How-To

Lester’s top fall lures for Tims Ford

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Cooler weather, active bass and a 10,000-acre lake with less angling pressure than others in the surrounding area. Tims Ford, nestled in the hollows of middle Tennessee, is a unique fishery offering superb smallmouth and largemouth fishing. A weekend here is the perfect fall getaway with plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in the crisp, fall air. There’s even a historic distillery nearby known for its Tennessee Whiskey.
Cooler weather, active bass and a 10,000-acre lake with less angling pressure than others in the surrounding area. Tims Ford, nestled in the hollows of middle Tennessee, is a unique fishery offering superb smallmouth and largemouth fishing. A weekend here is the perfect fall getaway with plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in the crisp, fall air. There’s even a historic distillery nearby known for its Tennessee Whiskey.
Pack your suitcase and leave the lure packing to Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Tennessean Brandon Lester. He grew up around here and favors the lake for a place to unwind and enjoy fun fishing during the off season.
Pack your suitcase and leave the lure packing to Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Tennessean Brandon Lester. He grew up around here and favors the lake for a place to unwind and enjoy fun fishing during the off season.
Everything you need for a Tims Ford fall fishing trip is inside this tacklebox. Follow Lester’s advice and you’ll do more catching than searching for where to start on his home lake.
Everything you need for a Tims Ford fall fishing trip is inside this tacklebox. Follow Lester’s advice and you’ll do more catching than searching for where to start on his home lake.
<b>Lure details:</b> Lester modifies a buzzbait by replacing the skirt with a soft plastic toad-style frog. “This is my favorite fall lure for Tims Ford, and it’s fun to use.”
Lure details: Lester modifies a buzzbait by replacing the skirt with a soft plastic toad-style frog. “This is my favorite fall lure for Tims Ford, and it’s fun to use.”
<b>How to fish it:</b> The bait is streamlined for longer casts, and you can even skip it beneath docks or under woody overhangs along the shoreline. “What I also like about this setup is you can cover a lot of water” says Lester. “Just put your trolling motor down and hit all the laydowns and wood cover you encounter along the way.” Pockets, or small coves off the main lake, are the primary strike zones.
How to fish it: The bait is streamlined for longer casts, and you can even skip it beneath docks or under woody overhangs along the shoreline. “What I also like about this setup is you can cover a lot of water” says Lester. “Just put your trolling motor down and hit all the laydowns and wood cover you encounter along the way.” Pockets, or small coves off the main lake, are the primary strike zones.
<b>Lure details:</b> Whopper Plopper 110.
Lure details: Whopper Plopper 110.
<b>How to fish it:</b> “Use this topwater on windy days instead of the buzzbait,” Lester says. The reason why is the bigger profile of the bait and rotating tail displace more water. That commotion grabs the attention of bass cruising along the strike zone looking for an easy meal. “Fish it in the same areas you would the buzzbait, like pockets off the main lake.”
How to fish it: “Use this topwater on windy days instead of the buzzbait,” Lester says. The reason why is the bigger profile of the bait and rotating tail displace more water. That commotion grabs the attention of bass cruising along the strike zone looking for an easy meal. “Fish it in the same areas you would the buzzbait, like pockets off the main lake.”
<b>Lure details:</b> Heddon Super Spook Jr. “It’s my favorite all-time topwater lure, and I’ve caught more bass on it here than anything else.”
Lure details: Heddon Super Spook Jr. “It’s my favorite all-time topwater lure, and I’ve caught more bass on it here than anything else.”
<b>How to fish it:</b> As cooler nighttime temperatures lower water temps, the bass instinctively begin searching for roaming baitfish. “This bait is very productive for calling up schooling bass. It’s got an unbeatable side-by-side, walk-the-dog action that adds splash and commotion to the surface,” Lester says. He calls this an alternative to the buzzbait. “With that you are covering water; the Spook is more target-oriented.” Points and docks are the lure targets. Also, look for the presence of schooling bass and cast it into the action.
How to fish it: As cooler nighttime temperatures lower water temps, the bass instinctively begin searching for roaming baitfish. “This bait is very productive for calling up schooling bass. It’s got an unbeatable side-by-side, walk-the-dog action that adds splash and commotion to the surface,” Lester says. He calls this an alternative to the buzzbait. “With that you are covering water; the Spook is more target-oriented.” Points and docks are the lure targets. Also, look for the presence of schooling bass and cast it into the action.
<b>Lure details:</b> 1/8-ounce homemade shaky head with a 4/0 Mustad Hook, rigged with a straight-tailed finesse worm.
Lure details: 1/8-ounce homemade shaky head with a 4/0 Mustad Hook, rigged with a straight-tailed finesse worm.
<b>How to fish it:</b> As he is fishing down a shoreline, Lester picks up this rig when encountering docks and shallow wood. The back ends of creeks are ideal habitat when a finesse approach is required to get bites.
How to fish it: As he is fishing down a shoreline, Lester picks up this rig when encountering docks and shallow wood. The back ends of creeks are ideal habitat when a finesse approach is required to get bites.
<b>Lure details:</b> 1/2-ounce spinnerbait with double willowleaf blades, in natural shad patterns to mimic the lake’s abundance of threadfin shad.
Lure details: 1/2-ounce spinnerbait with double willowleaf blades, in natural shad patterns to mimic the lake’s abundance of threadfin shad.
<b>How to fish it:</b> “When water temperatures dip below 70 degrees here in fall the bass activity is dictated by the movement of the baitfish,” Lester says. “The spinnerbait’s appearance and how you can cover a lot of water as the bass are on the move make it a perfect choice.” He favors the spinnerbait on cloudy, windy days that are common with approaching cold fronts. Have fun winding this bait through, around and over shoreline cover nearer the points. Docks can be productive, too.
How to fish it: “When water temperatures dip below 70 degrees here in fall the bass activity is dictated by the movement of the baitfish,” Lester says. “The spinnerbait’s appearance and how you can cover a lot of water as the bass are on the move make it a perfect choice.” He favors the spinnerbait on cloudy, windy days that are common with approaching cold fronts. Have fun winding this bait through, around and over shoreline cover nearer the points. Docks can be productive, too.
<b>Lure details:</b> Mid-depth running crankbait in shad patterns that look like threadfin shad.
Lure details: Mid-depth running crankbait in shad patterns that look like threadfin shad.
<b>How to fish it:</b> “The 8- to 12-foot range is productive later in fall as the bass and bait move deeper in the water column,” Lester says. “Fish this crankbait on points leading out of pockets, and use it in windy conditions.”
How to fish it: “The 8- to 12-foot range is productive later in fall as the bass and bait move deeper in the water column,” Lester says. “Fish this crankbait on points leading out of pockets, and use it in windy conditions.”
<b>Lure details:</b> Prototype Mustad square bill crankbait. The bait’s fat profile imparts a wider wobble, and the circuit board lip makes the bait reach the desired depth (and strike zone) quicker, while also adding more vibration.
Lure details: Prototype Mustad square bill crankbait. The bait’s fat profile imparts a wider wobble, and the circuit board lip makes the bait reach the desired depth (and strike zone) quicker, while also adding more vibration.
<b>How to fish it:</b> “Use this type bait in the creeks as you search for schools of bass and baitfish,” says Lester. “It’s a different look and sound the bass aren’t used to seeing.”
How to fish it: “Use this type bait in the creeks as you search for schools of bass and baitfish,” says Lester. “It’s a different look and sound the bass aren’t used to seeing.”
<b>Lure details:</b> 3/16-ounce Mustad Grip-Pin Ned Jig Head, with a Z-Man Finesse TRD trailer. “This is a smallmouth catcher on Tims Ford,” says Lester. “Fish it on main lake points and in the backs of creeks.”
Lure details: 3/16-ounce Mustad Grip-Pin Ned Jig Head, with a Z-Man Finesse TRD trailer. “This is a smallmouth catcher on Tims Ford,” says Lester. “Fish it on main lake points and in the backs of creeks.”
<b>Lure details: </b>1/2-ounce football jig. As the water temperature continues to get colder, the bass forage transitions from threadfin shad to crawfish. This bait, and how you work it, is an ideal choice when crawfish are most sought by the bass.
Lure details: 1/2-ounce football jig. As the water temperature continues to get colder, the bass forage transitions from threadfin shad to crawfish. This bait, and how you work it, is an ideal choice when crawfish are most sought by the bass.
<b>How to fish it: </b>Crawfish get active on windblown points and so do the bass. “Without wind this is my go-to bait, because Tims Ford has a healthy population of crawfish,” says Lester. Cast the jig out over the points and slowly hop it back to the boat.
How to fish it: Crawfish get active on windblown points and so do the bass. “Without wind this is my go-to bait, because Tims Ford has a healthy population of crawfish,” says Lester. Cast the jig out over the points and slowly hop it back to the boat.
<b>Lure details:</b> 1/2-ounce Spot Sticker Baits Jig with soft plastic chunk-style trailer.
Lure details: 1/2-ounce Spot Sticker Baits Jig with soft plastic chunk-style trailer.
<b>How to fish it:</b> “Pick up this bait when you run across bluff walls, laydowns and docks,” says Lester. “The action resembles the movement of a crawfish, and I’ve had a lot of success over the years with it, when a power fishing bite is on.”
How to fish it: “Pick up this bait when you run across bluff walls, laydowns and docks,” says Lester. “The action resembles the movement of a crawfish, and I’ve had a lot of success over the years with it, when a power fishing bite is on.”

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