Super Cold Water Strategy

[jhoffman]

Whats your take? Lets say you have thrown all the traditional early baits in textbook areas and cant produce a bite. What are you going to do next?

 

Me personally, I am going to find the shallowest possible water that I can find in a hope that it will have water that may be well warmer than the rest. Probably going to throw a big jig and soak it. In the trout waters I fish during winter although you would think the pools would hold the fish they do not. You will find the fish stacked up in water so shallow at times that you can see backs out of the water and I am convinced they are after warmer water. If a trout that likes cold water would do that, surely a bass would right?

 

I ask because not just me but a lot of guys are coming up empty around here. Spring is a month late compared to last year. My club was out for its second event yesterday on a well known lake and the entire club produced two short fish in 8 hours of fishing. I myself got to set at my desk and after hearing that yet AGAIN this spring I am glad I saved my time.

 

With that said, to gain an edge you really have got to master cold water in the NE because like it or not, you will encounter it.

 

The other alternative would be a float and fly for me, a rig I have not yet tried.

[jhoffman]

All these great minds in fishing and no one huh??

[McAlpine]

Run around creek mouths with your sonar. Everything will be at the same depth. Find main lake points on those creek mouths and maybe secondary points going into the creeks that intercept these depths. If the weather has been stable grind a deep diver down the point to 'em. If your spring fronts have been in and out throw a shaky head down there and go slow. I consider this a post winter but pre-pre-spawn pattern. The waters cold with a late spring and the fish will be a bit behind normal patterns. If the water is clear you can try a deep diving jerk bait but let those pauses really drag on. You can catch some cows right now if you find them.

Good luck.

[flyfisher]

Well I am by no means an expert but my coldest water temp bass, 36 or so, was caught on New Year's Day this year in about 3' of water with a 3/4oz jig so to me it sounds like you are on to something.

I am convinced that there are bass shallow all year and have caught fish every month of the year in less than 5' of water.

[BuckMaxx]

In our area early spring means the lakes are FULL! I look for rocky/rip rap areas with some cover (brush) 3-8 feet of water. I primarily focus my presentation on the sunny side of the brush. The area must be near some deep water. I feel the fish move up there during the day to sun in the warmer water then move back out once the sun is not high in the sky. Best bite is between 11 am and 3 pm. Naturally the east and north ends of the lake are going to get the most afternoon sun. Slow fish a weightless senko. That's what I would be doing

[J Francho]

Lets say you have thrown all the traditional early baits in textbook areas and cant produce a bite.

 

I'm gonna go graphing, and look for fish, rather than assume my fish are well read. 

[Deleted account]

NA in PA anymore...

[Fishes in trees]

Float and fly isn't a bad idea.  Float and fly fishing is watching paint dry slow.  If you're going to commit to it I'd give it at least an hour.  I have limited experience with float and fly fishing  I think that it a clear to very clear water technique.  I'd want a secchi disc reading of 7' or 8' before I would consider investing very much time into it.

[ww2farmer]

10 years of beating my head against the wall very very early after ice out has led me to  the following thoughts/observations on cold water largemouth in the area. #1 .............forget bass fishing until the first warm up AFTER ice out, not the warm up that melts the ice. That warm up is good for getting the boat wet, casting a few new combos, and any fish caught are a bonus. They don't even know it's gone yet, and with surface temps, in the high 30's, low 40's it's brutal tough. It doesn't seem like a big change, but when the water starts climbing AND holding even slightly warmer temps, things get much better, and often it only takes a couple days/few degrees. #2- If you must bass fish this early, look for places that have resident fish that live shallow year round, and on HARD cover. It seems that places with bass that have  access to deep water fish a lot tougher when those fish have the option of going deep, and then only rising and suspending in the early season until they start to move in. #3.....don't go to a "grass lake" grass fish are tough in cold water, at least for me, especially in a lake like the one I fish most often, where there is little cover other than grass, docks, and are bowl shaped. Those fish hunker down when it's cold, and the window is small, and it can be a needle in a haystack type search, it's methodical enough when the conditions are good, let alone when they are not.  It seems like fish that relate to structure, like creek channels, steep drops, points, etc...... or deep water hard cover, are easier to find and catch when it's cold. #4..........bait, find it first. If you don't see any signs of life either with your eyes or electronics, keep moving. BUT finding bait doesn't mean you'll get bit. Take today, for me, as an example. We were on crappies, and gills pretty good in a shallow backwater area, which means bass are there too or not far behind, but years of frustration has taught me, catch what you can catch, so I stuck with the gills/craps, knowing full well that there were probably some bass around, but also knowing  how tough it would be to get them to go.

[wisconsin heat]

In my neck of the woods you are going to need a 50-75lb sinker to punch through the thick ice!

[J Francho]

10 years of beating my head against the wall very very early after ice out has led me to  the following thoughts/observations on cold water largemouth in the area. #1 .............forget bass fishing until the first warm up AFTER ice out, not the warm up that melts the ice. That warm up is good for getting the boat wet, casting a few new combos, and any fish caught are a bonus. They don't even know it's gone yet, and with surface temps, in the high 30's, low 40's it's brutal tough. It doesn't seem like a big change, but when the water starts climbing AND holding even slightly warmer temps, things get much better, and often it only takes a couple days/few degrees. #2- If you must bass fish this early, look for places that have resident fish that live shallow year round, and on HARD cover. It seems that places with bass that have  access to deep water fish a lot tougher when those fish have the option of going deep, and then only rising and suspending in the early season until they start to move in. #3.....don't go to a "grass lake" grass fish are tough in cold water, at least for me, especially in a lake like the one I fish most often, where there is little cover other than grass, docks, and are bowl shaped. Those fish hunker down when it's cold, and the window is small, and it can be a needle in a haystack type search, it's methodical enough when the conditions are good, let alone when they are not.  It seems like fish that relate to structure, like creek channels, steep drops, points, etc...... or deep water hard cover, are easier to find and catch when it's cold. #4..........bait, find it first. If you don't see any signs of life either with your eyes or electronics, keep moving. BUT finding bait doesn't mean you'll get bit. Take today, for me, as an example. We were on crappies, and gills pretty good in a shallow backwater area, which means bass are there too or not far behind, but years of frustration has taught me, catch what you can catch, so I stuck with the gills/craps, knowing full well that there were probably some bass around, but also knowing  how tough it would be to get them to go.

 

 

This. #3 really hits home hard as well. Clayton has been banging good fish, but he's logged some serious hours.  6 bass total, though two good smallies.  Hard work pays off sometimes.

[Paul Roberts]

ww2farmer has some good comments.

 

I also like J's simple -"go graphing". Unless you are expecting results from simple chuck-n-wind, the issue might be more location than presentation.

 

My guess is, and its only a guess, a lot of very early fishers are fishing classic "bass habitat" -flats and coves with cover. But winter bass habitat is often along steep drops, often away from those classic cover strewn flats. This is true in natural lakes as well as reservoirs. In natural lakes such places can be rather subtle. Bass may not appear in classic habitat until those aras warm.

 

Another option is to target lakes/res with shad as the chief forage. Shad often die off during winter and ice out on these lakes can have active bass willing to move for those weak and dying shad.

[Crestliner2008]

Slow & steady usually works. Jigs or hollow bellied swimbaits.