These crisp mornings and vibrant colors signal the coming of fall, and there's no better time than the fall to try and tango with the fish of 10,000 casts. Here is a quick overview of my favorite fall musky baits.

Blades

Arguably the most efficient way to cover water, bucktails have been a staple for musky anglers for decades. They are easy to use for beginners, although larger blades tend to bring on fatigue after a long period of time.

These baits can be fished anywhere, but excel in those shallow weedy bays, points or shorelines. They come in various sizes, and it's best to experiment with blade size and configuration to see what the fish want. Each blade style has a unique vibration, and I typically vary the cadence when fishing these.

Some of my favorites are the Dadson Blades 9mm, HandleBarz, Musky Mayhem Double Cowgirl, and it's tough to beat the Joe Bucher BucherTail varieties.

Jerk Baits

This style of bait works well for muskies that are tight lipped or non-committal. Working these baits as erratically or as slowly as you need, they make for an incredibly versatile option.

Several different brands allow you to add weights to the bottom of the baits to keep them in the strike zone longer. Some of the more popular jerk baits include the Phantom Lures Hell Hound or the Jake.

Big Rubber

Probably my go-to category, as long as my back and shoulders are up for the task. These baits offer a more life-like presentation to them than their hard bait relatives.

For fall fishing, these baits should always be in your arsenal when you're wanting to trigger that catch of a lifetime. There are various ways to work them. You can work them like a jerkbait, you can "sweep" or "pop" them, or straight retrieve big rubber baits.

My go-to big rubber baits include the Chaos Medusa, Chaos Poseidon, Musky Innovations BullDawg, and the WaterWolf Shadzilla.

Crankbaits

Much like bucktails, crankbaits are a great choice when you're wanting to cover water. These baits can be both trolled and casted.

I very rarely fish these baits on a steady retrieve. Often times I will aggressively bump a crank against rock or wood to try and trigger a strike. Vary your depth and figure out where in the water column the fish are feeding.

You can't beat the LLUNGEN LURES 22 short and 22 long, as well as the Thorne Bros Boss Shad.