When the leaves begin to change and cool nights drop the water temperatures, a feeding sensation is triggered on Jordan Lakes bass. The Coosa River, “Spotted bass bite” is as noted in the Fall on Lake Jordan as the Smallmouth fishing is on The Tennessee River in Northern Alabama. This is when the monster spots emerge, doing battle with any angler and testing his tackle, as much as their hard fighting cousins, the smallmouth bass. The spotted bass's weight class is as significant too. Each Fall many huge spotted bass are landed, some weighing from 7-8 lbs. Their aerial acrobatics and hard pulling runs are a test of tackle (and patience) to land one of these fish-of-a-lifetime trophies. The lakes headwaters account for 90 percent of most trophy, spotted bass taken on Jordan Lake.

Half of Jordan Lake is made up of small pockets and cuts along the main lake. Most are weed lined and have standing timber, blowdowns, laying logs, stumps, brush and rocky banks, all the way to the shallow back ends. Largemouth’s prevail here in the Fall, although some spotted bass and an occasional striper are taken around the creek mouths. They are also in a few feeder creeks downriver such as Weoka Mill creek or Blackwell's slew. Fishing the weeds in these feeders and along main lake banks, calls for the aforementioned lures and tactics on upper Lay and Mitchell Lakes. The weed edges call for the same lures to.

But to really fool the big largemouth’s on all three of these lakes, the Jig and trailer has enticed many a lure-conscience bass into biting. I prefer pork trailers during cold weather, but some anglers use other jig trailers with success. Plastic crayfish, especially the bigger models such as 'Big Claw' by Riverside, attract the bigger bass bite. Uncle Josh and Strike King make a sizable piece of pork for oversized trailer use. Coupled with a half to three quarters of an ounce jig, these oversized meals are better detected by the bigger bass laying in waiting. Zoom's and Sizmic’s plastic chunks are also good.

Jordan's weeds are similar to Lay's and Mitchell's. Either, thin, stringy, slimy or thick and matted, all can be probed with these heavy jigs. These heavier jigs should have rattles and an added fish attractant to increase strikes. One of today's loudest jigs, equipped with Gamakatsu hooks are made by Rippler lures (1-800-TOP LURE or www.rippler.com) and come in a variety of colors. Dropping these jigs (or worms and lizards) in small holes in the thickest weeds available can bring surprising results, if you stick with it and pay close attention to each flip, pitch, or cast you make. Some of the biggest bass on Jordan lake hit a jig with such subtle movement, you would think it was a bream, that is until you set the hook. Swimming a jig along weed edges is also deadly on Jordan lakes bass.

Jordan Lake is not noted for monster largemouth’s, but unknown to most anglers, Jordan lake has given up dozens of largemouth’s in the 7-8 lb class...but not without battle. It must be something in the water! Maybe its the constant current, making them more of a river-type bass, but something makes these “extra-strong bass” a very noticeable target for the jig flippers. Many of these bass never make it to the boat. Not before shaking loose, bending a hook, ripping their mouths in an attempt to escape, or even breaking 20 pound test line. If thats not enough, your partner has to land these vicious bass with a net. Of course maybe you would act the same way, if someone handed you a delicious meal and then suddenly snatched you up as soon as you took the first bite!