best search baits out there.
The Salt Strong Moonwalker is a walk-the-dog style topwater lure designed to call fish in and strike.
Another topwater lure that I really love to use in the wintertime, especially on those rough days, is the Rapala Skitter V.
The Skitter V is a bit larger and makes more commotion out on the water which is ideal for rough conditions.
2. Large Paddletails & Swimbaits
Large paddletails perfectly imitate baitfish moving in and out of the target area.
Once the topwater bite dies down, you will want to switch over to a subsurface lure like a paddletail.
There are two ways I find it best to rig these lures.
The first of which is on a rigging hook like our Hoss Helix Hooks.
Another way you can rig these lures is on an open-face jighead.
Our Hoss Football Jigheads are perfect for this and they do an excellent job of avoiding snags due to the football shape.
Open jigheads are best used in the deeper water of 3 feet deep or more.
Rigging hooks perform best in 2.5 feet of water or less or if you are fishing around lots of weeds or structure.
The Hoss Helix Hooks are equipped with a spiral that twists into the plastic of the lure to keep hold of it and secure the lure to the hook.
Our Hoss Football Jigheads have two barbs to help secure the soft plastic to the hook shank.
Additionally, you would want to fish with an open jighead over a weedless hook to increase the hook-up ratio.
If you’re able to use an open jighead without getting hung up or snagged on structure, then that is what you should use.
If the grass or weeds are too much, then switch over to a weedless presentation.
I typically like to use the larger paddletails when the wind is up and there is some chop.
Larger paddletails displace more water and cause lots of commotion.
However, that might just be too much commotion in shallow water.
3. Large Jerk Shads
We have jerk shads in a few different colors but the lure profile itself does an excellent job of mimicking shrimp behaviors or an injured baitfish.
I personally rig the jerk shads on Hoss Helix Hooks because I fish these in super shallow water most of the time.
First, throw the jerk shad out there and let it sink to the bottom.
Then give your rod tip a couple of quick twitches and pause.
Let the lure sink back down to the bottom and repeat this process.
The objective is to cause your lure to appear like a shrimp fleeing from predators.
To imitate injured baitfish, you would work this lure just as you would a topwater lure.
Because this is a subsurface lure, it will dart back and forth with your retrieve but under the surface of the water.
Conclusion
THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR!!!
The fish are hungry and looking to beef up in time for the winter.
Do you have a lure that you’d add to this list???
Let me know in the comments section!!
If you know someone who wants to learn more about the best lures for fall fishing, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Thanks for info about to leave landlocked Alabama next month for a great weekend ( 3 days) of fishing at middle Fla hope to catch “em” all
Pat, great advice! I’m wondering though, you mentioned the bite is good all day, and it’s not necessary to get up and be there before sunrise. Is that morning bite still good though? No boat, shorebound. If I don’t get out there to some of the best spots by 530am, they’ll all be taken. That eart still good for the bite with these cooler morning temps?
Thanks Pat, great tips. Looking forward to trying them out on the water here in Jacksonville.
Great Info Pat thank you.
Thank you for the info. We visit the Outer Banks every summer and these tips will increase my chances alot.
Dude! Killer info and awesome video! Great work Pat!
Thanks Buddy!
Thank you for providing the written synopsis as well. I don’t have alot of free time and can read these much faster than watching a video and often have internet connectivity issues depending on my location. Videos are a great tool but this old school guy would rather read. I usually pass over the reports that are video only unless I am trying to drown out my wife.
Thanks for the feedback! Glad you were able to enjoy it either way. Appreciate you reading the post!
Thanks Pat, I can’t wait to try the walk the dog subsurface with a jerk shad. Thanks.
When the topwater bite slows down but the fish are still feeding, it can be killer. Let me know how it goes!
Great video Pat good presentation, hopefully I’ll get to go this weekend.went down last weekend but had a little storm damage to take care of so I can fish and this video has really got me ready for some fall fishing thanks
Hope it’s an easy fix for you! Thanks for watching!
What’s the difference in the hoss helix and the owner setup!
The Hoss Helix is made with a wider gap hook so there’s more room for the plastic bait to slide down when a fish bites. You should be able to get a better hook set that way. Other than that they’re pretty much the same.
Thanks for watching