Today, BassFIRST tasked Bassmaster Elite Series pro Aaron Martens to whittle his lure selection down to his Top Three for chasing bass when the cooler weather starts to set in.
“I’m not sure I can just pick three,” said Martens. “I mean I’d usually have 10 or maybe 12 options available on the deck, but I guess I can pick the first three I usually go to in the fall.”

Topwater

“For me a topwater bait is always available on the deck in the fall,” said Martens. “It may not always be the bait to use, but I will have it ready to go.

"Usually a walking bait. Size depends on the bait the fish are feeding on, but this is usually the style of topwater I start with, but a buzzbait can also be killer this time of the year. Either way, a topwater is always at the front of the boat in the fall.”

Jig

“Either a swim jig or a football jig are also on deck,” said Martens. “A jig is so versatile. Swimming it or on the bottom, the bass usually prefer a reaction retrieve this time of the year.”

Swimbait

“Fish feed a lot on fish during the fall,” said Martens. “The crayfish thing can happen in late fall, but usually more on fish.

"I like to use a swimbait to get on that bite. Usually a 4-to 6-inch swimbait. Either on a jighead if fishing the open water or a swimbait hook weedless if I’m fishing the shallower grass. This can be a real good bait for bigger fish in the fall.”