PaulVE64

If the water is dropping they are normally heading to deeper stable water out of the current. They may not be feeding but that's where they chill out as it were.

It's getting cold in Canada. Water temps are low 40s. Caught this gal today, probably the last of the year. I normally can't catch smallies from Nov.- Feb. But wish me luck, I'll be fishing again this year.

I like to move around especially when the water is low.

Upsizing and going slower has worked for me. But if you tell me your problem is catching too many will you invite me next time?

Merino wool against the skin, wind layer and then something with bulk for a thermal layer and thick wool socks. I dont care which brand that much. Edit- I grew up on a farm in Canada with 2 brothers and we played alot of pond hockey. Sometimes you fell in and you remember those times.

Rod

Was bank fishing with my brother who is a very good trout fisherman. Anyway he's a hundred yards ahead of me and it's been a tough day without any bites. But eventually I hear him shout "fish on" After a few moments I hear him shouting again but I cant quite make out what he's saying. He continues to shout so I decide to go see what all the fuss is about. And there he is hunched over with his face in his hands and he's kissing the fish. Weird Well apparently he leaned in a little too close to the smallmouth he caught on a jerkbait and it jumped hooking a treble into his cheek which he grabbed to keep it still. So now he's got hooks in both hands, his face and the fish. I guess trout dont jump.

I must admit that I find it difficult to believe that speed cranking can work in cold water and yet some really great fishermen have sucsess doing it. It probably doesn't work for me because I give up on it too quickly.

Are you fishing rivers, ponds or lakes?

Cold up in Canada. Water temps are high 40s Hockey season is here and the rare base is biting.

BR member Smalljaw has tied this jig

Yes, I group them by wt. then style, and then colour

Expride MH starts at 1/4 oz. But you can load it on a 3/16 oz jig?

For smallies I typically use a light wire hook so I am also using lighter gear. For 1/4 oz a mf or a mlf spinning rod w/ 10# test braid and light drag.

I am tying deer and wool heads on a 1/8 - 3/16 oz jig with a stout hook. DYNAMITE on the river.

Sometimes with smallies it seems to be opposite day

It's important to find a knot that you can reliably tie.

FG gets a bad wrap but it's the best.

Mango and 3/16 oz But if the water is low I like an 1/8 oz better

One of my most effective finesse presentations is a flatworm or a swampcrawler on a shakey head. In the river I slowly draw them in bouncing off the tops of every boulder I can hit and if the current allows I hop them. I lose alot more jigs when I hop them but it covers water faster and sometimes gets more strikes.

I prefer the bigger reel myself. I like the line pickup for everything I do on the river.

What is your impression of the walleye series vs the bass series. I have a 2pc 7' Avid mf that is the rod I use the most. My tackle guy has the 7-6 mlxf Avid Walleye that he says I should try for hair and crayfish jigs in my river

Last night it dipped below freezing, so today I was throwing a black marabou jig. Little jealous of you southern boys

3" soft plastic hellgrammite 3.5" fluke GY Hula Grub