Fall is here! Are you ready for ‘football’ season? Idaho bass are at their best

Autumn has officially arrived, and with it comes some of the best fishing of the year across southern Idaho. And as much as I enjoy watching a good football game, I get even more excited thinking about bass fishing for fall footballs!

Bass fishing can be absolute fire in late September and early October, particularly for smallmouth in the Snake River. The fish sense the cold, lean winter months ahead and put on the feedbag — it’s not uncommon to catch smallies who have crammed their gullets with crayfish and minnows.

Apart from spawning females, fall is when the fish are at their absolute fattest. Many lure options work well in the fall. Some of my favorites are red crankbaits, soft plastic crayfish, small swimbaits, drop-shot rigs and topwater plugs like the Whopper Plopper. Be prepared to move around (a boat helps) and carry some good weedless options, as floating vegetation can be a nuisance. If you find a fishy spot, stay put! Fall bass will stack up in favorable feeding areas.

In addition to the Snake, you can find good fall bass action on the Payette River as well as C.J. Strike, Brownlee, Anderson Ranch and Swan Falls reservoirs. Tight lines!

Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.