What�s your game plan on the following lake types in late fall, with a little wind and blue bird skies:

(1) a lake with no grass but some rock, some docks, some timber (but it�s shallow)?

(2) a lake with lots of steep rock, but not much else?

(3) a lake with a little bit of rock, but mainly softer muddier bottoms, some reeds, and a good bit of submerged grass?

One thing I�m trying to get better at is adapting to the conditions and the particular lake make up rather than just being on auto-pilot and always �doing what I do�. Answers/suggestions here would be helpful. Thanks!

3,2,1

1) get a jig or Texas rig as far underneath the docks as possible, shakey Head If bite is tough.
2) that steep rock will have ledges under water that you may or may not be able to see, from what I�ve learned is they like to sit on those ledges so on a sunny day and if there�s some wind, a squarebill. If there�s no wind a shakey Head or a drop shot depending on clarity.
3) id definitely focus on the submerged grass but you need to be more specific. Is it like Amistad with grass in 30 FOW or like Possum Kingdom with that long stringy grass in the back of coves? Weightless flukes always work for me over that or a buzz bait in the early morning can get some big bites. If the grass isn�t doing it go to the rock where there is some wind and squarebill till your arm falls off.
This is what I would do in the situations and would adapt to what the fish tell me throughout the day.

1.) Around the docks I would skip a chatterbait or a swimjig (both in shad color) as far as i could under the dock presenting it by as many pillers as i could. If i didnt get bit with that i would take a jig 3/8 or 3/4 depending on depth (i know thats a pretty wide range in size) but 1-6 ft i will throw the 3/8, 6-12 ft or so i will immediately go with the 3/4. I will fish the jigs alot slower around the pillers and i will usually pull 1 or 2 fish of each dock doing so. Around the rocks i will throw a jig as well mostly just a 3/8 i dont want something that will have a super hard contact with the bottom since a jig tends to get wedged between rocks and who wants to fight that the whole time when you know that there are fish on those rocks. Another i like to use around rocks is a 1.5 or 2.5 depending on natural forage size in that area, i like a chartruse/black back and have been pretty successful with that color with water that is lightly stained up to chocolate milk after a hard rain.
2.) Lake with steep rock ive never had any experience with but if i was just thrown out there and told "catch fish" then i would be looking at throwing a deeper crankbait and a heavier jig on ledges.
3.) Submurged grass depending on the depth of the grass, and if fish are actively feeding around the grass i would probably choose a spinnerbait like the strike king burner, or a weightless caffine shad, something that i can present at the top of that grass at a pretty high rate of speed so the fish arent having a long time to look at it, it catches their eye and they hammer it. Another i like to use is a walk-the-dog bait but i use the smaller one with 2 treble hooks instead of 3 so there is more of a chance of both hooks in the fish rather then 1 or 2 still hanging out of his mouth then once you hook up his first reaction is to go to cover well now you got a fish in thick grass and hes throwing that head around getting that or those hooks that arent in his lip tangled up in all kinds of grass potentially causing you to lose that fish.
Hope this helps you.

Thanks for taking the time. That is super helpful.

1) Squarebill.
2) Squarebill
3) Squarebill

December water temps upper 50s/low 60s. The bass are in transition. Some are just going to the creeks, some are already there, others are heading to the main lake deeper, and there�s the ones that just stay deep or stay shallow. To hedge your odds this time of year, I�d focus on mid lake and find the bait fish. Ragardless of the lake, turn on your sonar and follow a creek channel and head to a mid lake point. Zig zag shallower and deeper along your way, keeping your eyes and ears open, taking note of baitfish depth and bass depth. Are the bass active? Are they suspending? Do you see any Heron or other fish eating bird activity? Is there a mud line where muddier water meets clearer water? Murkier water will be warmer and the mud line provides a good ambush location for the bass. Heat retaining cover like timber, rocks, docks, grass, lily pads, and grass are great. If you can find a mud line, rocks, timber, grass edge on a point at the depth you saw the activity on the sonar, that would be ideal.

This time of year, I�ll always bring a lipless Crankbait to search shallow/mid depths and a spoon to search deeper

Lake 1. Id fish the rock at the depth saw the most activity on the sonar. Rock retains heat Football jig with chunk trailer, flat sided sq Bill shallow deeper crankbait if deeper, shaky head. If the water is clear, jerkbait

Lake 2 in the conditions you described has shaky head written all over it. Football Jig also. Jerkbait if good water clarity. Hair jig falling down that steep bluff wall.

Lake 3. Muddy bottom= drop shot for me. Keeps the bait out of the muck. Drop shot that grass line. If windy, swimbait on an underspin and lipless at the grass line. Chatterbait over the top of the grass Good water clarity, jerkbait.