Fishing until ice up..

[DitchPanda]

I've searched and seen lots of stuff for ice out...but lets go the other way. For you guys living in ice country...what are you throwing the last few weeks before ice up? Also what areas do you find active bass that time of year? I ask cuz its unseasonably cold around me and is going to continue that way for a week or so...so I'm kinda treating this like late fall even if it turns around later

[Glenn]

Lots of tips here:

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Bass before ice are much more active than bass immediately after ice. Other than topwater, there isn't much I take off the menu late in the season.

[DitchPanda]

18 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Bass before ice are much more active than bass immediately after ice. Other than topwater, there isn't much I take off the menu late in the season.

So ...lipless and spinner bait will work all the way til ice up? I know jerkbait and jig but I'm looking for other options. What water depth do you target?

[Bluebasser86]

3 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

So ...lipless and spinner bait will work all the way til ice up? I know jerkbait and jig but I'm looking for other options. What water depth do you target?

Absolutely, 2 baits that I'd never put up until they started to bounce on the cast. Bass here stay crazy shallow until after it freezes. One of the last big ones I caught from a cold water lake a few years ago was well over 5 on a jig in the back of a pocket in December on a jig in less than a foot of water. It was cold and cloudy out that day too. They know they have to eat in late fall to get through the winter, so they get up there and do it.

[DitchPanda]

10 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Absolutely, 2 baits that I'd never put up until they started to bounce on the cast. Bass here stay crazy shallow until after it freezes. One of the last big ones I caught from a cold water lake a few years ago was well over 5 on a jig in the back of a pocket in December on a jig in less than a foot of water. It was cold and cloudy out that day too. They know they have to eat in late fall to get through the winter, so they get up there and do it.

Perfect...this is the info I was looking for. I've caught them from shore until just before ice up but we usually have a little more water depth. With the drought this year my local is low..but this makes me think maybe that won't matter. Thanks man.

 

1 hour ago, Glenn said:

Lots of tips here:

 

 

I checked it out...some good stuff in there.

[Dens228]

Put another one down for jerkbaits and jigs.  Both swim and bottom contact jigs. 

[5by3]

Jerkbaits and blade baits. The last 2-3 weeks before the lakes freeze can be some of the best fishing of the year in my area. The jerkbait bite really seems to come alive when water temps are in the low 40s and the blade bait shines for me when water is in upper 30s to low 40s.

 

Dont be fooled when people say you have to pause your bait for 20-30 seconds in cold water. On some days that does work, but you’ll often find that the fish are still pretty aggressive. 

[gim]

A slow rolled spinner bait, a slow reeled vibrating jig, and a long pause jerk bait are my three most effective lures in the fall before I hang it up for the season.  This year was no different.  Once the water temps drop below 50, I'm done fishing anyways.

[jimmyjoe]

   Jerkbaits, double-bladed spinners (Mepps), and spinnerbaits have been working for me. I'll continue them until ice-up, along with some flutter spoons twitched shallow.        jj

[Boomstick]

9 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Bass before ice are much more active than bass immediately after ice. Other than topwater, there isn't much I take off the menu late in the season.

Sometimes small (1/4oz) poppers can be effective late in the year. I usually go with slow rolled colorado bladed spinnerbaits, jigs and jerkbaits myself.

[FryDog62]

The only other lure not mentioned so far that is popular here in the North even down in the low 40's are vibrating blade baits like a Cicada, Heddon Sonar, Silver Buddy, Thinfisher. If I can get out again before we ice up here (8 inches of snow already this week in MN!) I plan to try the new Rapala V Blade. 

 

That cold of water, its more subtle/short lifts instead of true rips, Medium or ML rod and fluorocarbon for sink and stretch, braid can be result in movement that is too abrupt this time of year. 

[DitchPanda]

1 hour ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Jerkbaits, double-bladed spinners (Mepps), and spinnerbaits have been working for me. I'll continue them until ice-up, along with some flutter spoons twitched shallow.        jj

God I don't know why I never throw an inline spinner or small kastmaster spoon in cold water while targeting bass. We have a small set of ponds the south Dakota DNR stocks with trout every fall. My best two baits are kastmasters and inline spinners...can't even count how many bass I've caught while targeting trout.

[A-Jay]

On 10/22/2020 at 5:21 AM, 5by3 said:

Jerkbaits and blade baits. The last 2-3 weeks before the lakes freeze can be some of the best fishing of the year in my area. The jerkbait bite really seems to come alive when water temps are in the low 40s and the blade bait shines for me when water is in upper 30s to low 40s.

 

Dont be fooled when people say you have to pause your bait for 20-30 seconds in cold water. On some days that does work, but you’ll often find that the fish are still pretty aggressive. 

^^^^ X2

This is how I do it as well.

I will fish a jerkbait in the late fall the same way I fish it in the early spring; low and slow.

I will also add that fishing a lipless/rattle bait on the bottom like a blade bait, has proven super effective for me. 

A somewhat heavier and thin profile body bait seems to be preferred.   Duo Realis G-Fix Tungsten lipless is very good for this.

A-Jay

  https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Duo_Realis_G-Fix_Vibration_Tungsten_Lipless_Crankbait/descpage-DUOGFXL.html

[jimmyjoe]

21 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

. My best two baits are kastmasters and inline spinners...can't even count how many bass I've caught while targeting trout.

 

   The #3 double-bladed Mepps Aglia and Black Fury are particularly effective (it seems) because they can be retrieved so slowly. That counts for something in cold water. Fire Tiger Aglia and Black Fury and White Dot Black Fury are my favorites.

   Favorite slow-retieve spoon is the 1/4 oz. Eppinger Trout Weight Dardevle. The thing can be twitched to almost stand still.

   Good luck at the finish line!    ?   jj

[Mobasser]

I plan on fishing until ice up this year. I usually do. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

I target deeper clear water ponds, I try to make sure they are smaller so I can find the fish easier. Blades, hair jigs, ned rigs, small finesse swimbaits have done well. 
 

I Also target shallow ponds at night. Wake baits 5-8 inches. Go slow. I’ve caught night bass when the guides were ice. 
 

some ponds are better then others. I hit 2 new ponds last winter here in MA.  Some weeks they were frozen, other weeks they were open. I did very well. All from shore.

 Ned rigs, jigs, big swimbaits, small swimbaits did well. Both were shallow ponds. Both same river. One had more current then the other. This was the smaller shallow pond. When the bite was on, the fish were stacked up in the deeper section near the outlet. It was an impoundment with a small culvert dam.
 

the 2nd pond down river from the 1st. Much deeper and much bigger.  All

fish came in the area near the inlet. The inlet area is very shallow, but there’s a deeper hole close by it. First deeper water in the pond.   There was a shallow flat the that extended out to the creek channel,  I was standing on a point, straight in front and to the left was the deeper hole, the

right side was shallow flat. 

one of my go to cold water spots, deep and clear. 25 feet deep. The northern side is where I do the best. The northern side is deeper, and has more structure. There a shallow flat that drops quickly. Also

 has a point, shallow one side deep on the other. I say point cuz it’s dry land that goes out but it drops quickly off the right and straight out but the left

side is shallow and weedy. Also I believe the reason this area is productive is the green weeds all winter. This is a spring fed pond.  This pond started my cold water fishing. We found it by accident.   We were pond hopping struggling, picked this pond we slayed. It was mid December.  If there’s no ice I’m on the kayak here! 

hope this helps. When I’m looking for

info. I like when some describes a spot,

so I can try to find a spot like that on my spots to help me get better.