Near freezing water temps

[Bdnoble84]

I know there have been alot of posts on this topic, but mostly water temps ranging 40’s to 55 degrees. The river I have been fishing is currently sitting at 36 degrees and has been below 40 for the past month. The area im fishing is about a half mile below the dam and drops to 15-20ft within 15-20ft of the bank. Current is also minimal with the low flow. Im confident this is a wintering spot. 
 

what are your guys go to baits in this situation? Any room for reaction style baits? Or stick to hair jigs, dropshot, fnf jig?

[TnRiver46]

36 degree water? Put a splash in your glass of scotch ! I’ve only fished water that cold once, I think we got a few dinks with blade baits. I tried to break skim ice with my buddies 12 foot flat bottom and a 6 hp Evinrude, that was pretty funny. Like driving into a brick wall 

[Team9nine]

While I would never rule out the possibility of a suspending jerkbait or blade bait bite, especially if the water is clear, we seem to do our best winter river smallie fishing here on fnf, hair jigs, and small subtle plastics on bottom like Ned, jig worms and grubs fished very slow. A couple days into a warming trend, usually about the time we no longer need to worry about dodging ice chunks floating downriver, seems best.

[Chris Catignani]

Fly n rind, FnF, Ned, drop shot, Whirlee B and Slider.

Winter fishing is what got me into finesse fishing...

[Fat Ika]

2 hours ago, Bdnoble84 said:

I know there have been alot of posts on this topic, but mostly water temps ranging 40’s to 55 degrees. The river I have been fishing is currently sitting at 36 degrees and has been below 40 for the past month. The area im fishing is about a half mile below the dam and drops to 15-20ft within 15-20ft of the bank. Current is also minimal with the low flow. Im confident this is a wintering spot. 
 

what are your guys go to baits in this situation? Any room for reaction style baits? Or stick to hair jigs, dropshot, fnf jig?

Sounds like a juicy winter spot if they'll bite. I'll meet ya and we'll try different techniques and see what happens. What part of the Fox river? ?

[Bird]

I've yet to fish when water temps were under 40*.

Went the other day in water that holds both SM and LM with the water temp sitting at 41 - 43* and got introduced to a skunk.

Was throwing brush hogs and Jigs in deep submerged cover and managed 1 bite.

 

I've always had great success with hair jigs for SM and would likely be a good place to start if you think you found some holding ground there.

Good luck 

[Bluebasser86]

It's so weird that smallies are so thought of as being a colder water fish than largemouth, yet when the water temps drop below 45*, they seem to evaporate from our lakes. 

[Bdnoble84]

15 hours ago, Fat Ika said:

Sounds like a juicy winter spot if they'll bite. I'll meet ya and we'll try different techniques and see what happens. What part of the Fox river? ?

this is the first time ive ever really tryed fishing sub 45degree water this year. 

Actually Rock River South of Rockford. Walleye guys are always up by the dam, but Ive been catching some nice ones here. Little pressure up this wY. Biggest issue I see is the water levels are really down so very likely they are really spread out due to lack of current. Bonus is I would expect big walleye to be sitting here. PM me.

[Junk Fisherman]

Blade bait, hair jig, Ned, and a suspending, subtle jerkbait are what I have rigged for Friday.

[Bassbum1016]

Blade bait, hair and a ned will still catch them with consistency 

[Kev-mo]

18 hours ago, Team9nine said:

While I would never rule out the possibility of a suspending jerkbait or blade bait bite, especially if the water is clear, we seem to do our best winter river smallie fishing here on fnf, hair jigs, and small subtle plastics on bottom like Ned, jig worms and grubs fished very slow. A couple days into a warming trend, usually about the time we no longer need to worry about dodging ice chunks floating downriver, seems best.

Mostly this ^^

 

I would for sure give suspending jerks (big and small) a try along with a blade bait or maybe pop a lipless off the bottom. Maybe try trout tactics and toss an inline. Slow roll a spinnerbait, swim jig or crank bait. You never know.... 

[Kirtley Howe]

I would try a crawfish imitating crankbait worked super slowly. Around here, the bass feed mostly on crawfish (crayfish) in the winter months. Also try a smaller (4") plastic worm on a ned rig. I have had some luck with tube baits slowly dragged on the bottom. As others said, a float and fly, and a suspending jerkbait can work...but do very long pauses between the jerks (5 to 10 seconds).  Also try yo-yoing a lipless crankbait. Sometimes that can be very productive in cold water. Another thing that sometimes works for me is to put some splitshot about 2 feet above an F7 original floating Rapala lure. Use spit shot that are heavy enough to keep the lure down near the bottom. Just pop the lure up and down and let it rest for a few seconds, then repeat. Kind of like working a jig, but slower. I have had smallies absolutely crush this lure with this presentation.  Good luck. 

[Bdnoble84]

How close to the bottom you want the jerkbait

[Kirtley Howe]

I usually try for 1 to 2 feet....but use your fish finder to see if the fish are suspended. I find that most of the time the active fish are close to the bottom in very cold water (feeding on crawfish?). But if there are baitfish suspended in the water, the bass may well move up just under the school of baitfish, so fishing the bottom will get you nothing.

[cyclops2]

Cold water trout fishing fascinates me all day sometimes. Food drinks & ABBA music in the idling car.

[Coldbasser]

ABBA - ABBA OMG who knew 

Cheers

[TnRiver46]

On 1/24/2022 at 11:21 AM, cyclops2 said:

Cold water trout fishing fascinates me all day sometimes. Food drinks & ABBA music in the idling car.

 

4 hours ago, Coldbasser said:

ABBA - ABBA OMG who knew 

Cheers

Fishing queen!!!! Young and green, hooks of aberdeen!!!!!

[cyclops2]

You be peeking at me ?      

[Coldbasser]

LMAO I always changed the radio station when ABBA came on hence my lack of understanding 

Cheers 

Rick

[cyclops2]

I saw a ABBA knockoff touring group in Clayton Opera House. Very memorable to me.  I enjoy GO GO Boots on a stage with excellent voices.       

cold water should be searched with MEAT !!  To be sure they are there. Then switch to Finesse.

[Bdnoble84]

On 1/30/2022 at 9:01 PM, cyclops2 said:

I saw a ABBA knockoff touring group in Clayton Opera House. Very memorable to me.  I enjoy GO GO Boots on a stage with excellent voices.       

cold water should be searched with MEAT !!  To be sure they are there. Then switch to Finesse.

That is something ive considered, betting a bucket of walleye minnow and just slowly working them across bottom on a small jig. 

[cyclops2]

If you are C & R  ?  There is very little harm if you get 2 in 4 casts or drifts. Then go back & Finesse them.  I did that a lot more last year.  Have a tool to reach DEEP into the throats to remove the hooks if needed.

 

Enjoy

[Basser2021]

While I'm from TN and don't have a whole bunch of experience on this topic, I would definetley go with a drop shot rig.

[Mat_ski]

My best bite for sub 40F smallies has been on keitech swing impact 3.5” or 3” easy shiner on 1/16 jig head super slow rolled along the bottom. Alternatively drag a spider head with a drop shot worm on a bottom even slower.