MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2026 · CLEAR LAKE
60-degree fall transition, shallow rock and creek channels fire early, deep ledges and swimbait work all day.
WATER 60°FAIR 59°FWIND 8 MPH NWSEASON FALL
Water is 60 degrees right now, sitting smack in that sweet spot where bass are actively feeding before they tuck deeper for winter. The pressure is steady and the sky is clear and bright, which means fish will chase in the shallows early and then slide back to deeper comfort zones as the sun climbs. You're in fall, so the pattern is a mix: shallow rock and tule structure early and late, deeper ledges and points during the middle hours. Bass are eating, they're not locked down yet, and the recent full moon and falling water temps have them fired up. Clarity is good so fish are scattered across multiple areas rather than stacked on one spot. Work your way around the lake hitting points and rock piles, then spend midday on the deeper breaks where baitfish are staging. The longer the day goes, the more you shift from reaction baits to finesse and methodical dragging.
The day's game plan
EARLY MORNING · 7:03 AM to 9:00 AM
Shallow rock areas and tule edges on the north end, Swimbait Corner to Rocky Point in 2 to 6 feet, and the entrance to Shirley Slough near Corinthian Bay.
5-inch to 6-inch golden shiner or reservoir shad colored swimbaits on a 1/4 oz or 3/8 oz jighead, cast tight to the rock and worked with a steady, natural retrieve. Also throw a 1/2 oz white and chartreuse spinnerbait with a #4 Colorado blade, working it through any rock pockets or tule gaps with a slow, bumping cadence.
Cold 60-degree water still has enough energy for reaction strikes if you present food right to them. Rock holds warmth longer than open water and concentrates baitfish. Tules funnel movement. Bass are looking up early before the sun gets high and bright, and the full moon and steady pressure have them in a feeding mood. Work fast through multiple areas to find the school before they drop deeper.
MORNING · 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Shallow to mid-depth sloping points like Point Lakeview, Baylis Point, and Luebow Point in 6 to 12 feet, plus the mouth of Kelsey Creek and areas around submerged rock and weed.
Lipless crankbait in a chartreuse or silver shad color, 1/2 oz, cast past the structure and cranked back with a steady retrieve, letting it tick the bottom on the breaks. Also effective: a 4-inch drop-shot soft plastic in a natural shad color, fished on a 1/8 oz drop-shot rig with a 3 to 4 foot fluorocarbon leader, worked vertically or dragged slowly along the slope.
The sun is climbing and clearing the horizon. Shallow bass begin to feel exposed and transition to slightly deeper water where they can still see and hunt but feel less pressure. Points funnel them from deep to shallow, so they stage on the slope. Pressure is steady and water temp is in that feeding range, so they are still chasing, but the clear sky means you have to match the forage and work the transitions where they pause. Lipless cranks and drop-shots both cover water and trigger reaction, but the drop-shot gives you a slower, more methodical option if they are becoming picky.
MIDDAY · 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Main lake ledges and deeper structure near Mount Konocti basin and the Highway 20 side in 20 to 30 feet. Work the channel edges and humps where baitfish are staging.
Sakamata shad swimbaits in golden shiner or reservoir shad color on a 1/4 oz jighead, cast out and worked with a slow, steady retrieve that keeps the bait in the strike zone. Pair this with a forward-facing sonar if you have it to dial in suspended fish. Also try a 3/8 oz jig with a dark craw or crawdad trailer, dragged slowly along the ledge.
By midday the bright sun pushes shallow fish down and out to the deeper comfort zones where they can feed without stress. The water is cool enough that they don't need to go as deep as they would in hot summer, so the 20 to 30 foot zone is the new hunting ground. This is where the schools stage during the fall transition. Swimbaits match the prevalent forage and slow retrieves respect the cooler water. Jigs work through any cover on the ledge. This is a grind period, not a fast period. You are covering water methodically and waiting for the electronics to show you a school.
LATE AFTERNOON · 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Creek arms and secondary points in the 12 to 20 foot range, especially near Rattlesnake arm and the interior creek channels on the north and west sides.
A 1/2 oz rip bait or riprap lure in a natural shad or silver color, worked with sharp, erratic jerks to create flash and displacement. Also fire a 4-inch to 5-inch finesse worm in a green pumpkin or watermelon color rigged Texas style on a 1/8 oz bullet sinker, fished slowly along any cover.
As afternoon sets in, the sun angle shifts and bass start to move away from the deep midday zone toward secondary structure and creek arms where they can intercept moving baitfish. This is a transition window. Rip baits and finesse worms are both natural and methodical, matching the slower fall metabolism. Creek arms funnel movement and hold concentrated baitfish schools, so this is prime territory in the fall turnover period. The full moon and steady pressure keep the bite going, but the clear sky means you still have to respect cover and work the edges rather than blast open water.
EVENING · 4:30 PM to 6:15 PM
Back to shallow structure, tules, and docks on the north end and around Lucerne. Baylis Point, Rocky Point, and any shallow rock or timber in 2 to 8 feet.
6-inch swimbaits in a shad color, 3/8 oz head, cast right at the structure and worked with a steady glide. A 1/2 oz spinnerbait with a #4 Colorado blade and a dark craw trailer, bumped through any cover. Wacky worms under docks, 5-inch to 6-inch watermelon or green pumpkin, no weight, cast and let it sink naturally.
The sun is dropping, light is softening, and bass begin their return to shallower feeding zones. Evening extends the shallow window before dark. Tules, docks, and shallow rock warm up more than open water and hold baitfish and bass throughout the cooler months. Swimbaits and spinnerbaits trigger reaction in the lower light, while wacky worms worked slowly under dock pilings present a live, natural profile that doesn't spook wary fish. This is one of the two prime windows of the day. Work these areas thoroughly.
DUSK · 6:15 PM to 7:30 PM (after sunset)
Same shallow areas, tules, docks, and visible rock in 1 to 6 feet, concentrating on Holiday Cove and protected pockets on the north end.
Dark colored topwater like a walking stick bait or popper in black or black and white, worked slowly with deliberate twitches. Also a 6-inch dark colored swimbaits, 3/8 oz head, worked steadily. If topwater slows, drop to a wacky worm or a 1/4 oz drop-shot with a finesse plastic, fished right over the shallow cover.
Dusk is when the full moon is rising and the last light is fading. Bass often feed more aggressively in lower light, especially in fall when they are fattening before winter. Dark baits create strong silhouettes against the remaining light, triggering strikes from fish that have been cautious all day. Protected pockets like Holiday Cove keep the baitfish concentrated and bass keyed in. The full moon does extend the evening bite longer than usual because moonlight keeps the shallows accessible later. If topwater goes quiet, the transition is clear you need finesse to keep the bite alive.
NIGHT · 7:30 PM onward
Dock pilings, tule edges, and protected coves in 2 to 6 feet, staying shallow where bass hunt by feel and vibration.
A dark, heavy spinnerbait, 5/8 oz to 3/4 oz with a large Colorado blade for maximum thump and vibration, worked slow and steady. A 1/2 oz rip bait in black or dark colors, jerked erratically. If clarity allows, a 6-inch dark swimbaits, 1/2 oz, retrieved steadily.
After dark, bass hunt by lateral line and vibration more than sight. Clear water and a full moon extend the shallow window, so you can still fish the shallows rather than going deep. Heavy spinnerbaits and rip baits displace water and vibrate loudly, signaling location to bass in low or no light. The full moon keeps docks and tules visible enough for bass to hunt in shallow water. Water temp is still 60 and falling, so bass metabolism is moderate but they are still feeding in the darkness. Dock pilings and tule edges concentrate baitfish overnight, making them prime hunting zones.
Where to fish
- Swimbait Corner to Rocky Point and Long Tule Point (north end shallow rock and tules) — 2 to 8 feet · Shallow rock, tule edges, and protected pockets with sand and hard bottom
North end rock holds warmth longer than open water and concentrates baitfish. Tules funnel movement and provide ambush cover. This is the early morning and evening shallow-feeding prime zone and is excellent through the fall transition. - Mount Konocti basin (main lake deep structure) — 20 to 30 feet · Ledges, humps, channel bends, and suspended baitfish schools
Deep structure and proximity to baitfish make this the fall staging area where the largest bass schools hold during midday when shallow areas are too exposed. Recent tournaments confirmed this zone holds giant prespawn and transition-period schools. - Kelsey Creek mouth and Rattlesnake arm creek channels — 8 to 20 feet · Creek channels with inside bends, hard bottom transitions, and secondary points
Creek arms funnel baitfish and bass movement during the fall transition. Slower current and protected depth zones are where bass stage to intercept bait without fully committing to deep water. Excellent in late afternoon and early evening.
What to throw
- 5-inch to 6-inch swimbaits (golden shiner or reservoir shad color) — 5 in to 6 in · Golden shiner, reservoir shad, or natural shad · 1/4 oz to 3/8 oz jighead (Early morning through late afternoon, especially shallow rock and deep ledges)
Cast near structure or along ledges, retrieve steadily and naturally, letting the bait do the work without erratic action. - Lipless crankbait (chartreuse or silver shad) — n/a · Chartreuse or silver shad · 1/2 oz (Morning and late morning when fish are moving between shallow and midday zones)
Cast and crank steadily, letting the bait vibrate and tick the bottom on drops and slopes. Work through the transition zones between shallow and deep. - Drop-shot rig with 4-inch finesse worm (natural shad or green pumpkin) — 4 in · Natural shad, watermelon, or green pumpkin · 1/8 oz drop-shot sinker, 12 lb fluorocarbon leader (Midday and late afternoon on ledges, humps, and creek channels)
Cast and work vertically or drag slowly along structure, keeping the bait near the bottom. Let the sinker touch and tick cover while the worm dangles above it. - Spinnerbait (white chartreuse or dark colors, 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz with #4 Colorado blade) — n/a · White and chartreuse or dark colors (black, black and blue) · 1/2 oz (morning), 5/8 oz to 3/4 oz (night) (Early morning through evening shallow areas, and night over docks and tules)
Cast and retrieve with a slow, bumping cadence, letting the blade thump at depth or through cover. In low light, slow it down further and keep it in the thickest cover. - Wacky-rigged finesse worm (5 in to 6 in, watermelon or green pumpkin, no weight) — 5 in to 6 in · Watermelon, green pumpkin, or natural shad · 0 (no weight, rigged through the middle) (Evening and night, especially under docks and along tule edges)
Cast and let it sink naturally, working it with small twitches and pauses. Fish it around docks, tule edges, and cover where it can fall slowly and attract strikes from hesitant bass.
How to work it
- Run-and-gun point and structure hopping — All day, especially critical during the morning and late afternoon transitions when bass are moving between zones · Across the main lake, north end, and creek arms
Hit shallow rock areas early, work your way down the major points (Point Lakeview, Baylis Point, Luebow Point) through morning, transition to deeper ledges at midday, then return to shallows late afternoon and evening. Fish each area for 15 to 20 minutes, then move if you don't get a bite or see fish on electronics. - Shallow rock and tule edge picking — Early morning and evening when bass feed shallowly, and anytime conditions favor shallow structure · North end from Rocky Point to Swimbait Corner, Corinthian Bay entrance, tule edges around Lucerne
Work tight to the structure with precise casts, bumping swimbaits and spinnerbaits through pockets, skipping wacky worms under any overhanging cover, and dragging finesse presentations along the edge where structure meets open water. - Deep ledge dragging and vertical work — Midday when shallow bass move deep to escape the clear sun, and anytime you want to access the largest concentration of fall-stage bass · Mount Konocti basin, Highway 20 side, main lake humps and channel bends in 20 to 30 feet
Use forward-facing sonar if available to locate suspended baitfish schools, then position the boat on the ledge. Drop a jighead swimbaits or jig down, let it settle, then drag slowly along the contour, pausing frequently to trigger strikes. Work methodically, not fast.
Pro tips
- Use forward-facing sonar to dial in suspended schools in the Mount Konocti basin during midday. Once you find a school on electronics, stay on it and work jighead swimbaits and jigs methodically. Clear water and a full moon keep these fish alert, so precision matters more than aggressive casting.
- Clear water works both ways: fish can see your line clearly, so use a 3 to 4 foot fluorocarbon leader on drop-shots and finesse presentations, and tie on quality knots. Skip the thick braided main line in the shallows early and late, where bass can see it coming.
- The full moon extends the evening window longer than normal. Bass will feed in shallow water well into dusk and beyond because moonlight mimics twilight. Ditch the dark colors and topwater earlier than usual if the bite slows, and stay shallow longer than you would on a new moon.
If conditions change
If the wind picks up out of the northwest and clouds roll in, the shallow window extends all day because overcast water feels safer to bass. Shift everything shallower and fish faster with reaction baits like lipless cranks and spinnerbaits, covering water aggressively instead of methodical dragging. If a cold front pushes through in the next 24 hours, pressure will rise and the bite shuts down hard. On the back side of that front, downsize everything to 4-inch finesse worms and drop-shots, fish the densest cover (docks, thick tules, deepest rock pockets), and slow way down. Move to the protected north end near Holiday Cove where wind and sun exposure are lowest. If the water muddies from a rain event, stay clear of finesse work and shift to larger, vibrating baits like heavy spinnerbaits and dark rip baits that displace more water and create stronger lateral line signals. If clarity improves beyond what you see today, fish even tighter to cover and downsize further; natural colors and longer leaders become critical.
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