By Dalton Bobo

Leaves are turning, wind is blowing and the fish are biting. Fall means falling temperatures and winter is on its way, and for the bass at Leavellwood it’s time to pig out and put on their winter stores of fat. Owner and manager of Leavellwood Lodge, Trey Montgomery, has done a fantastic job when it comes to managing the forage base in his chain of lakes. With bluegill, threadfin shad and fat head minnows in abundance in Leavellwood lakes, there’s no wonder why these fish are fat footballs and are aggressive feeders.

Every lake at Leavellwood has an abundance of cover placed in areas that will hold bass at various times of the day and in all seasonal conditions. Deep cover such as whole cedar trees, logs and even old cars strategically placed along old ditches. Shallow cover that is visible for the target fisherman and plenty of it! Shallow cedars, lay down logs, rock piles, old barely submerged dams with ditches cut in them makes plucking quality bass off these type targets very easy for the angler. With the lakes located in the heart of black belt country, it means that all Leavellwood lakes are rich with fertilization and are managed to keep a good plankton base which in turn will always promote a healthy forage base.

With a good population of threadfin and fathead minnows, fall fishing at Leavellwood is fantastic. After the dog days of summer when cool fronts start to make their way through the area and water temperatures start to decline, those ole bass start to move shallow and feed. Fall also means shorter daylight hours for bass to feed so the bite can be good all day long as opposed to the heat of summer when the bite will be primarily early and late. Bass also tend to school heavy on shad in the fall because of the need to put on weight before winter sets in and also because the threadfin tend to feed in mass schools on the surface in the fall period. That ole bass you can bet will always be where the groceries are and in the fall at Leavellwood with cooler surface temperatures the baitfish will be on the surface or up in the shallows with the bass not far away. Fall fishing here at Leavellwood can be absolutely on fire from September all the way through December, all depending on the weather and when the actual bitter winter cold sets in.

Leavellwood with both Northern and Florida bass stocked can provide very good catches even in extreme weather conditions. Cold fronts are a norm in the fall months and we all know how so called “blue northers” effect the bite, it will shut down the Florida strain of bass but on the other hand will put the Northern strain tight to cover allowing an angler to flip or pitch into the heaviest cover and catch quality fish. Leavellwood has everything to accommodate every fall pattern, from burning a spinner bait to shallow or mid depth running crankbait for active schoolers to light jigs and tubes for those big trophy sized lunker bass buried up in all heavy cover.

Either way a day in the fall at Leavellwood would be a day to remember because there would be an opportunity to catch good numbers of grade fish, three to four pounders and always have the opportunity to catch that trophy of a lifetime while having all that fun. World class fishing with the warmest Southern hospitality in a fall of the year setting, turning leaves of red and yellow accompanied by cool breezes and sounds of leaping bass on your line, that’s what fall fishing at Leavellwood is all about.

An Interview With Dalton Bobo
By Trey Montgomery
Leavellwood
Q: Dalton. What is your favorite lure for fall fishing?
A: Crank bait is my favorite because fish are schooling.

Q: What is your second choice?
A: Spinner bait. Burning or waking around shad.

Q: As far as plastics go, what do you use?
A: Large worms that are 8 inch, Texas rigged.

Q: How does fall fishing differ from spring fishing?
A: Primary fish move shallow in the spring to access spawning territory. In the fall, fish move shallow because of falling temperature, solely to feed for winter.

Q: What are some techniques that you use as a pattern for fall fishing?
A: 1. Shallow to mid-depth crank baits in a shad color.
2. Small to medium spinner baits with a fast retrieve on surface.
3. Pitch or flipping shallow worm with tube.
4. Top water walking or popping surface lures around shallow cover.

Q: How would you approach a lake in the fall?
A: Locate pockets or areas of the lake with the largest concentration of baitfish in the shallow parts of the lake.

Q: Can you pattern fall fish better than the spring time?
A: Yes. Fall patterns will hold more so than spring, because cold fronts tend to hurt fish activity when the water is trying to warm as opposed to fall when the water is trying to cool down.

Q: Which is your favorite time to fish?
A: Fall. Daytime temperatures are more pleasant. The bite is more aggressive because fish are actively fishing to put on body weight for the long cold winter.

Q: What is your favorite State lake in Alabama to fish?
A: Miller’s Ferry.

Q: Out of the four lakes at Leavellwood, which is your favorite?
A: Fantasy Island.

Q: What about bream fishing at Leavellwood?
A: The most awesome pan fishing because of the sheer size of the Copper nose is unbelievable. Ultra light tackle is not recommended.

For more information on Leavellwood call 205/372-2323 or visit the web site at www.leavellwood.com