# Fall smallies?



## koonzie99 (Apr 25, 2012)

So my question is. What part of a river do target in the fall for smallmouth. Fast water, slow water, deep holes etc. But why i ask is my fast water spots seam to b slowing and at my slow water spots i get couple fish just not alot of number's and I think im going to fish a lil longer in to fall before i get deep in to hunting season. Thanks for any tips guys.


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

I've found they kind of scatter this time of year. Some fish are still in the fast water some are in the deep holes already. But I have been able to find some schools of them in the push waters before the rapids. And on shallow flats with steady current on them, these are in between places where there is still current to bring them food but not the really strong current they are in during summer. It also seems they get closer to their wintering holes this time of year, so places closer to the winter/late fall spots start getting more fish in them. 


Just my experiences. Hope this helps.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

They dont scatter , they are just honed in on fattening up on Shad this time of year, If you find the massive schools of Shad. Your arms will tire out catching smallies before they stop biting if you can find the shad. 

On open water its alittle easier because you just have to find the birds, but on smaller rivers or creeks that is more difficult because you dont have the field of vision you do on open water. My hint would be to look for Heron actively feeding, and keep an eye out for Shad breaking the surface. Low head dams are also good bet this time of year.


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

Maybe scatter was the wrong word. What I meant is that on rivers you can find smallies in all stages right now. They are not all schooled up like they get in the summer and late fall/winter. 


Good luck this fall Konzie


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## koonzie99 (Apr 25, 2012)

They r definitely not schooled up right now lol. last couple trips i made in last week have been slow one or two fish but did get my best of year at 17". I got a long shallow wade I'm going to try in morning. 

Thanks for the help guys


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## Atwood (Sep 6, 2005)

I do best in less than 3' thhough the fall.


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## foxbites (Mar 15, 2010)

i target the mouths of the feeder creeks on the muskingum. if we dont get any rain soon the fish will not be there because there is hardly no water coming in to the river out of the feeder creeks. I like to throw one of my chrome sided crankbaits in the fall at these spots


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## Rasper (Sep 6, 2012)

Caught it on a 3/8 brown spinnerbait single bronze Colorado blade. He was in a pretty big pool with a kinda fast current, he was under a big rock just waiting to ambush some food.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

koonzie99 said:


> They r definitely not schooled up right now


Actually, they are exactly schooled up right now in wolfpacks, chasing shad. Find the shad, find the wolf pack, which is a VERY aggressive group of large smallies.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Google it, and you'll start finding them:
_
'Fall is probably the best time of the year when smallmouth begin to school up and feed heavily before winter. Referred to as "wolf packs", these monster schools of smallmouth will devour anything in their path._


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## koonzie99 (Apr 25, 2012)

I wanna say there's no shad in my stretch of river never seen them busting the top the water. Atwood would know for sure. But i went out before i went on vacation and got 11 fish but none bigger then 13". They was in a push area and some was in the rocks along the shore. Ill be headed out when i get home to find a wolf pack lol.


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