®
Fall 2026
great bait to cast to schools of roaming schoolers. It’s heavy so it gets down to the fish fast and casts a mile.
My third choice is a jig. When the bite gets tough, my go- to lure is a football jig 3/8-1oz. I make a cast, let it bottom and either drag it, give it small pops with the tip, slow real it in like a crankbait or stroke it getting a few feet off the bottom. This can catch some of the biggest bass in the lake.
My fourth choice is a walking topwater bait. Even during the fall, bass will often push bait to the surface. A walking bait can produce explosive topwater strikes when fish are actively feeding. It can be worked with different cadences super-fast or slow popped like a popper every one to five seconds or continuous. You just need to figure out what they want.
My fifth choice is a Neko rig. It can be cast at single and schooled fish and is deadly on rock, near weeds and brush. I pan side-to-side with live forward-facing sonar and make a cast ahead of a bass or into a school, let it hit bottom and start working it back with pops always keeping in contact with the bait. Also shaking the Neko like a minnow as it falls on a light nail weight is also a great way to get a bite and a presentation they don’t see often.
WB: How important is good electronics and can a new angler purchase a less expensive unit that only shows how deep the water is?
Balaba: Electronics have changed the game. There’s no denying that electronics have transformed competitive bass fishing. Today’s forward-facing sonar, or live sonar, has become one of the most valuable tools an angler can own. If you’re not using it, you’re often at a significant disadvantage, especially deep, clear reservoirs during the fall. There are exceptions. Tournaments during the spawn or on lakes dominated by grass can still be won without live sonar. But for most fall events on Northern California highland
reservoirs, being able to locate bait, identify suspended fish, figure out what they want and how they want it and efficiently cover water is a major advantage.
WB: What is the best safety advice you have for a kayaker?
Balaba: Safety comes first! One of the best investments I’ve ever made is my Kokatat semi-drysuit. During the cold-water months, it’s an essential piece of equipment. It’s completely waterproof, allows me to layer underneath depending on conditions, and provides added flotation while I always continue to wear my personal flotation device (PFD).
Surprisingly, I don’t need many layers to stay comfortable, even in very cold weather. When it rains, I stay dry. More importantly, wearing a semi-drysuit gives me peace of mind. If something unexpected happens on the water, I know I’m far better protected from cold-water immersion and the elements.
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Balaba’s closing thought: Bass fishing has taken me from childhood memories with my dad to winning some of the biggest kayak tournaments on the West Coast. While techniques and technology continue to evolve, the fundamentals remain the same: understand seasonal movements, pay attention to bait, adapt to changing conditions, and never stop learning. Every day on the water is another opportunity to improve. Whether you’re competing in your first bass tournament or your hundredth, success comes from education, time on the water, and making the right decisions when it matters most. For me, it all started with a fishing rod in my dad’s hands and a three- year-old kid who loved reeling in hard fighting fish. •