Fall may be in the air, but boating and fishing season are far from over! The fall season provides plenty of opportunities for a variety of gamefish, such as sunfish, crappies, catfish, walleyes, and bass.
Due to the cooling water temperatures and shorter daylight hours, the fish will be moving from their summer locations to where they will set up shop for the winter. Jerkbaits will be the lures to utilize in this crispy season, but which ones?
Here are three of our favorite Rapala fishing lures to use, along with some awesome fall fishing tips that will help you reap the autumn harvest!
Three of the Best Fishing Lures for Fall
There are plenty of lures to choose from for a successful fishing trip — and you probably have a few you love as your “go to” lures. However, if you’re ready to try something new or you’re just starting as a fall angler, here are a few good ones to check out.
The X-Rap
Many anglers will tell you that “covering water” is the best option for fall fishing, and the best fishing lure for this tactic would be the X-rap for long-casting jerk bait.
The struggling baitfish action of this lure will have fish seeking it out. In early autumn, you may want to use this lure to fish fast and erratically instead of later in the fall, when you will want to slow things down as you reel in.
Cooling shallow water temperatures will cause baitfish and predators to leave the shorelines and head to deeper water. You will find bass and walleye near bays, tributaries, and flats on lakes and rivers full of weeds.
By retrieving a jerk bait over the top of the weeds or simply on the outside edge, you will surely catch both smallmouth and largemouth bass and walleye.
The RipStop
The RipStop fishing lure has a tail design that creates a fast-ripping swimbait action. It has a strike-triggering power that has a hard-stopping, forward motion that stops extremely fast with just a subtle shimmy before coming to a rest. It then slightly lifts its head with a super low rise that predators won’t be able to resist.
Bass and walleye have been known to hang out in deep portions of a point in the early morning. As the sun and temperature rise, they may move a little further up on the point. Deep-diving jerkbait is the bait to use in this case.
In the mornings, you will want to work the bait along the ledges and make some casts away from the point into open water for the chance to hit a suspending fish. Later in the afternoon, sun-hit rocks are the target you will want to aim for.
Husky Jerk
The Husky Jerk lure is perfectly balanced and can be cast or trolled at any speed.
The rattle chamber transmits sound waves that amplify through the water. They can suspend on pause, which is an important feature when experimenting with different pause lengths.
In early fall, quicker pause lengths are ideal, while later in the fall season, you may want to consider having a 10-second pause before retrieving.
A tip that can help land that trophy fish is the tactic of “strolling.” Leave the bait behind the boat and let out another half or full cast of line. Slowly troll your jerk bait using the wind and the boat motor as you quickly pull the rod forward, then slide it back to imitate a dance-like movement for the jerk bait.
Weighting the jerkbait in the late fall will increase its running depth as the fish will be deeper at this time of year.
Use the Right Fishing Lures and Safe Boating Practices This Fall
Make sure you don’t leave the dock without a variety of jerkbait fishing lures, depending on the time of the season. By putting these tips and lures into practice, it can help you have the best fall fishing adventure yet!
We also want you to stay safe on the water. BOATsmart! offers boating education courses for Canadians to help them stay safe when boating and fishing. No matter what time of year you head out on your next fishing trip, make sure you’ve taken our online course to protect yourself and your fishing buddies.
It’s also the best (and most fun) way to get your boating education card to boat legally in your province!
Originally published in June 2019. Content most recently reviewed and updated for accuracy and relevancy September 18, 2024.
