By
Water Temp: 80-83 F 
Summer is over.
The high profile action will be "on top" with bass and stripers
feeding each morning and evening on shad schools. The extent of boiling action
remains to be seen. Many shad were consumed in the late August blitz of surface
feeding. Some shad escaped to swim another day but the predator pursuit is
relentless. Look each morning and evening and investigate each double splash.
Single splashes may be carp of gizzard shad. Double splashes mean stripers and
bass chasing shad.
Look for a resurgence of surface action near Trachyte and
The best strategy will be to use spoons as the weapon of choice for these
conditions. Stripers want to feed but shad may not be numerous enough to allow
a boil. Hungry stripers then sulk just at the cool water break (35 feet) of the
shallower feeding area while scanning above for any trace of shad. Shad
presence alerts the school into instant action. The slip-sliding action of a
falling silver or blue spoon mimics the descent of an injured shad. One striper
eating that spoon gets the rest of the school started just as if the shad
school had been encountered.
When graphing watch for a tight rectangular smudge of fish with an irregular
shape at 30-50 feet. Often the resting striper school signature will appear as
2-3 smudges instead of individual fish arcs. The arcs appear as the school
comes off the bottom to chase spoons back to the boat.
Typical striper
"smudges" on graph. Bottom most smudge is most typical striper signature display.
Bass chase shad when available but they also root around the rocks looking for
crayfish. The developing bass pattern is associated with rooted aquatic weeds
that offer a safe haven to small sunfish. Sunfish are the 'go-to' target when
shad are scarce. Find a tall grass bed and bass will be close by. All shades of
green are found in the grass and sunfish. Try dark green or watermelon colors
for quick bass action.
Choose your fishing target. September is the time to satisfy all those fish
cravings for all