How to fish after this cold

[LrgmouthShad]

Hey y’all,

 

So apparently the man upstairs forgot to turn the heat on over the past few days. It’s all good; seems like it will be back up and running soon.
 

I’m looking to fish tomorrow in NC. I don’t know how many times water temperature has dropped below 40 here on large lakes but I am now thinking that it is a strong possibility by the time I hit the water. In unprecedented cold water, how are you fishing? 
 

I had thoughts of trying to capitalize on dying shad through the use of jigging spoons and otherwise just using typical winter baits fished very very slow. 
 

What should I be paying attention to? Thermocline, depth of shad, any birds, and hard spots etc are things that I wanted to look for once on the lake

 

Merry Christmas y’all ?

[Catt]

 

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

So apparently the man upstairs forgot to turn the heat on over the past few days.

He just forgot the pay the bill again, and She got on his case...

[TnRiver46]

21 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Hey y’all,

 

So apparently the man upstairs forgot to turn the heat on over the past few days. It’s all good; seems like it will be back up and running soon.
 

I’m looking to fish tomorrow in NC. I don’t know how many times water temperature has dropped below 40 here on large lakes but I am now thinking that it is a strong possibility by the time I hit the water. In unprecedented cold water, how are you fishing? 
 

I had thoughts of trying to capitalize on dying shad through the use of jigging spoons and otherwise just using typical winter baits fished very very slow. 
 

What should I be paying attention to? Thermocline, depth of shad, any birds, and hard spots etc are things that I wanted to look for once on the lake

 

Merry Christmas y’all ?

The water down deep shouldn’t have changed too much. Shallows will be cold. Now after a few days of bright sunshine and above freezing temps, that will flip flop. Your silly spinnerbait should work just fine 

[Jig Man]

I’d say that depends on the lake and what part you are fishing.  For example on Table Rock down in the mid to lower part it is common to catch fish 40-60’ deep while up in the rivers they can be caught in water 10-20’ deep all winter.   A rigs and jerk baits work both places.

[Deleted account]

#7 on the list of things I won't do unless I have to:

-Fish right after a multi day span of historic low temperatures in the winter...

[TnRiver46]

12 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

#7 on the list of things I won't do unless I have to:

-Fish right after a multi day span of historic low temperatures in the winter...

See I just have to. No matter what 

[LrgmouthShad]

36 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Your silly spinnerbait should work just fine 

It’s rigged but weather does not look ideal for it. Bright sun and no wind. It will see some action, more later as it gets warmer with cloud cover, but initially it is likely going to be taking a backseat

[Dogface]

30 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

I’d say that depends on the lake and what part you are fishing.  

 

Yep! For me, I'll need to start with an ice auger. ☺️

[Jig Man]

This time of year I always have a Ned and Shaky tied on and ready.

[Deleted account]

51 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Your silly spinnerbait should work just fine 

"He can't do that to our pledges, only we can do that to our pledges"...

[WRB]

A major cold front follows a major low pressure storm that produced flooding and freezing temps. The water will be cold and off colored, the bass are not feeding after the shock of this storm, they are trying to survive.

Stay home a week or so and let the ecosystem settle down.

Tom

[LrgmouthShad]

24 minutes ago, WRB said:

A major cold front follows a major low pressure storm that produced flooding and freezing temps. The water will be cold and off colored, the bass are not feeding after the shock of this storm, they are trying to survive.

Stay home a week or so and let the ecosystem settle down.

Tom

Appreciate the truth from you

 

Only here in NC for the holidays so wanted to try and take advantage of some Southern fishing. 
 

What is wrong with a day on the water, even if it is only to look around and toss a line, trying to get an idea of where the fish are for later? I hope fishing is good when the water starts to warm up. Around New Years we’ll get some of that but then I will be gone for MO soon after

[GreenPig]

Bright & no wind. Ned, finesse jig, jigging spoon, blade bait, and your new JB's weighted to slow sink. Goodluck. 

[WRB]

Vertical jigging using Ice Jigs like 5/8 or 7/8 oz Clam Tikka or Rapala 3/4 oz models in holographic blue or White works in extreme cold. The key to the ice jig is jiggling them to swim in circles at the same depth the bass are in.

Tom

[Woody B]

The stay home concept is a good one, but I go when I can.  I won't be able to go until Jan 1.  Hopefully the bass will be hungry by then.  If they're not, a bad day fishing is still a pretty good day.  

[T-Billy]

7 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

It’s rigged but weather does not look ideal for it. Bright sun and no wind. It will see some action, more later as it gets warmer with cloud cover, but initially it is likely going to be taking a backseat

Bright sun and no wind will move some fish onto shallow sun baked wood adjacent to deep water if you can find any. They'll be super spooky if it's slick, but they'll generally eat a jig or trig if there's even a little ripple on the surface. This pattern is usually best from mid morning on for me.

[Susky River Rat]

I’d personally try to fish rock. I’d also try to work slow and bang off of them.

[TnRiver46]

I’ve always found the earth (aka mud banks) warm up quickly too, doesn’t have to be rock and wood. Lots of winter fish have mud on their belly when you pull them in 

 

Every time I’ve sat on a rock in the winter my arse was cold ? 

[VolFan]

Where in NC are you and do you have a boat?

[LrgmouthShad]

24 minutes ago, VolFan said:

Where in NC are you and do you have a boat?

Fishing Shearon Harris out of a Jon Boat with a trollin motor

[VolFan]

Go towards the nuke plant - there’ll be warmer water there and you can chuck that spinner bait!

[LrgmouthShad]

19 minutes ago, VolFan said:

Go towards the nuke plant - there’ll be warmer water there and you can chuck that spinner bait!

I read that Harris does not have Hot spots from the plant? I originally thought that it was warmed from there but read otherwise 

[VolFan]

If I remember right, one of those Creek arms that s the warm water estuary but is closed off from the rest of the lake via a dike. It does drain through however so there should be ‘a spot.’ Even if not that dike should warm and hold some fish. 

[Deleted account]

10 hours ago, VolFan said:

Go towards the nuke plant - there’ll be warmer water there and you can chuck that spinner bait!

Yup, WWDs is the right answer if one must, we have several here in MD and NOVA, along with Anna a little further south. If they are generating power, there is warmer (or at least less cold) water somewhere, even if the water adjacent to the outflow is off limits.