Fall Fishing on Lake Cumberland
Let us be clear: we LOVE fall fishing on Lake Cumberland, and you should too.
Sure, there are plenty of reasons to love spring fishing (and we do), but there's something truly special about fall. You can feel the sunsets creeping earlier, the evenings growing colder, and the air getting crisper. The sweaty summer slog is over. The wakeboats and jet skis are gone, and now is the time to catch some true giants.
So why fall? The Fall Feed.
The Fall Feed
Bass, like many animals, need to feed up before winter. This means they're not only bigger in weight than during summer or winter, but they're also more actively feeding. However, there's a catch—fall fishing can sometimes produce some frustrating days on the water.
We've caught some absolute tanks in the fall, and we're here to share our high-level approach focused on fall patterns.
Fall 2023 bass on Cumberland
The Three Distinct Fall Periods
Fall fishing can be divided into three main periods. The general cues are: air temperatures dropping, water temperatures decreasing, and shorter days with less light.
Early Fall Transition
The key to early fall fishing? BAIT, BAIT, BAIT. The focus is all about finding baitfish, as bass are moving to follow their food source. Baitfish are transitioning to the shallows, and the bass are right behind them.
Bass will often stop on breaks in the path to the back of the pocket—main points, secondary points, lone docks, trees, or patches of grass. Stay mobile and follow the bait.
Peak Fall / The Fall Feed
This is the period where bass are gorging, eating, schooling up, and chasing bait. With water temperatures in the high 60s to 70s and the leaves changing color, the bass have followed the baitfish all the way back into creeks and flats.
It's less about transition and more about location—the fish are already where the food is, and they're aggressively feeding. Prime time for fast-moving baits.
Late Fall Transition / Migration
Late fall is when the bass begin to leave their fall locations and transition toward winter patterns. Temperatures drop significantly. This can be the trickiest time to fish in the fall.
Bass will exit the shallow areas, often stopping at points or structures—anything that breaks the contour. The movement is similar to early fall, just in reverse.
Shallow vs. Deep Bass in Fall
During the fall, bass can generally be divided into two groups: shallow bass and deep bass.
Shallow Bass
Found around the backs of creeks and coves, along grass lines, and up against hard cover like laydown trees, docks, and rock piles. Look for creek arms with deep water access all the way back, which allows the bass to corral baitfish throughout the area.
Deep Bass
Focused on structures like bluff walls, creek channel bends, long tapering points, and offshore humps. Deep bass gather around the best structures with quick access to deep water. This movement is entirely baitfish-driven.
Targeting Shallow Water Bass
Target the back of long creeks, especially those holding large schools of baitfish. When we say the back, we mean the back. Don't be afraid to fish the mud.
Favorite Baits
- • Topwater: Frogs, poppers, buzz baits
- • Moving baits: Squarebills, crankbaits, swimbaits, chatterbaits
Key Targets
- • Early fall: Shallow wood cover - laydowns, bushes, docks
- • As season progresses: Rock structures and riprap
- • Bridges: Gravel rock and brush around them
Targeting Deep Water Bass
Target structures like bluff walls, creek channel swings, offshore humps, and long tapering points. Channel swing banks provide verticality, making them ideal.
Favorite Baits
- • Topwater: Poppers, buzz baits (morning or shaded banks)
- • Moving baits: Deeper crankbaits (DT-10+), swimbaits, jerkbaits
- • Vertical: Spoons, tailspins, blade baits
Key Targets
- • Bluff walls: Vertical structure with deep water access
- • Channel swings: Look for rock type transitions
- • Offshore humps: Where bait congregates
Fall Fishing Key Takeaways
- •Follow the bait - shad movement dictates bass location
- •Stay mobile - fish move with bait daily, don't get stuck on yesterday's spot
- •Peak fall = aggressive fish, use fast-moving baits
- •Red and natural colors work well depending on water clarity
- •This is trophy bass season - some of the biggest fish of the year