THE BASS COLLEGE

Ive heard this time of year should be good fishing. I fish very low pressure ponds and lakes in warren and sussex county, NJ. I cant even find the bass, let alone catch em. I fish every sunday since July. never got skunked until last 2 weeks. Have to admit im new to bass fishing, but have had alot of success until now. Any suggestions. water temp between 55-59. usually fish 3-10 ft in weeds and 10-15 ft outside weedline. i am searching deeper with no luck.  looking for ledges and drop offs with depth/fish finder. i only find gradual slopes to deeper water. when at lake aeroflex when i do find flats, structure, change in vegetation, i hook into pickeral. nice fight, but not a largemouth and baits destroyed. i try dead slow finese, swimming and bottom bouncing with dirty jigs and plastics to super slow to burning retrieves with cranks and spinners. even tried dropshot but cant even find baitfish. what am i missing or doing wrong?

try a rattlebait somewhere near the grass and also try a jerkbait. your not doing anything wrong it gets tough sometimes   "NEVER GIVE UP" 

I would do what Tom said and I would also try a SILENT crankbait and a Damiki Vault.

Im a little futher north. Draging tubes and burning traps have been working good for me in and by grass, If the grass has died of try hard stucture. The exposed Rocks will hold the suns heat.

The exposed Rocks will hold the suns heat.

Only after they have heated up will they be warmer, they are the first thing that cools at night when then temps drop and in the am are colder than the rest. Ever sit on concrete or a rock in the am or when its cold?/ LOL It is Freezing. Not all rocks are equal also.

Bass head for thing that produces the most heat in the water, rocks. Would you rather have a small heater when you're outside in winter? Or a big heater that produces more heat? Rocks are exactly like those heaters but they absorb the heat given off by the sun. Fish find the biggest rock, with the sun shining on it, they can and slide right up into the cracks of the rocks. These rocks need to be in or close to deep water so the bass can migrate back out if the temperature retreats to the winter chills

Nailed them on a Jig today but 2 weeks ago my partner got 3 on spinnerbaits and I got 2 on jigs and 1 on a trap. 

Fall is a tough time to fish. Somedays you get SKUNKED and days like today I got 5. ABOUT TIME!!

i posted something very similar to this like 2 weeks ago, you gotta listen to the guys on here and DONT give up. I ended up going out on friday after everything seemed completely dead to me.. i saw baitfish jumping out of this same location along some cover, through my swimbait in there for like 10 minutes and ripped them. i had the WORST weekend 2 weeks ago and was so down about it, this weekend got me rollin' again. i literally thought the season was done..

thanks for the tips guys. i definetly need that 1 day a week on the boat. now i feel more confident about going. what do you guys think about shallower lakes like jefferson and musconetcong as water cools? and im usually on water by crack of dawn, seems like afternoon might be better choice. what do you think?

I live in Delaware not Jersey but the early morning at sunrise is good for me you get that early morning bite then you move around and get in a good spot for the afternoon. Gives you time to get to them wood piles or LARGE rocks or HEATERS as Steve says lol and your on the lake in place so no one can get your spot.