September is a month of transition and changing of seasons. With shortening daylight and colder nights, the entire food chain reacts and acclimates to these changes. On many clear water fisheries with sand bottom composition, trophy smallmouth return the shallows where they are most comfortable in cooling waters, and roam sand beaches. From late August through September smallmouth and many other gamefish species are on the move, searching for food and temporarily taking up residence in new habitats. By nature, large adult smallmouth are cool water species, favoring water temperatures ranging from 60 to 70 degrees. Weeks prior, most of the lake’s population was likely roaming open water or living comfortably in these same temperatures offshore on deep structure. As the first cool downs of autumn arrive, the shallows react first, immediately becoming the most comfortable water temperature range and locations of the lake to smallmouth, muskies, northern pike, and several other species. This time of year we find many of our biggest bass prowling in wolf packs along large sand flats, inside weedlines, and sand beaches in depths of 6 ft. and less. The shallow sand p