Need Tips

[lockhart52]

I have not been since thanksgiving and already itching to fish. is anyone still fishing? I read and hear about people fishing as long as they can put the boat in the water. what are you thoughts on winter bass fishing? I throw a crank-bait to much and was thinking about using this time to practice my jig fishing and large plastics. The lake that i will be fishing is very shallow, its 9ft at is deepest point.

I'm in northeast ohio

water temps about 39

[Sun Fish]

I haven't stopped fishing here in NE PA. Water temps are below 40 with thin ice on the surface in the mornings. Bites are few and far between and everytime I go out I expect to be skunked and anything else is a suprise. My last fish was on 11/25 in 40 degree water that weighed in at 3.96 caught on a black and blue jig w/ rage craw trailer. I've been out at least 7 times since then and have only had one bite that got off. My friend landed a 4lb largie and 2 lb smallie last weekend so it's not impossible to get bit it's just difficult. I figure the more I try the better my chances of success and maybe I'll figure out the winter pattern better eventually.

The best advice that can be given is whatever baits you choose to try, SLOW DOWN your presentation and dress warm so your comfortable out there.

[Knightiac]

High of 81 here in Orlando today

[SnazzySenko]

I fished in Eastern Ohio last winter during January and I used white-gray crankbait with a diving depth of 4ft;(You might want to use 5-8ft diving depth) the bass were killing it (in winter terms). I then switched to a dropshot rig with a 6" Zoom Worm (Pumpkin colored) and i caught about 2 every day I was fishing. Just experiment with what you like or try using live shiners if it has to go there.

[shootermcbob]

I still venture out...but I really use this time to try different lures, combinations, lure modifications, etc that I garner from places like this website. If I catch a fish...it is just an added extra. I do not really want to stand and drag a jig around. I have explored with some different ways to rig an inline spinner, and have fished a couple different drop shot baits...just experimenting

[Sam]

Cold water slows down the bass' metabolism.

To save energy a bass will want to eat the easiest meal he can with the most protein.

A bulky jig, a big worm, a brush hog and a creature bait can work as can a flat sided crankbait.

As said above, fish s-l-o-w. It can be painful but you have to fish this way in cold water.

[gripnrip]

Ya can't go wrong with a 5" magnum Zoom worm In pumpkin. It is a thick compact bait that works anytime of the year. Rig it on a 3/0 EWG and use a 1/4 tungsten bullet sinker. My secret is to use spike it just on the tail. You'll hook some good ones!

[bassguytom]

I am still at it here in PA outside of Philadelphia. We are catching some bass on a lucky craft pointer 78 jerkbait. Chartreuse Shad color, reel the pause for 20 seconds then twitch slightly that's when they hit.

[lockhart52]

Ok, thanks for all the information. I am going to go out this week and try some of these tactics. This will be my 1st time winter fishing.

[wademaster1]

Still fishin here.

[jhoffman]

My worry would be here in the NE that the night following my trip it would drop below freezing and something would take a hit. My boat doesnt have a heated living space.

[grampa1114]

Seems to me that unless you want to rewinterize after every trip that you need a heated storage area. This lesson I learned the hard way when it cost me a lower unit. Fishing from shore is much less productive but also much less expensive.

Grampa.....

[Crestliner2008]

Well, with a "high" today of only 36, most of the water I want to fish is now iced over for the winter. However, up until "ice up", I was out there. I get a lot of LM on crappie jigs or Roadrunners when the water gets down to near freezing. And I always carry along blade baits, hard jerkbaits and tubes to cover the presentation spectrums.

[limprod]

High of 81 here in Orlando today

Oh darn it sucks to be me in frozen Iowa