Like South Dakota's eastern glacial lakes, the fall flatlander bite emerges in shallow, usually stained water, right at the bank. Most catches are made in depths of less than 4 feet. Kehde scours causeways and shorelines with basketball-sized rocks, particularly working the wind-blown stone. Wind is a critical element that causes waves to wash a naturally rocky bank or riprap dam and in turn attracts bass. He notes, however, that causeways -- riprap areas lining roadways that bisect reservoirs -- don't seem to need wind. Causeways produce without the influence of wave action.

"The ticket to fall fishing is that you must cover water to find whites," Kehde says. "These fish can be scattered over many miles of shoreline; therefore, my boat partners and I fish quickly, as a team, and we each throw something different. When someone hooks a fish, we slow down and work the area more methodically."

In the fall, Kehde uses spinning and baitcasting outfits, working with jigs, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. His repertoire includes Bomber Model 5As or Cotton Cordell Super Spots in 1/2- and 1/4-ounce sizes. Quarter-ounce Blakemore Roadrunners, 1/4-ounce Worden Rooster Tail in-line spinners, and 3-inch Bass Assassin Shads on 1/8-ounce heads also get play-time. His two favorite lures are a 1/8-ounce jig with a white head, a light blue wool body, and a white marabou tail; and a 1/16-ounce jig holding a 3-inch chartreuse curlytailed grub.

With any of these baits, he's casting the shoreline, holding the rod tip low and using a straight retrieve at a moderate pace with an occasional pause. This action forces the lure to glide along and occasionally tick the rocky bottom.

"In the fall," says Kehde, "these shallow lure presentations are exceedingly fruitful."

*Jeff Kutcha of Jackson, Michigan, contributes to In-Fisherman on a variety of topics.