December is starting off discouraging 😑

[snowplow]

Hey guys and gals, lm fishing later into the year than l ever have. Nov was a one fish struggle fest. I can't find these fish and I'm thinking maybe the advice lm hearing doesn't seem to be right for where lm fishing?? 

 

I hear that fish will be on structure, especially rock right now. And in the deep water where it's warmest. I've been throwing jigs, jerkbaits, and slow rolling spinnerbaits. My jerkbaits aren't going deep at all though. Just a few feet. 

 

I fish small lakes and large ponds. About 30-50 acres. Ranging from 12-50' in the deepest. 

 

These lakes are mostly a muddy bottom some weeded. I caught that Nov bass slow rolling a spinnerbait over the weeds in what l think is the deepest area of the pond, but that's only 10' to the weeds. 

 

We can't locate but a few in the deepest parts of the lakes. It's like the fish are just gone??

 

Any ideas what l could be doing wrong? I'm getting desperate. 

[Pat Brown]

I wouldn't assume fish are in the deepest water.

 

Bass are shallow creatures and will often live shallow all year long.  During the winter they will move to main lake structure that allows them to relate vertically.  Bluff walls, sea walls, steep banks, shallow water near deeper water.

 

I caught a bass today and it was in one foot of water on a fluke.  I was dead sticking it on a sea wall.

[snowplow]

That's really interesting. There aren't too many steep drop offs but a few. So wood and concrete dock pilings l would think. But l am assuming the floating docks are a no go because no vertical element. My favorite lake has one section of chunky baseball and football size rock with a 3' mound of it right in the center. That sounds like a good spot, but I've ignored it all year because the water level's been below it. The water level finally has it covered but I've still ignored it because it's probably only 1-3' deep. In my other favorite lake there is the whole bunch of submerging logs and 6-10 that are standing but cut off at the surface (so vertical) and they happen to be I believe in the deepest part of the lake, probably 10 to 12 ft. 

 

These are just some spots that come to mind from what you said. The rest of the shallow water has lots of lay downs, tree cover, and vegetation but is within a normal gradual dropping bank. 

 

One question, when you say bluff walls, seawalls, and steep banks how much are we talking? For instance, in one lake there is an actual vertical concrete wall, but it's only in two feet of water. I've been discounting that because it's so shallow. How steep is a steep bank? Ian is a really steep bank still good if it's only steep to shallow water like the wall?

Also not really sure if l should be fishing extra big or small?? I've heard both. Like Ned rigs and huge swimbaits 😶

[Pat Brown]

I like to search for shallow fish with smaller jigs and plastics without much flapping action and lighter line when it gets super cold.

 

I would focus most of your efforts on the bank that gets hit by the sun throughout the day this time of year and try to fish a variety of shallower and deeper looking drops.  That 3 ft rock sea wall could be very good or it could be vacant!  Just have to check it out with a bait.

 

The logs in 12 ft could be great!  I'd try those with a jig or a t rig really slow.

 

Look for subtle points.  Even a spot on the bank that just subtly bumps out a bit instead of being a straight line can be a magnet to fish this time of year.

 

One thing I've definitely noticed is that this time of year bite windows become very defined.  I catch fish a lot in flurries and then an area will seem dead but the fish have just turned back off.  They usually aren't gone.

 

Things that can turn areas on: light breezes, the sun coming out, light rains, wind stopping, wind starting, baitfish schools moving through an area etc etc.

 

Sometimes you can 'fire up' a school this time of year and fish a spot hard when you find where they're condensed and find the right bait and make repeat casts.

 

If you have living vegetation left on your lake, fish it.  Edges.  Top of it.  Underspins, buzztoad, buzzbait, frog, fluke, worms.  They're gonna be in that stuff til it's gone regardless of water temps.

[MidwestBassAttack]

1/4oz Bitsy Bug in Camo with a chunk trailer…thank me later 😁

[Bankbeater]

Most of the bass I caught in November were around submerged vegetation.  They were either in shallow water or in shallow water that was near deeper water.  It seemed the thing that made them bite was the wind.  If the wind was blowing I got bites. 

[ElGuapo928]

Most everything I caught in November was really shallow - last weekend was spent cruising the coves watching for shad boiling along the banks, then tossing a t-rigged worm in the middle of the boil. Worked pretty well too. 

[snowplow]

Awesome guys thanks a lot!

[einscodek]

Water here no ice yet so still catching them like fall but even smaller baits.  Caught on mini crankbait and large curlytail grubs.  The grubs are getting some crappies too.  Threw some big swimbaits slowcrawling but not exclusively and nothing yet on those.

[Munkin]

Went out Saturday for about 2 hours and got skunked for the first time this year at a local creek. It had rained for two days before and there was a temp drop though. I did miss 2 bites on a small tube so I know I can go back this week and catch something. 

 

Allen

[rgasr63]

Cool water is not always bad. I always keep to the same pattern to find the fish. I start with fishing the shallow wood and structures like boat dock pilings first. Then I will follow the grass lines even though they don't look as good as they do in warm water seasons. If I don't find the bite in all this. I will start fishing deeper and follow the creek channel and the bluff walls across the dam. Most of the time I will find the bite. But there will be a day now and then when you can't catch even a cold. 

[Gera]

winter sucks! (for fishing)

 

[Susky River Rat]

It’s been extremely tough in our sub 40 water temps. I hate now till mid March. I generally just go work over time 

[RRocket]

On 12/1/2023 at 10:36 PM, Pat Brown said:

I wouldn't assume fish are in the deepest water.

As with all things, "it depends". In this case, it certainly depends where IMO.

 

December here means "frozen"....and the fish definitely move away from the shallows that freeze or get thin ice cover

[Pat Brown]

11 minutes ago, RRocket said:

As with all things, "it depends". In this case, it certainly depends where IMO.

 

December here means "frozen"....and the fish definitely move away from the shallows that freeze or get thin ice cover

 

 

Well if he's ice fishing I'm gonna be worthless as far as advice goes.  I saw something about some vegetation in the post and figured maybe still got water. 😂🤷🏼‍♂️

[RRocket]

6 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

Well if he's ice fishing I'm gonna be worthless as far as advice goes.  I saw something about some vegetation in the post and figured maybe still got water. 😂🤷🏼‍♂️

LOL 😆

 

It's not completely frozen (it hasn't snowed here...yet). Just the very edges of the shallows are frozen, perhaps 2-3 feet out has a very thin ice layer. You could easily pitch through it like you would dense vegetation/brush. But beyond that, the shallows are very, very cold right now. And can be similarly cold in November. The last fish I've caught was November 16th despite trying multiple days a week! 

 

And vegetation here still exists (and thick in some areas, still) but it's mostly of the dead or dying type. But vegetation and cover nonetheless.

 

I'm really, really really, REALLY jealous of you guys who get to well and truly fish year round for bass.

[Pat Brown]

Last year all the ponds and lakes froze hard for a week - something I had never seen in my life and one of the first times I was forced by nature to stop fishing for a week since I got into it.

 

Here in NC, they're calling for snow next week on account of El Niño doing it's thing this year.  I try not to take the luck we have with weather for granted when it's good at any time of year!  I'll be fishing if the water is wet!

[Woody B]

Until a couple years ago I had never fished past October, or before April (except when racing in Florida, in November)   

 

I thought that cold water bass would be deep....and they sometimes are.  I've found them "sunning" near the surface in basically no water on select days.   Last January I caught several bass right up against the bank, in the Sun.   I would cast a Devils Horse onto the bank, then walk in back into the water.  They'd hit it as soon as it got to the water.   

 

I've also caught cold weather cold water bass in deep water, hugging the bottom.   I occasionally check the temperature of fish I catch with a laser thermometer.   The ones at the surface sunning, as well as the ones hugging the bottom will usually be a degree to 2 warmer than the surface water temp.   

 

 

What I've found, so far is cold water bass might be anywhere, as long as there's water.  

[RRocket]

15 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Last year all the ponds and lakes froze hard for a week - something I had never seen in my life and one of the first times I was forced by nature to stop fishing for a week since I got into it.

 

Here in NC, they're calling for snow next week on account of El Niño doing it's thing this year.  I try not to take the luck we have with weather for granted when it's good at any time of year!  I'll be fishing if the water is wet!

For context, what is considered a cold day for your average winter weather there? 

6 hours ago, Woody B said:

 

 

 

What I've found, so far is cold water bass might be anywhere, as long as there's water.  

Yep. Same here.

 

Absolutely no rhyme or reason.

[Pat Brown]

In NC the surface temps rarely dip below 45° in the dead of winter around here.  Tending to bottom out closer to 48 or so in general.

 

Weather in the winter in NC?  There is no real consistent normal winter weather.  We get some snow, some ice, some rain, some sun, some really cold, some normal 32° days and some warm days throughout almost every winter.

 

Spring is the same for the most part with a slow trend upward in temperature at night with increasing photoperiod after the winter solstice.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Transition times can be hard, once the temp stabilizes the fishing will become more consistent.  I wouldn't focus on deep water, over structure.  Often baitfish, like shiners will stay in shallow flats close to bridges or pilings all winter.  Concrete pilings/ bridges are places I invest a lot of time in.  Generally the bite window is there you just have to figure out when it is.

[VTFan]

This will maybe help me as well. I'd been thinking 'deep' as well although it didn't make sense to me knowing that bass are cold blooded creatures. Most of my fishing is in a small farm pond, especially in the cold winter months. I'll head for the shallow end my next time out.  Thanks guys.