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I'm the first to admit that summer is my favourite time of year to catch smallmouth bass, and especially when fishing with surface baits. There's just something magical about smallmouth and topwater fishing that sets my heart racing like nothing else.

But when it comes to consistent action for above-average sized fish, it's tough to beat the fall. With the shorter days and cooler nights, smallmouth know it's their last chance to gorge before winter's ice locks the lakes shut and cold water slows their metabolism.

By early October smallmouth begin to concentrate on deep structure near between their summer hunting grounds and the deeper open lake spaces where they'll pass the winter. Sharp drop-offs that connect deep water to shallow areas are key spots where bass will congregate. When they're hungry, they can move just a short distance to find prey in areas from 10 to 20 feet deep. But when a storm comes through, they similarly don't need to go far to find deeper, calmer water. Steeply breaking shoreline drops, saddles connecting islands to shorelines or groups of islands together, and shoals in open water all become key spots, especially if they offer direct access to the main lake basin and span depths of 10 to 40 feet or more.

In the early part of the fall smallmouth will still be aggressive, making big, easy meals the order of the day. Slowly dragging a big tube - either on a jighead or as the business end of a Carolina rig - is tough to beat since the bait provides a thick, enticing profile yet remains neutrally buoyant enough to allow a gentle presentation. The idea is to drag the tube along as if you're trying to sneak it by without being seen. Don't bounce it up and down, try to slide it along the bottom like a real crayfish. Don't worry, the bass will find it.

Determining the right amount of weight can be the tricky bit when fishing tubes, since you want to get down to the fish quickly, yet not anchor it to the bottom once it arrives. Fishing in calm water and to depths of up to 20 feet, a 1/4-ounce jig head works just fine, with a 3/8 ounce good to about 30 feet. In windy weather you may want to increase the weight in order to better maintain bottom contact.

To really juice your game, try giving your tube a little extra pizzazz by inserting a piece of an Alka-Selzer tablet into the bait. As it dissolves in the water, it will leave an enticing trail of bubbles behind - a unique little extra that can entice even the most reluctant bass to give it a smack.

There are literally hundreds of soft plastic tubes available to anglers today, in salted and non-salted styles, and in a rainbow of colors. My all-time favourite remains the original 3.5-inch Berkley Power Tube in dull finishes like smoke gold, breen green, and watermelon vapor. The original power tubes are readily available anywhere, they're durable, and they simply catch a lot of fish. I'll fish them on medium action spinning gear, using a longer rod in the eight foot range with a light tip, which I find gives me just a bit more control in working the bait.

As the weeks roll by and water cools to the point of turning over, smallmouth will further concentrate into prime spots in depths from 20 to 40 feet. With water temperatures hitting the upper to mid-40s, it's time for a less aggressive approach as crayfish become more dormant and smallmouth shift to more of a fish diet. This is when dropshot rigs really come into their own, providing an ideal way to present light baits in deep water. Yamamoto 3-3/4 inch shad shape fishing worms or baits like the X Zone Finesse Slammer in similar dull finishes consistently produce some of the biggest bass of the year.

While it's still hard to beat the thrill of fishing topwaters for smallmouth on a hot summer evening, fall is the time to catch those photo album fish. Fish deep and slow and you could just have some of the best days of the year.

Gear Used:

• Tube jig head (1/4 to 3/8 oz)
• Berkley Power Tube 3.5"
• Yamamoto 3-3/4 inch shad shape fishing worms
• X Zone Finesse Slammer
• Alka-Selzer