Help with any tip on this cool Fall Temps.

[LSU Fan]

Air temps at Just plain COLD.  Setting 35*- 55* since early November and all the sudden just lost it for catching Bass, HELP!  In the past I fished Jordan Lake when conditions reach this point but since Jordan is at a all-time low, that's out.  Randleman Lake(when open), Macintosh Lake, Belews Creek Reservoir, Mayo Reservoir, and Buggs Island are lakes I travel to lately.  Any tip for catchin' that could apply on Piedmont North Carolina Lakes?    

[LSU Fan]

Sorry Guys its been so long since been in this chatroom didn't realize has asked for Help and got it earlier? 

[FishTax]

Read everything @Pat Brownposts, he's the central NC King of bass fishing. 

 

My advice is throw a jig or shaky head and move slow, but everyone fishes different and has different confidence baits and experience levels. Do you use electronics?

[Pat Brown]

Been catching them on rock and wood up shallow near deep water and up the lake at the muddier shallow end in remaining vegetation.

 

The water is clearer than it's ever been in my life right now so fish finesse and clear water presentations and not the normal NC power fishing stuff in general.

[TOXIC]

We have had major success vertical jigging SteelShad blade baits in deep water.  35ft seems to be the magic depth. I’m just a little north of you and we are still a little warmer so your balde bite ought to be even better.  

[Carolina Pines]

This time of year I never downsize.  If anything I upsize, but I will slow my presentations down.  

 

I'm in NC as well, just a little bit east of you.  Right now especially, find the bait and you'll find the fish.  Look for schools of shad being pushed into coves and onto the flats. 

 

I like slow rolling spinnerbaits and 5" swimbaits on offshore flats and around the edge of submerged weedlines.  This was my most productive technique last trip, I caught maybe 20 fish like this and the wife got around 10 or so. 

 

Keep a jerkbait ready as well, I'll switch back and forth between the jerkbait and spinnerbait to keep the bite going.  Once the water temps drop into the low 50s the jerkbait bite will really turn on.  Lipless crankbaits also really shine this time of year. 

 

Don't discount medium sized swimbaits either, this past trip I also got a nice 3 pounder on a huddleston 68 fishing it slow along the bottom.  I'll be throwing the swimbaits even more as water temps drop into 50s. 

 

Always be on the lookout for bass busting schools of shad.  Especially on warmer sunny afternoons.  You'll usually get a topwater bite in the later half of the day.  Big fish last trip went 5lbs 7oz and I got him on a popper.  I'll also throw spooks a lot this time of year.

 

I've been catching big fish in the winter for years.  November - February is a great time to catch a new PB in NC.  Sometimes it takes a little while to find the active fish, but there's always some.  They eat year round down here.  You just gotta keep moving until you find them. 

[Choporoz]

I'm in your neighborhood.... it has been a bit maddening the last few weeks. One day they will be in back of a creek and a day later, they could be backed out most of the way to the main lake ... and they are constantly moving.  Bait schools are much smaller than they were 3 weeks ago.   I have caught on blade bait, flutter spoon, t-rig, jerkbait, spinnerbait, chatterbait and frog in recent days. 

   Not only are active fish difficult to find, the bite windows can be smallish.  Keep moving, find bait, don't spend much time in creeks without obvious bait...keep moving