How would you fish these upcoming conditions?

[clemsondds]

Ok so going out fishing Monday.  Where I am at, it's been 45-60 for the past 5 days. But tonight it's been raining and the temps are dropping.  Tomorrow it's supposed to drop down to 33 and stay around there all day with rain.  Then on Monday it will start out in the 30's and slowly rise to mid 50's, sunny and with winds 5-8mph out of NW.  So my question is:  how would you go out Monday morning and try to catch them? Water will be 1-1.5ft visibility with water temps prob in mid 40's. Slow way down?  Look for baitfish? Stay shallow? Go deep?  What would you do?

[Susky River Rat]

Stay home.  That’s very very tough conditions. I’d probably start shallow unless I see bait at the first break main break. I’d also look for some form of neck down in the lake where fish could have been isolated and slid into there. I’d personally fish it prespawn to start. I’d try a form of crank bait with rattles to try and find some fish. Then even though the visibility is that good maybe switch to a shakey or ned once found.

[GRiver]

What body of water are ya fishing? I used to live in Nc, fishing was always tough this time of year, I lived north of Asheville. Are ya fishing for smallies or LM. 
 

[Woody B]

I go fishing when I can.  If conditions are tough I still have a good time.  I'm not going today in the mid 30's rain.......but I may change my mind.  A bad day fishing is still a pretty good day.  

[Susky River Rat]

12 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I'm not going today in the mid 30's rain.......but I may change my mind

 I always say welll I’m not going today. Then I sit and think what else am I going to do so I go fishing instead. I do almost always enjoy going out. I just adjust my expectations to how I feel the day might go.

[Woody B]

5 minutes ago, Darnold335 said:

 I always say welll I’m not going today. Then I sit and think what else am I going to do so I go fishing instead. I do almost always enjoy going out. I just adjust my expectations to how I feel the day might go.

Come on down to NC.  We'll go get wet and cold together today.  

 

Regarding how to fish.  Yesterday the bass I caught (including a 6 pounder) had moved from the community holes onto primary points.  I doubt they'd go back off shore,  but stay near their migration routes.  FWIW I'm far from an expert and I REALLY struggle when water temps are under 50.  Water was 52 yesterday.   I was fishing Lake Wylie in both NC and SC.  

[Susky River Rat]

4 minutes ago, Woody B said:

Come on down to NC.  We'll go get wet and cold together today.  

It’s going to be 48 up here in PA today I’ll take my conditions.  Water temps I would assume would be around 40s I haven’t been out in over a month. I am headed out today. Not sure if it’s going to be the river or a lake. I am a river rat but, I feel like where I want to go the flathead guys will be crowding in. I know everyone says they don’t eat in cold water has never been here. The pile in areas and people use big swim jigs to get them.  
 

I feel like everyone struggles in colder water wether they want to admit it or not. I tend to catch as the temp drops. once it hits its coldest and stays there I don’t do well till it starts the gradual warm up. Usually the end of March we start to see the warm up. 

[Cbump]

Water temps in the 40s, I’m using jerk bait and drop shot. 
A-rig too but I don’t really enjoy throwing those. 

[Bankbeater]

Are you going to be fishing in a pond or a reservoir?  A reservoir will not be affected as much by a steep drop in temps as a pond will.  I would still go fishing to have fun, but I wouldn't be expecting to fill the boat up with fish.

[clemsondds]

5 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

Stay home.  That’s very very tough conditions. I’d probably start shallow unless I see bait at the first break main break. I’d also look for some form of neck down in the lake where fish could have been isolated and slid into there. I’d personally fish it prespawn to start. I’d try a form of crank bait with rattles to try and find some fish. Then even though the visibility is that good maybe switch to a shakey or ned once found.

Ha yeh prob a good idea. But don’t get to go out much so gotta make the best of what I got.   

1 hour ago, Bankbeater said:

Are you going to be fishing in a pond or a reservoir?  A reservoir will not be affected as much by a steep drop in temps as a pond will.  I would still go fishing to have fun, but I wouldn't be expecting to fill the boat up with fish.

River fed reservoir. 
 

I guess my main question…is this “post front” conditions?  I assume water coming in the creeks will be cold 

[Susky River Rat]

13 minutes ago, clemsondds said:

Ha yeh prob a good idea. But don’t get to go out much so gotta make the best of what I got

I know the feeling! I get out when I can even if the conditions aren’t ideal. Either way I hope you have a great time and get on some!

[Catt]

Conditions less than ideal for anglers doesn't effect the bass the same way.

 

Case in point

Since last Saturday with less the ideal conditions on Toledo Bend a new record 5 bass stringer of 39 lbs 15 oz was caught along with 8 bass over 10# was caught. Yesterday again with less than ideal conditions a new lake record of 15.67 lbs along with 3 more over 10 lbs.

 

Ya need to pay more attention to the previous days weather.

[clemsondds]

9 minutes ago, Catt said:

Conditions less than ideal for anglers doesn't effect the bass the same way.

 

Case in point

Since last Saturday with less the ideal conditions on Toledo Bend a new record 5 bass stringer of 39 lbs 15 oz was caught along with 8 bass over 10# was caught. Yesterday again with less than ideal conditions a new lake record of 15.67 lbs along with 3 more over 10 lbs.

 

Ya need to pay more attention to the previous days weather.

Yeh that’s kind of what I’m asking. 4 or 5 days of warming weather and then two days of drastic drop in cold and rain…how will that affect the third day when it starts warming back up. Will they be in a funk for a few days?  I assume so, and so trying to think what’s the best way to find them when it’s like that. Also if the water is pretty murky from the rain. I’m thinking just running banks fishing really shallow and structure. Maybe flipping jig and big spinnerbait. Thanks! 

[Catt]

Early pre-spawn bass will pull back with these conditions but not that far. Once bass make the move shallow they don't totally abandon.

 

[RHuff]

Start at the wintering holes on the main lake and go from there to the main lake points with steep banks. Baitfish in the area is key. Fish slow. Jerkbaits, Jigs, Stickworms, and tight wobbling crankbaits fished really slowly.

[Will Ketchum]

My experience has been that on a cool, sunny day with a wind from the north, you will be better off staying home.

[DitchPanda]

If it were me this is what I'd do: first and foremost I'd wait until afternoon to get out so the sun can warm the shallows as much as possible. Then I'd hit the north shore somewhere, preferably where there is rock...that should be your warmest water because the rock holds heat and the north shore should have the sun on it most of the day. For baits in that temp range I've had luck with: slow rolling a chatterbait or Colorado blade spinnerbait, a crawfish colored flat side crank like a frittside or crawfish/ gold lipless hopped or slow rolled. Normally I'd say a jerk bait but 1ft of visibility is not conducive for jerkbaits in my experience. A black and blue jig could also play, especially if you have some shallow wood mixed in with the rock.

[Bird]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Conditions less than ideal for anglers doesn't effect the bass the same way.

 

Case in point

Since last Saturday with less the ideal conditions on Toledo Bend a new record 5 bass stringer of 39 lbs 15 oz was caught along with 8 bass over 10# was caught. Yesterday again with less than ideal conditions a new lake record of 15.67 lbs along with 3 more over 10 lbs.

 

Ya need to pay more attention to the previous days weather.

Yeah Toledo is on fire right now.

Wonder how Sam Rayburn is doing ?

[Catt]

54 minutes ago, Bird said:

Yeah Toledo is on fire right now.

Wonder how Sam Rayburn is doing ?

 

Rayburn is on ?

 

Y'all need to understand 2 things about pre-spawn.

 

First it starts before most of y'all believe. It is said the bass move into the creeks & this is true. What y'all need to consider is there are resident bass already in the creeks...these resident bass move first.

 

Second once the bass make the commitment to move shallow & a front moves through the bass do not move back offshore. They will fall back a breakline or two.

[clemsondds]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

 

Rayburn is on ?

 

Y'all need to understand 2 things about pre-spawn.

 

First it starts before most of y'all believe. It is said the bass move into the creeks & this is true. What y'all need to consider is there are resident bass already in the creeks...these resident bass move first.

 

Second once the bass make the commitment to move shallow & a front moves through the bass do not move back offshore. They will fall back a breakline or two.

I understand that. But the question was…on the first day of a post front, how would you fish it? Slow and shallow or secondary points or what? Or stay home ha Just curious

[PhishLI]

7 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

It’s going to be 48 up here in PA today I’ll take my conditions.  Water temps I would assume would be around 40s I haven’t been out in over a month.

My friend just got back. Water temps here are 36-38, so I imagine yours are the same or a tad colder.

Lake Ronkonkoma's water temperature & fishing (lakemonster.com)

 

Lake Ronkonkoma's Current Water Temperature Is 36°F Todays Forecast Is, Light Rain In The Evening And Overnight. With A High Around 45°F And The Low Around 33°F. Winds Are Out Of The N At 5mph, With Wind Gusts Of 13mph.

Air Temperature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

34°F

High: 45°F

Low: 33°F

Wind

5 MPH

Gust: 13 Mph

Bearing: N

Water Temperature

36 °F

Weather Details

Average Wind

6 Mph

Humidity

79%

Cloud Cover

61%

Precipitation Probability

66%

[Catt]

With rain comes muddy water, find the cleanest water. 

 

As to which lure selection, that will change with the water conditions. Ya gonna have to do some fishing!

[PhishLI]

9 minutes ago, Catt said:

With rain comes muddy water

In some places for sure, but never here. All the places with an outflow actually become cleaner if they had color to begin with.

25 minutes ago, clemsondds said:

But the question was…on the first day of a post front, how would you fish it?

Personally, this time of year down there, I'd start near a known spawning flat, then work the zone from deep to shallow. there are worse plans.

[clemsondds]

8 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

In some places for sure, but never here. All the places with an outflow actually become cleaner if they had color to begin with.

Personally, this time of year down there, I'd start near a known spawning flat, then work the zone from deep to shallow. there are worse plans.

 

 

13 minutes ago, Catt said:

With rain comes muddy water, find the cleanest water. 

 

As to which lure selection, that will change with the water conditions. Ya gonna have to do some fishing!

Last time I fished cold muddy water, several ppl had mentioned not to try fishing deep (eg brush piles…)  do you feel that’s true?  It would almost seem opposite to me where those fish seem like they would be less affected by changing conditions 

[WRB]

13 hours ago, clemsondds said:

Ok so going out fishing Monday.  Where I am at, it's been 45-60 for the past 5 days. But tonight it's been raining and the temps are dropping.  Tomorrow it's supposed to drop down to 33 and stay around there all day with rain.  Then on Monday it will start out in the 30's and slowly rise to mid 50's, sunny and with winds 5-8mph out of NW.  So my question is:  how would you go out Monday morning and try to catch them? Water will be 1-1.5ft visibility with water temps prob in mid 40's. Slow way down?  Look for baitfish? Stay shallow? Go deep?  What would you do?

Cold front bass fishing isn’t easy.

Air temps don’t indicate water temps but winds can cool down the water column.

Pre Spawn bass are catchable because the need to eat before spawning. The moon phase is a positive driver.

Being a jig fisherman that is what my 1st choice is, works at nearly all depths except surface.

Dress for the conditions so you are comfortable and go fishing.

Tom