The first cool fronts of the fall are always a welcome relief to the sweltering days of August. The cooler weather heightens the anticipation for weekend football games, filling deer feeders and, for bass anglers, reduced traffic on area lakes.

Successful fall bass fishing is all about keeping up with hungry bass chasing very transient pods of shad previously ganged up along deeper main lake structure breaks but now found migrating to the backs of creeks and pockets. These groups of baitfish are notorious for being consistently inconsistent, meaning their migration efforts cause them to have a "here today, gone tomorrow" attitude, resulting in erratic bass fishing.

Consider also that these forage species were likely hatched only a few weeks prior; therefore, they're often smaller in stature as opposed to the spring of the year, when they've had a chance to grow. Matching the size of the hatch improves your odds in the fall.

Together, these elements point to the need for a lure that allows the angler to cover large amounts of shallow cover in a day's time and is a strong imitation of the smaller baitfish. Say "hello" to my little friend, the Rapala Bx Brat. This is a small profile lure that casts surprisingly well for its size, comes through cover like an off-road vehicle and will put fish in the boat throughout the fall months.

One needs to fish a squarebill crank as a linebacker plays football: looking for contact. Bass are triggered to eat moving baits when the lure suddenly changes directions and swims erratically, so make sure the BX Brat is coming in consistent contact with the shallow bottom or any available cover in the area. The technique is to make a cast well beyond the target and make subtle adjustments to the lure's path by directing the rod tip toward the cover, be it a stump, bush, dock piling, etc. As the lure approaches, slow your retrieve just enough to allow the bill of the Brat to deflect off the cover, then speed the retrieve as the lure clears the cover to accentuate the erratic action of a wounded baitfish.

Recommended gear for fall squarebilling: a 7' medium action composite rod, which not only allows easier casting of the small crank, but also allows the bass to inhale the bait deeper than stiffer, heavy action rods paired with 6:1 or 7:1 baitcaster, spooled with fluorocarbon heavy enough to endure the constant abuse encountered around wood and rock cover is advised; 14-17# test line should be adequate.

Finally, keep an open mind when approaching fall bass. Much like the stock market, past performance is not indicative of future gains in fall bass fishing. As previously indicated, where you caught them yesterday may be void of fish today, so stay on the move by changing locations within the creek or running previously unexplored shallow pockets. Think "stick and move" this time of year to keep up with the migrating bass.

Gear Used

• Rapala Bx Brat
• Fluorocarbon Line
• 7' medium action composite rod
• 6:1 or 7:1 baitcast reel