This is a great time of year to fish, and one of the greatest things about it is that it is the time of year with the least amount of fishing pressure. Bass usually stay shallow a lot longer than people might think. I remember a tournament from several years back in mid November at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. It was cold! I mean really cold. The kind of weather you don’t really think about fishing in. The bass were chewing though and really shallow. As a matter of fact the tournament was won on a buzzbait right on the bank. You had to fish very slow, but they would hammer that bait, and the thing about it was they were all big! It was crazy. So even though fish do head out deep when it gets really cold, don’t overlook shallow water this time of year.

As we all know, bass fishing has its ups and downs. Those once-in-a-lifetime days on water are just that because there are so many different variables that need to be lined up just right. However, when it comes to the summer/fall transition, sometimes it can feel like you’re not doing anything right, but you aren’t alone. Fishing this time of year is downright tough just about anywhere you go.

Back home in Texas, the fish start moving to deep water at the beginning of June, and throughout July the fishing stays pretty good. As time goes on, the water quality will play a big part in the bite. In August, things get flat out tough because the water quality down deep isn’t very good, so you’ll start to see some fish moving shallower and towards the backs of creeks as early as mid-August. That’s when they begin the transition, but in August and September, it’s still flat out hot in Texas.

We will see the fall transition happening all the way into October. You will have the opportunity to catch some very good fish this time of year, but as those fish start transitioning to the backs of creeks, you will notice that the baitfish will be pretty small, so you’ll want to fish with small crankbaits and small topwater baits. Also try fishing around creek channels, but stick with shallower running baits, instead of the deep plugs like you would typically throw in June and July.

There’s still a lot of schooling action that happens in late summer/early fall, so pay attention to what’s going on. You can get on some really good schooling fish early in the morning, so make sure to have a topwater bait tied on.

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With an increasingly busy fishing, filming and appearance schedule in the summers and limited places to hunt close by, I have not had much opportunity for a good pre-deer season tune up in recent years, and that’s not OK. This year, however, I have been fortunate enough to secure a lease right behind my house, and the pigs are really coming. I went down the other day with my future son-in-law, and we simultaneously killed 2 nice sows. It was a great pre-season hunt. For me, it’s about getting ready for whitetail season and putting something tasty in the freezer. I was also able to try out my new Cabela’s Instinct Xcite bow, and it worked to perfection. Judging by the pictures on my Cabela’s scouting cameras, I should have many opportunities! Just the way I like it.

In professional fishing the goal every year is to make it to the year-end championship -the Forrest Wood Cup, or the Bassmasters Classic. These tournaments showcase the anglers who have risen to the top after a year of competition. My season will conclude in a couple of days on beautiful Lake Ouachita, Arkansas at the Forrest Wood Cup, where fifty some odd anglers will compete for half a million dollars. And for all these guys, there is really only one place to finish, and that’s first. It is going to be a great tournament and an even greater show! The fishing should be pretty tough – very hot temperatures and falling lake conditions, but the tougher the conditions, the more I like it. I love a challenge, and figuring out how to catch ‘em when it’s tough will be fun. After winning the last Tour event at the Potomac River, I’m looking forward to riding that momentum to another great week and hopefully another win. Wish me luck!

I just finished the FLW Tour stop number six at the Potomac River, and what a great feeling to win again! It’s been a long time since I won a tour level event, and this one could not have come at a better time – what a difference a year can make. About this time last year, things were pretty shaky for me. I had a heart attack in May, and confidence was probably at an all-time low. What turned it around? It actually was the heart attack. I just have a new way of looking at things – more relaxed, better perspective on what’s important. It also gave me a small break – one where I got to feeling really well, exercised, lost a little weight and started gaining confidence by fishing on my own with a renewed outlook. I also started filming a lot for Fishing and Hunting Texas, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve always fished the best when I was really busy, confident and relaxed. That’s where I am now. It feels good, and I’m looking forward to many more years of winning!

The rains have finally come to Texas! Over the past four or five years, Texas has experienced an historic drought, and I have heard many people say that the lakes in Texas would never fill up again. While they are not totally full, lakes like Travis are at least well on their way. In my life I have seen Lake Travis go up and down many times, and the fluctuating lake level and resulting vegetation growth is actually what keeps the lake good for bass fishing. In fact, the extremely low lake levels in Central Texas have resulted in extensive vegetation growth. Now that the lakes are up, that vegetation will be excellent habitat and cover for bass, and in the next year to three years the lakes that were really low will really flourish. I love to fish shallow cover, and in Texas over the next year, that is going to be a norm. It does have its challenges, but you just never know what you may catch! I had the opportunity to go down to Coletto Creek in South Texas earlier this year and fish some flooded conditions. I had forgotten how much fun that really is, and I’m looking forward to many more fishing trips in Texas where I get to fish shallow cover.