Lake Fork Fall pattern

The water temperature will drop about 30 degrees in about a 2 month period from the beginning of October to the end of November. During this time, the fish will go on a feeding frenzy to store up fat for the winter. This is also when many of the fishermen trade in their rods for bows and guns, so their is often much less boat traffic. This can be some of the best fishing of the year.
In the early Fall, fish can be caught in the same places as the late summer pattern. Once the water cools, the fish scatter and can be caught on about any pattern imaginable. You can find them shallow in the backs of coves or you can catch them on the deep road beds.
I like to start the day with topwaters and/or spinnerbaits. Once the sun comes up, I fish a Texas rigged worm around the grass or in the stumps. Later, I go to jigging spoons and Carolina rigs and work the deep humps and road beds. The jigging spoons can bring lots of action from both black bass and yellow bass (barfish). The yellow bass are some of the best eating fish around and there is no size or quantity limit. It is not uncommon to catch hundreds in a day in addition to the black bass that you also catch. Largemouths will feed on those barfish, so barfish patterned rattle traps, spoons, and crankbaits will catch some nice bass in the same places the barfish bite.
Fall fishing does have its' drawbacks. You can have droughts in early fall which will cause the lake levels to drop and the bite to stop. Conversely, you can have flooding which will precede the gates opening which will also cause the bite to stop. Flooding, strong winds, and the Fall turnover also makes the water color change dramatically, which can also lead to tough fishing. In addition, you have lots of fronts coming through in the fall which makes for the toughest fishing of all. With a 30 degree water temperature decline in 2 months, you can just imagine the shock the fish are getting.
Fall fishing is the most unpredictable of all seasons. About the only thing for sure about fall is that there will be some very good days and some bad days. The best recommendation I have is to be flexible. If you book a trip with me in the fall, I will give you the option to postpone the trip if the water temps are cold and we get a major cold front. I can't always forecast when the fishing will be great, but I can often predict a slow day ahead of time.