Bass on lakes throughout the region reacted similarly to cooling air and water behind a recent front that brought overnight freezes nearly as far south as Conroe. The effects of that front were short-lived, but they served notice to the fish that change is under way. This time of year, bass typically concentrate their activity in the shallows early and late, under the subdued light of dawn and dusk, then fall off the edges of those flats while the sun is high and bright. This pattern should hold up until true winter makes its presence felt. The fish need to put on weight, which will translate down the line to life-saving energy through the coldest months and, eventually, during the rigors of the spawn.
Late fall is a good time for the average bass fisherman to be on the water.
All the stumps and brush and mats of hydrilla that fell relatively unproductive through the dead of summer suddenly are active again. You can't make a mistake with a buzzbait and not know it. Slow the retrieve or drop the rod tip, and the lure falls beneath the surface. If you can't see your buzzbait, it isn't doing its job. Repeat if necessary.