October fishing Indiana reservoir

Question

FishGPT · Accepted Answer

**October on Indiana reservoirs** can be a sweet spot, especially as you trade summer heat for crisp mornings and clearer water. Patterns shift with the weather fronts, turnover, and shorter days, but the bite can be strong if you stay flexible. Here’s a practical, field-tested plan that covers bass, walleye, and panfish, plus gear ideas to keep you productive through the month.

**Season snapshot (early fall):** water temps typically drift into the 60s, fish start feeding up for winter, and turnover can open up deeper structure. Expect breezy days, cooler nights, and clearer water in many reservoirs. Use the front-affected windows (often a day or two after a cold front) to key in on aggressive fish.

**Target species & tactics**
- **Bass**: focus on points, drop-offs, and creek-channel edges around structures. Early fall is a great time for topwater mornings (popper/whopper-style) followed by mid-depth swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits along ledges. Transition to slower presentations as the sun climbs. 
- **Walleye**: look to channel ledges and deeper humps in the 15–40 ft range, especially after turnover. Jigging with live bait or small swimbaits near structure, plus trolling crankbaits along ledges, can pay off. 
- **Crappie/Bluegill**: around brush, docks, and submerged timber in 8–20 ft. Small jigs or minnows under a bobber, or vertical jigging from a boat, works well.

**Solid lures & color ideas**
- Early fall calls for a mix: topwater for the sunrise bite, mid-depth crankbaits or lipless spoons, and subtle jigs with live bait for the deeper fish. Use natural greens, browns, and blues in clear water; dark or chartreuse can help in stained water. 
- For walleyes, a 1/4–3/8 oz jig with leeches or minnows, or a blade bait, along channel edges is a strong bet.

**Techniques you can work now**
- Start before first light with a topwater or a shad-imitation popper along points and creek arms. 
- After the sun hits, switch to mid-depth crankbaits, swimbaits, or spinnerbaits to locate active bass and moving schools. 
- For walleye, work deeper structure with controlled, patient jigging; don’t rush the edge of a drop-off. 
- Keep quiet around spawning/holding areas; fish can be spooky in clearer autumn water.

**Weather & season notes**
- Fronts bring short windows of bites; if a front slows things, switch back to slower plastics or go shallower for a quick reset. Shorter days mean sharper bite windows, especially in the dawn and dusk hours.

**Quick references (videos & gear)**
- TOP 6 Baits for EARLY Fall (Surface, Mid-Depth, Bottom): [Watch here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WxwBHUVx24) 
- My TOP 5 Fall Fishing Lures For Bass: [Watch here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCBkGwvnvrg) 
- Indiana Fall Crappie Action (Gear): [Watch here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Aoxj1hOQNw) 
- Late-summer walleye locations: [Watch here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9d6pGBGLZo) 
- Fall BASS Fishing Guide: [Watch here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GovQxGBsk1Q) 
- Gear picks to consider: 
  - O.H. Ivie Reservoir Fishing Map: [View on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DWUJUIW?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1) 
  - FONMANG 126Pcs Fishing Lures: [View on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTH8MXB4?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1) 
  - TRUSCEND Swimbaits & accessories: [View on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GP1DL4K?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)

**Pro tip:** keep a simple two-rod system ready: one for fast-moving baits on top and another for deeper, slow presentations. This minimizes time wasted swapping setups, especially when fronts roll in. Don’t forget to check wind-driven current around points and creek inlets—those edges are gold in October.

If you want, tell me which reservoir you’re hitting in Indiana and I’ll tailor the plan to that lake’s structure and typical turnover pattern. Tight lines and good optics! 👊🎣

Question is October fishing Indiana reservoir

Related Videos

Product Recommendations

O.H. Ivie Reservoir Fishing Map

FONMANG 126Pcs Fishing Lures - 2025 New Tackle Box with Tackle Included, Fishing Kit with VIBs, Frogs, Minnows, Soft Baits, Hooks & Weights Accessories, Freshwater Lure Kit for Bass Walleye Trout

TRUSCEND Easy Catch Swimmax, Magic Noisy Turbulent Wiggling and Vibrating Actions for More Bites, Segmented Swimbait Jointed by Dyneema Strongest Fiber, Lifelike Fishing Lures for Relax Family Fishing

Berkley Shallow Money Badger Fishing Hard Bait

TRUSCEND Top Water Fishing Lures with BKK Hooks, Whopper for Freshwater or Saltwater, Floating Lure Bass Catfish Pike, Wobble Surface Bait Teasers Gifts Men

TRUSCEND Fishing Lures for Bass Trout Jighead Lures Paddle Tail Swimbaits Soft Fishing Baits Freshwater Saltwater Jigging Bass Gear Gifts for Men

TRUSCEND Well-Made Rooster Tail Fishing Lures with Flash Copper Body and Blade, Two-Way Spinning Spoons System Fishing Spinners for Jigging, Freshwater Crappie Jigs, Blade Bait for Bass Trout Walleye

Multi-Segmented Fishing Lures, Glide Swim Bait Lure Freshwater and Saltwater for Bass Fishing Stuff, Swimbait Crank Baits (3-Pack-Style)

Community

General Questions

What lures and methods should i use to catch fish in the corpus area, I am using a shimono 150 dc with 20lb braid, and other setup with a lews custom reel with 16lb braid

what are the best places to fish in malta

whst is the best places to fish in malta

What bait or lure and rigging should I use to fish from shore at New Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter in Hong Kong, and what is the best time and date to fish there this week?

More Questions

What lures are good to use in the Jock River, in Ottawa Canada, during the Fall?

What European fish eat spinners?

What are the best lakes, ponds, and rivers to fish near Towson?

How do I catch lake trout on Lake Simcoe?

Is there a sweet spot single size and color for a Caddis Pupae on the Kenai River in August?

Where can I fish for crappie in Philadelphia?

What are some good spots around Hong Kong that i can fish. I've got a boat. Nothing totally offshore in deep blue water.

Fishing near me