If you are an experienced fisherman, you know that some days are memorable. Those are the days when everything goes right. The weather is good, distractions and interruptions are at a minimum and you catch big fish. It all adds up to a great day on the water. I had a day like that recently.

I expected my dream day to occur in September, and it did, as if on cue. I traveled to one of my favorite lakes. I had hoped to arrive at daybreak, but last minute responsibilities arose. It was 10 a.m. and 85-degrees by the time I got on the water.

My expectations had dwindled because of the late start. However, I quickly caught a 13-inch bass. Then doubt struck as I trolled up a bank where I had caught lots of bass all summer long. In the next 200 yards, I only caught one other small bass. 

The wind blew from the northwest and rolled small waves up on the far shore of the cove. I headed that direction, knowing that the wind would push baitfish close to the shoreline. Bass would be where the baitfish were.

My thinking proved correct. I caught a hefty 14-inch fish in my first few casts around a steep point. I caught several more within 30 yards. I knew I was on to something.

Fall brings an aggressive bass feeding spree across Missouri as cooling water temperatures trigger bass to hunt schooling shad and other baitfish in the shallows. Water temperature may only drop a few degrees, but it stimulates feeding patterns.

Cooler nights in September drop water temperatures and boost bass metabolism. Therefore, they feed more. Bass begin to aggressively follow massive schools of gizzard shad and thread fin shad from the deep summer flats into the backs of creeks and coves. 

Normally it is important to match the hatch. In other words, throw lures that resemble the forage bass are feeding on. Small crank baits, topwater walking baits, or spinnerbaits with double willow blades that mimic 1-to-4-inch shad will attract hungry bass.

Jerk-baits and jigs will begin to perform as water temperatures cool further as fall advances. Shallow running jerk-baits perform well under these conditions. Using colors that match the food source are best.

Early September can be a real tease, according to John Neporadny, a National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame writer, from Lake of the Ozarks. “Bass start keying on the massive balls of shad on this central Missouri lake when September arrives,” he said. “Large schools of shad start migrating to the shallows, but some remain deep where bass suspend under docks and ambush fish. It’s a sign of fall when you start seeing shad migrating to the backs of the creeks and there is a lot of surface activity.”

From early to mid-October, Lake of the Ozarks bass remain shallow along flats where they can be tempted with topwater plugs, buzz baits and spinnerbaits,” Neporadny said. “Bass start transitioning from the flats to steeper chunk-rock banks closer to the main lake where they start feeding on the larger gizzard shad.”

I’ve utilized those facts on Lake of the Ozarks with great success. However, I transpose those same tactics to smaller lakes closer to home. Two weeks ago I arrived at 15-acre lake at 10 a.m., a late start for me. Fishing began slow, but I began to analyze the situation. The wind blew into a steep rocky bank across the lake. I abandoned my slow trolling and casting along a shallow bank and headed to the rocky, steep bank. I immediately began catching fish. 

I noticed a bass 30 yards up the bank crashing into big balls of batfish. I tolled up there quickly. On my first cast, I hooked into a big bass that shocked me with its power. The fish hit hard and headed for deeper water. My rod arched underneath the boat. 

The big fish managed to tangle me in a submerged cedar tree and get off. Stunned, I recounted what had happened and prepared to do better on my next attempt.

I picked up a heavier Falcon rod and repeated the process of casting from 1-foot of water along the steep, rocky bank out to about 10-feet of water in the cedar trees. 

I caught 13-14 inch bass often, but new much larger bass existed in the lake. I hadn’t caught many of them during the summer, but knew the fall feeding spree had begun.

Minutes later, I tossed   a 5-inch black and blue Big Bite Bait Trick Stick worm to the side of lay-down. The strike came immediately. I set the hook hard, wrestled the fish from the brush and soon swung the 18-inch bass into the boat. 

Five minutes later, I repeated the process by a cedar tree 5-feet offshore. That fish power its way into the cedar tree three different times. I couldn’t believe I managed to wrangle it out each time and finally into the net. It measured 21-inches. My chart indicated the fish could weigh up to six pounds.

Soon I duplicated the feat with a 20-inch bass and then another 19-inch fish before I had to call it quits. I had boated four bass 18-to-21-inches in a couple of hours. And it all happened because of the fall feeding spree.