September presents challenges for bass anglers
Not many bass fishermen are fond of September. It’s a transitional month with changes in the weather that puts fish on the move. Fall turnover doesn’t help, either.
The fickleness of September doesn’t phase bass fisherman Rusty Bowers of Albemarle, N.C. It’s one of his favorite months for bass fishing, especially at nearby Lake Tillery.
“When I began fishing bass tournaments at Tillery, I had most of my luck in September,” said Bowers, who often motors to the backs of creeks to catch his fish.
He will go as far back in the creeks as he can, always looking for bait. Once he finds the back of a creek filled with forage, he knows the fish will be there.
“I catch most of my fish in 1 to 5 feet of water, mostly around wood,” Bowers said. “The wood could be in the form of a stump, a pier post, a tree lap, a logjam or even a little twig. They would all attract fish.”
Bower gets most of his strikes using a Texas rig with a 1/8-ounce sinker or an unweighted Super Fluke. His color choices include black and red shad.
Long-distance casting is key to keeping the bass comfortable
If the water is dingy, he’ll flip the baits to entice strikes; if the water is clear, he’ll make long casts.
“The fish at Tillery can be really spooky in clear water this time of year,” Bowers said. “You need to keep your distance.”
Whatever the approach, Bowers has to fish slowly to get the bass to strike. The majority of fish will range from 1 to 3 pounds.
Bowers’ tackle consists of a 6-foot-10 baitcasting outfit. He’ll spool his reel with 10- to 15-pound line, depending upon water clarity. In clear water, he goes to lighter line, usually 10-pound; in dingy water, he’ll use heavier line.
Bowers said fishing the backs of creeks also negates the impact of turnover, which could take place as early as late August at Tillery.
Bowers offers a tip for catching large numbers of bass at Tillery with little effort. If the lake level falls 2 to 6 feet, a rare occurrence, plenty of fish can be caught, whenever that happens.
When the pros from Major League Fishing came to Tillery in 2018, the lake had been lowered 6 to 7 feet for infrastructure work. The pros caught fish everywhere.
“When Tillery is down, just throw a little crankbait and you’ll catch fish,” said Bowers. “There’s nothing to it.”
