Quote Originally Posted by Banjodale View Post
I fish Elkhorn and alot of streams around Richmond for smallmouth about 3 times a week with great success until early fall. Every year it seems like the bass just shut down on me. I've read articles about how this is a great time to catch bass on shad imitating lures but I have no luck, very frustrating.

I try soft plastic flukes,worms, and crayfish; inline spinners, crankbaits, and rattletraps but only catch 1-2 per 2 hr. trip in comparison to 10-15 from spring through the summer. I even see schools of bass but rarely can get them to bite anything this time of year.

Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Try this:

Use a light, long rod. A small foam slip bobber, and a fly. Try to find some bigger bead-head or wooly-booger flys and tie the fly about 1-2 feet below the foam slip bobber. Let it drift with the current, and give it a few pops every now and then. A small bobber is critical so you don't spook the fish. Don't use a weight unless you just have to.