What’s your favorite time to go fishing? That is a question as a professional angler that I hear often. My answer: October. I love October for lots of reasons.

Many years ago, I started fishing a bottom bouncer weight with a plain snell and a nightcrawler for summer walleyes. The rig quickly became a stalwart in my guiding and walleye tournament arsenal. Over time, however, I discovered the rig also catches fish during the cooler water periods of spring and fall.

A common question is “what’s the best lure to throw to catch lots of fish of various species?” For me, the answer is easy. A bladed swim jig paired with a plastic trailer catches bass, northern pike, and walleyes. Plus, the combo is easy to fish.