Does there come a point in time where it's just over with?

[Preytorien]

I can agree with the folks that say "it's never over" however, I have to admit that in cases like those I tend to fish with the thought in mind that I don't want my efforts to be wasted, but it's far from enjoyable. 

 

Aside from Tom's advice on the Rapala Ice jigs, I've tried all the techniques listed, lipless, blades, jigs, jerkbaits, ultra-finesse rigs, all of it. It's a rare day where I hook into one anything past late November/Thanksgiving. My waters just don't produce. I'm usually shore bound in the winter/early spring, so maybe that's some of my issues, especially not having electronics, but my ponds aren't that large. Maybe it's also a depth thing. The waters never really get too deep, maybe there's no layer of "warmer water" and simply said, all the bass are in cold water that slows them down to nigh-uncatchable states. I've even tried the God-awful 10-20 minute casts, still nothing. I get colder than usual doing those slow casts since I'm not constantly moving/keeping blood circulating.

 

At that point, when I'm sitting/standing still on the bank, fingers going numb, cold wind freezing my nose, and most importantly NOT catching any fish, I have to ask myself...."Is this fun?" - if I can't answer that with a "yes" then I call it quits. I fish for fun, not for food or for money, so I don't prefer to never catch AND freeze my fingernails off. That's not fun. Then I go home, clean the gear, re-organize tackle, and scout out new spots until the warm weather returns. 

 

So yes, you can catch them year 'round, given your waters will produce that kind of activity. But if your waters don't, like mine, you might get one bite in six hours, and that ain't no fun! 

[Todd2]

5 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I fished for 3 hours yesterday morning without a bite, then caught 23 in the next hour and a half from a small area and missed several more. 

Wow...anything special about that small area? Steep drop?

[Bluebasser86]

3 minutes ago, Todd2 said:

Wow...anything special about that small area? Steep drop?

Little inflowing water, water was 1.5 degrees warmer than everywhere else, big shad were there, lots of sharp little drops near the shoreline. 

[hoosierbass07]

Its over for me when Labor Day weekend arrives.  Starts up again in late March or April.  

[IndianaFinesse]

34 minutes ago, hoosierbass07 said:

Its over for me when Labor Day weekend arrives.  Starts up again in late March or April.  

You miss out on the best fishing or the year doing that, heck it isn't even cooling down yet on labor day.

[hoosierbass07]

47 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

You miss out on the best fishing or the year doing that, heck it isn't even cooling down yet on labor day.

 But time speeds up from Labor Day weekend to New Years with all the holidays.  I don't think I've been out in my kayak or john boat since a few weeks before Labor Day weekend.  I'll admit though, if we keep having really warm days pop up here and there in the dead of winter I might get my kayak out once in December.  But overall, fishing is all about April to the end of June.  

[TnRiver46]

5 hours ago, hoosierbass07 said:

 But time speeds up from Labor Day weekend to New Years with all the holidays.  I don't think I've been out in my kayak or john boat since a few weeks before Labor Day weekend.  I'll admit though, if we keep having really warm days pop up here and there in the dead of winter I might get my kayak out once in December.  But overall, fishing is all about April to the end of June.  

My best fishing success is usually from October-march. But I go all year anyhow, I've got the fishing fever real bad.  The week between Christmas and new years is DY-NO-MITE! The fish get predictable when the water gets cold

[gim]

Its definitely over.  The northern portion of MN has had ice for several weeks now and the southern half has skim ice mixed in with open water.  I generally hang it up when the water drops below 50 degrees or the end of October - whichever one happens first.  I don't ice drink either and bass season doesn't legally open here until the middle of May, so my fishing has an off season and its going right now.

 

I always worry about getting my boat winterized in time before we get some really cold weather so I often do it around of the end of October, but some years there is pretty good fishing into November.  Last year was one of those years because it was so warm out.  This year, not so much.

[Chance_Taker4]

I live in NW Ohio and I must say the bite was never "On" in my region all year. All the tournament guys including myself all noticed a drop in bag size and limits caught this year. I'm not sure if it had to do with warm winter and cool summer we had or what. We never really got the fall bite I enjoy so much. I winterized the boat and stripped all my reels. I am done until spring myself. 2017 was a very quirky season for my region.

[Mr. Aquarium]

negative ghost rider,  i fish all winter! i get way to bored kept inside and start going crazy!  i need to at least get out and try! i usually do go crazy if i dont catch fish even after trying 

[Gundog]

On ‎11‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 7:24 AM, Oregon Native said:

  It gets really tuff when the guides freeze up a lot....BUT....one must push on!

I've heard Pam cooking spray will stop them from freezing. Not sure if it works but at least you'll be ready for lunch. 

[tholmes]

It's not over for me, but it's slowed way down, at least as far as LMB are concerned. The end of Daylight Savings Time really puts an end to my evening fishing, and the holiday-related activities take up a lot of weekend time.

I still go out when I can, though. I've been catching a few wipers, and got into some pretty good crappie last week.

But as the weather gets colder, I won't be doing much fishing. Time to service reels, pour some jigs and blade baits and re-stock my tackle supply.

Spring will be here before you know it!

 

Tom

[Oregon Native]

On 11/29/2017 at 7:09 PM, TnRiver46 said:

My best fishing success is usually from October-march. But I go all year anyhow, I've got the fishing fever real bad.  The week between Christmas and new years is DY-NO-MITE! The fish get predictable when the water gets cold

Last two times out I've only seen one boat...almost feel like I own the lake....actually water is still kind of warm here.  In the high 50's still!!!  Last tourney this sat....kind of sad....but....Christmas is coming....family stuff to do...fishing hopefully with kids day after Christmas.  (hope to start tradition)

[Pro Logcatcher]

If you are like me and live near a lake with a power plant, fish the outflow pipes. These are much warmer and the fish stack up there.

[thebillsman]

Got out this morning around 8 to one of my sweet spots and couldn't figure anything out. Had good luck the week before, but breaking through light ice with my first few steps wading out there I knew it would be tough. Might give it one more shot before it's time to hang em up for the long freeze. 

[FCPhil]

I live in northern Colorado and I caught one on November 20th (3lbs) and one on the 26th (1lb-10oz). I haven’t been out much otherwise. The first was on a jerkbait in the deeper corner of a large pond with a fairly fast jerking retrieve. The second was in a small pond fishing a squarebill along the shore by the rip rap. Smaller, shallower ponds will make it harder for the fish to get out of reach. 

[thinkingredneck]

Few people fishing here during Whitetail season.  Most consider Oct-Feb hunting season and football watching season. They fish the rest of the year.  I am still fishing and just caught some on a jig and pig.  Down here, the only ice we see most years imost years comes in a glass.

Few people fishing here during Whitetail season.  Most consider Oct-Feb hunting season and football watching season. They fish the rest of the year.  I am still fishing and just caught some on a jig and pig.  Down here, the only ice we see most years most years comes in a glass.

Few people fishing here during Whitetail season.  Most consider Oct-Feb hunting season and football watching season. They fish the rest of the year.  I am still fishing and just caught some on a jig and pig.  Down here, the only ice we see most years most years comes in a glass.

[Oregon Native]

I remember when I lived in Oregon that I wanted to catch a smallie every month of the year out of the Willamette River.  This was a tough one but I did it....cold high muddy water was the norm.  But yeee ol football jig saved me I remember.  Just can't...don't want to....stay home.  Can only sit so much right now.   

[Team9nine]

Notice all the ice on the small lake I was at this afternoon. Also notice the water temp. Even got a double on my first bite -   It's never too cold!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fishwizzard]

On 12/10/2017 at 8:34 PM, Team9nine said:

 

That is nuts, did they both hit at once, or did one try to steal the lure from the other after it was hooked?  

[Deleted account]

I'm frozen good right now, so it's WWDs or the Chesapeake Bay right now. Looks bad for a bit, but a couple of days of warm weather, and a few small spots around me open up.

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

That is nuts, did they both hit at once, or did one try to steal the lure from the other after it was hooked?  

They both bit at basically the same time. They were both already on once I felt the weight and set the hook. Thought I had a good fish...didn't realize it was two fish until I got them in. Not sure if thy both went after it or what...

[fishwizzard]

30 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

They both bit at basically the same time. They were both already on once I felt the weight and set the hook. Thought I had a good fish...didn't realize it was two fish until I got them in. Not sure if thy both went after it or what...

That is really odd, I have seen pictures of doubles before but never on a lure that tiny, it seems incredible that they both managed to get a hook.

 

I guess I have to buy a bladebait now.