Zone 2 – October
Strike King pro Dakota Ebare shares his insights on fishing in Zone 2 during the month of October.
In October in Zone 2, Dakota expects water temperatures to be in the mid to low 70's, with some parts of the lake turning over. He says the bass will typically feed a lot better after the turnover and will move deeper. On this deep move, they will get around grass, brush, and points. This is all in transition to their wintertime areas, specifically drains and ditches.
When fishing in clear, stained, or muddied water, he chooses the Sexy Dawg Topwater Green Gizzard Shad.
He loves this premium “walk-the-dog” topwater lure for its exceptional action that's easy to work and far casting.
He uses the Hack Attack Heavy Cover in Sexy Shad with a Rage Scounbug Blue Craw trailer in clear water. He prefers Sexy Blue Black Herring for stained water and White for muddy.
The Heavy Cover Swim Jig is designed with a strong and durable weed guard that helps him navigate through the thickest of cover and cut through the grass to find the big ones.
In clear or stained water, he throws the Caffeine Shad in Sexy Shad 2.0 with a Tour Grade Tungsten Weight Carolina Rig in Green Pumpkin. Pearl is his top choice in muddy conditions.
The Caffeine Shad is great for masking unnatural scents and giving fish a tasty reason to hold onto the bite longer, resulting in a healthy increase in positive hook-ups.
When fishing in clear Ebare prefers Mirage Gizzard Shad. Chart Sexy Shad 2.0 is his top choice in stained and muddy conditions.
The 6XD Elite Crankbait is extremely well-balanced and has a unique curved bill to help reach its target depths faster and keep it in the target zone longer on each retrieve, along with ultra-sharp, premium hooks for secure hook ups
Ebare goes for the Ghost Shad in clear water, Sexy Shad in stained, and Pearl in muddy conditions.
The Pinger Minnow has a 90° line tie that enables effortless depth control and maintains a consistent horizontal motion, while the minnow’s hyper-realistic profile stands out vividly on live sonar
Zone 2 – October
Strike King pro Todd Faircloth calls out a few key factors when fishing in Zone 2 during October.
“In October, you will find that most of the lakes in Zone 2 will be below normal pool elevation with water temps in the 70's,” shares Faircloth. With changing water conditions, Faircloth expects to see bass start transitioning to shallower vegetation. “The fish will start their fall migration into the creeks. Look for the shad and schooling activity and fish whatever cover is available – grass, pads, wood, or rock in 3- to 10-feet,” advises Faircloth.
If the water is clear, Faircloth prefers Mouse. In stained water, he switches to Spot Remover. For muddy water, he will favor Chartreuse White.
Crafted to travel through heavy cover with ease, Strike King’s Tour Grade Spinnerbait has a weight forward head design, light wire frame, and Gamakatsu® hook.
Faircloth’s choice for clear water is Clear Ghost Sexy Shad, while he opts for Chrome Sexy Shad if the water is stained. Bone is Faircloth’s first option in muddy conditions.
The KVD Splash is the perfect balance of spitting, chugging and walking to entice topwater strikes. Splash features premium components, feather enhanced rear treble hook, 3D eyes, ultra-realistic paint jobs and strike-inducing action.
He opts for Bullfrog in clear water, and switches to Pearl White if the water is stained. Faircloth goes for Black in muddy water.
Designed and approved by Kevin VanDam for open water and heavy cover applications, Strike King’s KVD Sexy Frog features a sealed nose, which minimizes water entry, and a free-floating rattle to create the noise needed to get those lunkers' attention.
If the water is clear, he will throw Clearwater Minnow, while more stained water calls for Oyster. When fishing in low-vis conditions, Faircloth opts for Chartreuse Black.
Strike King’s Hybrid Hunter has an incredibly loud rattle system and travels through grass better than any other hard bait.
He opts for Sexy Blue Herring in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Chartreuse White, while he will switch to Black if the water is muddy.
Strike King’s Tour Grade Buzzbait is made with premium components, such as a sculpted quick-planing head and an exclusive Gamakatsu® hook, making it a go-to in Faircloth’s lineup.