California Spotted Bass - Slow Winter Fishing

[ryanerb]

• Fished Saturday Dec 14th from 8am-12 noon.
• Central California
• Water temp around 56-57
• Water clarity 4-5ft
• Air temp 50-57

 

As it seems, perhaps the lake is still in a late fall pattern. I'm not convinced it is in a full winter pattern yet, seemingly based on the water temperature and the fact we were metering shad in the backs of creeks. 

 

Most of our fish came on a drop shot in around 15-30ft of water. 

Tried an A-rig for a bit, but didn't get anything. 

Also had a fish on a spoon. 

I'm not sure if I should have thrown a crankbait more, but water seemed pretty clear for it. 

Didn't throw a ned rig, maybe I should have? 

 

These spotted bass typically like to hang fairly deep.

 

I think I only landed two fish and my buddy maybe had 3 or 4. He was doing decent using his drop shot. 

 

Then again, this is a spotted bass lake, so fishing isn't / shouldn't be overly complicated (compared to some of the winter LMB fishing...)

 

Any comments or questions are welcome. 

 

[TnRiver46]

Pretty spots. 56-57 degree water they could still be doing anything and would be scattered all over the place. Sounds like y’all were on the right track if you got 6-7 of them, all I would have tried differently would be cover water quickly. 

[Hook2Jaw]

Man, spotted bass are beautiful.  They're a nomadic, hunting fish and I'm glad you guys got on as many as you did.  I try my best to focus on the bait as you did, but my spots are on blueback herring and they make for a topwater bite nearly all day long.

 

I would have given a paddle tail swimbait a go if they're on shad as well as an underspin.

[ryanerb]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Pretty spots. 56-57 degree water they could still be doing anything and would be scattered all over the place. Sounds like y’all were on the right track if you got 6-7 of them, all I would have tried differently would be cover water quickly. 

Good suggestion.

1 hour ago, Hook2Jaw said:

Man, spotted bass are beautiful.  They're a nomadic, hunting fish and I'm glad you guys got on as many as you did.  I try my best to focus on the bait as you did, but my spots are on blueback herring and they make for a topwater bite nearly all day long.

 

I would have given a paddle tail swimbait a go if they're on shad as well as an underspin.

We were semi regretting not throwing topwater. I would have had to believe it to see it, as I've always done good on topwater in the summer and not in December. Would have been worth a try, especially after seeing a few fish surface.

 

Sadly my rod with a keitech swimbait that was in the 'rod locker' didn't make it out.... why? I can't exactly tell you why, but probably would have been a decent 'search' bait... Will be a must have on the deck for next time. Thanks for the reminder!

[Oregon Native]

Graph is your friend.....spots can be very very color selective too...different colors can be better different lakes....I would go through at least a half doz colors...and for that clear water I'm sure your using light line.

[WRB]

Central Cal could be several Spotted bass lakes; Millerton, Pine Flat, Bass lake on the Seirra side and Nacimento, San Margarita, etc on the west side of the valley.

Most of the above were stocked with Kentucky or northern spots with Pine Flat having Alabama or southern spots. Type of Spotted bass makes a big difference in size and lure selection.

If the lake hasn't turned over you are in fall to winter transition, turned over it's winter to the bass and they are scattered.

You didn’t mention jigs, finesse sizes with contrasting soft plastic trailers that are chartreuse tipped. If you are catching spots on a drop shot they were probably near the bottom.

Don’t over look underspins like Swarming Hornets with shad color trailers.

Nice report,

Tom

[ryanerb]

7 hours ago, WRB said:

Central Cal could be several Spotted bass lakes; Millerton, Pine Flat, Bass lake on the Seirra side and Nacimento, San Margarita, etc on the west side of the valley.

Most of the above were stocked with Kentucky or northern spots with Pine Flat having Alabama or southern spots. Type of Spotted bass makes a big difference in size and lure selection.

If the lake hasn't turned over you are in fall to winter transition, turned over it's winter to the bass and they are scattered.

You didn’t mention jigs, finesse sizes with contrasting soft plastic trailers that are chartreuse tipped. If you are catching spots on a drop shot they were probably near the bottom.

Don’t over look underspins like Swarming Hornets with shad color trailers.

Nice report,

Tom

Tom, I was hoping you would respond! I do appreciate it and the tips referring to jigs and underspins. 

This was at Naci. 

So assuming they are the Kentucky/Nothern, what baits are they preferring compared to the southern spots? 

 

 

 

[WRB]

It's been awhile since fishing Naci. The colors that worked good were Iovino's Smallmouth killer with chartreuse tail dip and his Honey worm. The Spits preferred the green worm most of the time.

the biggest difference with northern and southern Spots is thier size, southern are 2X the size. Crawdads are preferred over baitfish for southern Spots but both eat them.

Cold water the living rubber finesse jigs like Skinny Bear with 2" twin tail trailers work in brown-green.

Tom

[ryanerb]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

It's been awhile since fishing Naci. The colors that worked good were Iovino's Smallmouth killer with chartreuse tail dip and his Honey worm. The Spits preferred the green worm most of the time.

the biggest difference with northern and southern Spots is thier size, southern are 2X the size. Crawdads are preferred over baitfish for southern Spots but both eat them.

Cold water the living rubber finesse jigs like Skinny Bear with 2" twin tail trailers work in brown-green.

Tom

Thanks for the tips. Come up any time, I'll take you out, I got the boat ready to go!

[ryanerb]

5 hours ago, Oregon Native said:

Graph is your friend.....spots can be very very color selective too...different colors can be better different lakes....I would go through at least a half doz colors...and for that clear water I'm sure your using light line.

Interesting. I haven't been a big color guy, stick with the natural colors but I've heard chartreuse is good for spots, etc. Definitely something I can fiddle with some more. I like having 2 guys on the boat and hopefully we are throwing different things, etc. 

 

Definitely used the graph, found some areas with heavy structure down below and marked fish and caught a few on those areas.

 

I'm pretty sure I was using 6lb fluoro (if not, it was 8lb). 

 

I did find out someone else I know was out there the same day and they boated around 30 fish for 2 guys, but they are a better angler than me

[Oregon Native]

Many many many years ago when I fished BASS in California I was teamed up with Kota Kiramunga (spelled wrong I'm sure).  We were fishing deep for spots....up to seventy feet or so if memory serves.  We....he murdered them for the first half day.  Just flat had my butt spanked...like three to one.  Anyway...this was during the time about when this technique had crossed the ocean to some degree.  I finally just stood still and watched....was awesome....he would change colors depending on area,  only move the slack in the line and "pay attention to the slightest movement".  Greatest

 "drop shot" lesson I ever had.  And spanking.

We both weighed in limits...mine was harder earned!!!  Since it was a three day the next day I gave the same lesson to my partner..(was draw tourney)  He was slowww learner.  Caught so many fish on Shasta that fingers were ever so tender.....

Smiles.......

[GreenPig]

Here in Ga. I've been catching them on shakey heads the last 3 weeks in 10-15 FOW on hard bottom. 3-5' visibility and water temp 53-56. 

[ryanerb]

On 12/21/2019 at 10:48 PM, GreenPig said:

Here in Ga. I've been catching them on shakey heads the last 3 weeks in 10-15 FOW on hard bottom. 3-5' visibility and water temp 53-56. 

Shakey head is a GREAT staple for spotted bass. No reason I shouldn't have thrown one. Sometimes I wonder why I let the bait monkey tease me with all these other baits when in reality I could probably always succeed with a shakey head on this lake!

On 12/21/2019 at 5:35 AM, Oregon Native said:

Many many many years ago when I fished BASS in California I was teamed up with Kota Kiramunga (spelled wrong I'm sure).  We were fishing deep for spots....up to seventy feet or so if memory serves.  We....he murdered them for the first half day.  Just flat had my butt spanked...like three to one.  Anyway...this was during the time about when this technique had crossed the ocean to some degree.  I finally just stood still and watched....was awesome....he would change colors depending on area,  only move the slack in the line and "pay attention to the slightest movement".  Greatest

 "drop shot" lesson I ever had.  And spanking.

We both weighed in limits...mine was harder earned!!!  Since it was a three day the next day I gave the same lesson to my partner..(was draw tourney)  He was slowww learner.  Caught so many fish on Shasta that fingers were ever so tender.....

Smiles.......

Sometimes all it takes is that one 'moment' for it to click and learn something new! Thanks for the tip, I gotta try refining a little bit, although I'll likely try to avoid the 70ft when I can 

[Oregon Native]

1 hour ago, ryanerb said:

Shakey head is a GREAT staple for spotted bass. No reason I shouldn't have thrown one. Sometimes I wonder why I let the bait monkey tease me with all these other baits when in reality I could probably always succeed with a shakey head on this lake!

Sometimes all it takes is that one 'moment' for it to click and learn something new! Thanks for the tip, I gotta try refining a little bit, although I'll likely try to avoid the 70ft when I can 

On Shasta me and a bud caught them at 100 feet....had to let em go quick and shortly after we left for shallower fish....