Strike King pro Tristan McCormick shares why September is one of his favorite months to fish and why his top lures are sure to land some big bites in Zone 3.
“With water temperatures still pretty high, fish are very active! These fish are grouped up in big schools smashing bait. It’s unbelievable to watch it happen!” says McCormick. Often times, McCormick finds that most fish will be extremely high in the water column during September, some as close as 5-feet below the surface. For situations like this, McCormick trusts the KVD Sexy Dawg Hard Knock. “Once you get some blow ups and reel some in and the school calms down, you can take a Baby Z-Too on a ball lead head and throw to them and clean up the school,” advises McCormick.
Ultimately, McCormick is very confident about one thing – “You can take any of these tactics and baits across Zone 3 and absolutely smash them!”
If the water is clear, McCormick prefers Morning Dawn. In stained water, he switches to Sexy Shad. For muddy water, he will favor Natural Shad.
The Strike King KVD Filler Worm is designed to be fished for a finesse presentation, featuring a wide head for added durability, increasing the strength of the plastic to last for multiple fish catches.
McCormick’s choice for clear water is Pearl, while he opts for The Deal if the water is stained. Blue Glimmer is McCormick’s first choice in muddy or low-vis conditions.
This legendary drop shot bait fishes more like a traditional soft plastic jerkbait. When Przekurat needs to slow his presentation for lethargic fish, he will turn to the Baby Z-Too.
He opts for a Carolina Chrome Sexy Dawg Hard Knock in clear or stained water, and switches to Bone if the water is muddy.
This topwater bait is known for its premium “walk-the-dog” action. The hard knock rattle chamber emits a deep knocking sound to attract attention from hungry fish.
If the water is clear, he will throw Blue Glimmer, while more stained water calls for Green Pumpkin. Chartreuse White is a top choice for McCormick when fishing in muddy water. He pairs the jig with a Pearl Blade Minnow trailer.
In the morning, McCormick finds the best bites when bank fishing, focusing on bank grass, docks, and lay downs. “Covering water with a Tungsten Thunder Cricket can generate you some big largemouth bucket heads,” shares McCormick.
He opts for Pro Shizzle in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Pro Oyster, while he will switch to Pro Siren if the water is muddy.
McCormick also focuses on brush piles during this time of year. “Using your forward-facing sonar in today’s world is a big player. That’s when the KVD Elite 300 Jerkbait comes into play. Making these fish come out of the pile and react. It’s another awesome bite!” assures McCormick.
Strike King pro Mark Davis breaks down his go-to strategies for finding bass in Zone 3.
He recommends starting in large tributaries, where fish often gather. Ledges and main lake humps are also key areas to target, especially during seasonal shifts.
If the water is clear, Davis prefers the Moon Juice worm. In stained water, he switches to Candy Craw. For muddy water, Davis will favor a Blue Fleck bait.
The Carolina rig is a proven strategy for locating fish in deep cover, and Mark’s 1 oz Tungsten weight allows him to maintain exceptional contact with the bottom, helping him notice slight changes in the cover and bottom contour.
Davis chooses Crystal Shad for clear water, while he opts for Sexy Shad if the water is stained. In muddy water, Davis reaches for a Citrus Shad bait.
This legendary lure set the standard for deep diving crankbaits. It is a constant for Davis when fish are holding off humps and deep cover.
He opts for Chartreuse Shad in clear, stained, or muddy water.
Strike King Sexy Spoon paired with two weights is a phenomenal offshore lure when bass are chasing big bait fish. The spoon emulates a dying bait fish.
Davis cranks the reel and then kills the retrieve for the spoon to flutter back down to the bottom. Ideal for making long casts targeting offshore structure.
If the water is clear, he will throw Ghost Shad, while more stained and muddy water calls for Sexy Shad.
If fish are not chasing a fast- moving bait, the Rage Swimmer will often trigger fish to respond. The beauty of the Rage Swimmer is that the legendary tail maintains its swimming action whether burned through a school of feeding fish, or slowly crawled across the bottom or through cover.
He opts for Tennessee Shad in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Citrus Shad, while he will switch to Black Back Chartreuse if the water is muddy.
For chasing active fish and power fishing, the KVD 2.5 is great for covering water quickly.
