Welp water temps have dropped to 40ish...whats your favorite lmb lure/presentation

[bishoptf]

At least in mid Missouri last week when the weather warmed up for a couple of days I went out. My plan is to continue to go out when we get a few days of warmer weather, some deep coves had some ice forming but the main lake was still all open but water temps in the main lake area had dropped to 40-42 degrees on the surface.

 

Planning to go out tomorrow, weather will be in the mid 50's and will be the same on tuesday supposedly. First year I have attempted to fish through the winter so lots of learning to be done. Would like to know for folks that fish in the mid 30's to low forties what have you done that seems to work.

 

Only think recently that I have had any luck on was a rapala #7 deep shad rap. Last outing was skunked, well I snagged a 10lb catfish but that doesn't count, lol.

 

Just looking for some suggestions to try tomorrow, pretty shallow lake for the most part, about 25ft deep and not that big. No vegetation, plenty of rocks and docks/boat lifts.

 

Thanks! 

 

 

[Glenn]

We have a whole library of articles here: https://www.bassresource.com/seasonal-fishing-articles/Winter

 

And a big library of winter videos here: https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/bass-fishing-winter

 

Enjoy!

[Dan N]

Flat sided  crankbait like Rapala OG slim 6 , or OG tiny. Or a lipless crankbaits are my go to. Or a ned rig 

[Choporoz]

Blade baits, jigs and spoons

[LrgmouthShad]

Crankbait - billed or lipless. A small 1/4oz lipless has been quite productive for me in that water temp. If you can fish a shad rap, that’s a great billed option.

Keitech swimbait on a light jig head and light line retrieved as slow as possible

 

Jerkbait 

 

I fished these in your area mid Missouri and did okay in the cold water. A couple days there was ice rimming the lake and I still caught them, spinnerbaits included. 

 

[Jigfishn10]

Single blade spinnerbait ... Think big blade for a slow roll. My PB came just after ice out

Jigs and back in the day an uncle josh pork rind ,,,, anything that move subtle

Can't go wrong with a jerkbait as mentioned

Lipless crankbait and find grass/weed patches and rip thru

 

EDIT

If you can fish more vertical, then drop shot is productive

[LrgmouthShad]

^ If big spinnerbait don’t work, go the other direction. Smaller compact spinnerbaits. A 3/8oz compact frame with an Indiana/willow has been productive for me. I tend to lean to the bigger spinnerbaits AFTER iceout as JigFishin mentioned. During the winter I generally stay with smaller spinnerbaits unless I’m rolling really deep. When prespawn really gets going I’ll throw in a long arm.

 

[Pat Brown]

So far when it's that cold a Jig n Pig and a Jerkbait have been pretty solid this year!

 

Lipless crankbait/spinnerbait/chatterbait all work good when it's super cold.

 

Blade baits and spoons.

 

Ned rig/shaky head/drop shot.

[Catt]

I do not pay attention to daytime temperatures, instead I pay attention to nighttime temperatures. Until nighttime temperatures are above the water temperatures you will not get any sanificant increase in temperatures. What is gained during the daytime will be lost over night.

[Bankbeater]

Jig and craw

Spinnerbait

Bladed Jig

Jerkbait

Crankbait

Lipless Crank

Weightless Fluke

I also bring along a Texas rig so that when none of the above works I can practice my pitching.

[bishoptf]

13 minutes ago, Catt said:

I do not pay attention to daytime temperatures, instead I pay attention to nighttime temperatures. Until nighttime temperatures are above the water temperatures you will not get any sanificant increase in temperatures. What is gained during the daytime will be lost over night.

Good point, we got a lot of rain yesterday and its warmed back up even overnight. But I think that is probably the best thing to look at and know what the water temp.may be doing. In my case as long as the day is warm and the lake is not frozen I'm going to go out. I may not catch anything but its another day on the water and this time of the year no one else is out there except for maybe another one or two crazy folks like myself.

 

But when the day warms up to mid 40s or 50s and its not raining then I'm going to try to be out there. Older dog and well going to try to fish as much as I can while I can.

[Jig Man]

NED

[bishoptf]

Thanks everyone I have most what have been mentioned already tied on and maybe add one or 2 to the mix. I am probably in the wrong location but going to spend more time graphing and looking for the bait fish. With all the rain we got I will probably fish some of the runoff culverts since all that rain water should be warmer.

[Bluebasser86]

I’m in NE Kansas and fished a tournament here yesterday . I caught all my fish on a jerkbait and Ned rig. Normally would mix in a flat sided crank but the rock snot was too bad.

[bishoptf]

I have virtually most all of the lures mentioned but main issue is to know when to change and where to concentrate. Something new that I am going to try is a Berkley finisher, after watching some videos it has a crazy darting action but it doesn't suspend so maybe to fast for this water temp. Going to also try a down size jig. Really i have so many to chose from just never know how to try them all. Once I get a bite I tend to stay with that lure and maybe thats not always the best option.

 

Will post an update this evening when I get back, appreciate all the comments.

[Bluebasser86]

Points that I would call “roll offs” (flat points with sharp drops at the ends), were the only places holding fish for me yesterday. The one with grass had more fish, but I found a big log on another that had 3 big fish sitting on it and every one of them bit my jerkbait.

[GreenPig]

In the 40s, I'd be alright with just a chrome and gold Cotton Cordell 1/2oz jigging spoon with Gamakatsus on it. 

[bishoptf]

Bass- 1 me - 0...oof, I didn't even get a bite all afternoon. I did see some other folks fishing but wasn't able to talk to anyone so not sure if they were having better luck. Threw the following, berkley finisher, rattle trap, SK bitsy jig, shad rap, small 3" swim bait also tried a zoom fat albert grub. Obviously I was fishing the wrong places or with the wrong stuff/retrieves but I still have a lot to learn. I saw what i think is a lot of baitfish. On my phone now and snapshots are larger than I can upload but I see lots of fish, I assume baitfish but that is something else I need to learn better how to interpret my graphs. Water temp on the main lake was 39, back in one of the pockets was 40 so pretty cold.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

*** The following reply is based heavily on bodies of water that hold large amounts of Shad.      

 

2D sonar and finding schools of bait are the two most important things to consistent success in the winter months I've found.      

 

Once you find the bait, you can then see what part of the water column the fish are feeding in, and also if the fish are feeding up or down on the bait.  

 

If they're feeding down on the bait, within a few feet of the bottom.....a blade bait is impossible to beat.    A smaller spoon is also quite effective as a backup.   

 

If they're feeding up on the bait, within 5-10ft of the surface.....strolling/shaking a minnow is really hard to beat.    A jerkbait is another staple bait to have in this situation.    5ft or less......go with a traditional 110 styled bait.   If they are deeper than 5ft....go with a 110 +1 or +2.     It's good to have both a fullsize 110 size bait, as well as a 95 size bait like the 110jr or the Shimano Zumerno.

 

If they're feeding down or up on bait in the middle of the water column between 10-20ft......a tailspinner like a Damiki Axe blade is fantastic choice.   

 

An A-Rig plays in all these scenarios, simply find the depth the fish are at, and count the A-Rig down to a foot above or below their depth based on whether you think they are feeding up or down.     

 

The terms 'feeding up' and 'feeding down' are quite important, and that's because in the winter fish will be hyper focused on bait, will be suspended chasing around that bait, and depending on the conditions will be very specific about how they setup to predate the bait.    On nice warm up days, that bait will move high in the water column, and fish will most likely want that bait over their heads.    On frigid freezing days, the bait many times will be hugging the depressions of deeper water, and the fish will want that bait beneath them.    

 

Winter fishing can be very frustrating, but when you put it all together, you can have days that are nothing short of electric.    Nothing compares to when the fish are chewing in the winter.    Just keep putting in that work, you'll figure it out soon enough.     Time on water is the ultimate teacher.   

[papajoe222]

I admit that I'm only faced with that cold of water for a few weeks in the spring after ice-out.

During that short window, I rely on two presentations; vertical yo-yoing a blade bait. Notice I didn't say jigging, just a slow lift of a foot or so enough to get it vibrating and letting it fall. I'll let it sit on the bottom for a while before repeating.  Dragging a hair jig slowly along the bottom is the other. I use 1/4oz.- 3/8oz. maribou  jigs that I tie myself. I underwrap a layer of deer belly hair to keep the maribou from collapsing completely and again, I'll let it sit for a while after moving it a foot or so.

[lunkerboss923]

Zoom Finesse Trick Worms in Redbug on an Owner ShakyHead 1/8oz . GLX 822S DSR rod with 

 

Megabass White  3" Spark Shad with a Squadron Minnow Jig Head in 3/16oz

 

Berkely Money Badger crankbaits the blaze orange blue back 

 

Megabass Vision 110 Jr Mat Shad or Elegy Bone 

 

Glidebaits-Bull Shad Trick Shads are my favorite right now (Mat Shad) 

 

 

[GRiver]

A 3/8-1/4oz  green pumpkin jig, with a netbait paca craw. The smallest one, Jr. or baby craw, I think, watermelon or lighter green color. 
Would work the deeper spots in the river, slow and methodically grid out the area, basically what most would call over fishing an area. 
Haven’t fished the cold in years, all I had was hip boots with multiple pairs of socks. My feet would eventually go numb, remember the pins and needles when they’d start warming up.

[bishoptf]

14 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

*** The following reply is based heavily on bodies of water that hold large amounts of Shad.      

 

2D sonar and finding schools of bait are the two most important things to consistent success in the winter months I've found.      

 

Once you find the bait, you can then see what part of the water column the fish are feeding in, and also if the fish are feeding up or down on the bait.  

 

If they're feeding down on the bait, within a few feet of the bottom.....a blade bait is impossible to beat.    A smaller spoon is also quite effective as a backup.   

 

If they're feeding up on the bait, within 5-10ft of the surface.....strolling/shaking a minnow is really hard to beat.    A jerkbait is another staple bait to have in this situation.    5ft or less......go with a traditional 110 styled bait.   If they are deeper than 5ft....go with a 110 +1 or +2.     It's good to have both a fullsize 110 size bait, as well as a 95 size bait like the 110jr or the Shimano Zumerno.

 

If they're feeding down or up on bait in the middle of the water column between 10-20ft......a tailspinner like a Damiki Axe blade is fantastic choice.   

 

An A-Rig plays in all these scenarios, simply find the depth the fish are at, and count the A-Rig down to a foot above or below their depth based on whether you think they are feeding up or down.     

 

The terms 'feeding up' and 'feeding down' are quite important, and that's because in the winter fish will be hyper focused on bait, will be suspended chasing around that bait, and depending on the conditions will be very specific about how they setup to predate the bait.    On nice warm up days, that bait will move high in the water column, and fish will most likely want that bait over their heads.    On frigid freezing days, the bait many times will be hugging the depressions of deeper water, and the fish will want that bait beneath them.    

 

Winter fishing can be very frustrating, but when you put it all together, you can have days that are nothing short of electric.    Nothing compares to when the fish are chewing in the winter.    Just keep putting in that work, you'll figure it out soon enough.     Time on water is the ultimate teacher.   

The lake has a ton of shad, I assume its Gizzard shad since threadfin would probably be dead by now. I have some video's that I believe is the shad everywhere on the edge of the main lake. Not sure if your allowed to link to YT video's but they are to large to upload. Everytime put in a link it goes to moderation, never sure why but I will try again, if you look on the side imaging you will see lots of shad on both sides of the boat, at least that is my best guess as to what it is.

 

https://youtu.be/I-qEWT6W-_w

 

https://youtu.be/GO2hqasCaLk

 

https://youtu.be/faVtmGFc0d8

 

Would like to know if what I am seeing is shad...thanks.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

That looks like textbook balls of bait to me.      You're likely correct about the Threadfin, as they'll die off starting in the low 40s.    Crappie will stack up more vertically, with a bit more space in b/t the returns.   

 

You're certainly on the right track being around those areas.     One thing I always try to remember in the winter as a general rule is that you can find bait without Bass, but you can't find Bass without bait.    Many times including yesterday I'll see what your seeing on sonar, lots of bait without Bass feeding on them.......which just tells me I missed the feeding window or they're just not actively feeding.    

 

On the other hand, every single one of my epic days in the winter was around huge swaths of baits.   Literally every single time.    I've never had a magical day where I was catching fish without bait nearby.    In your videos, I didn't see much in the way of Bass, might have been some small ones in the last video.     Either way if that were me reading it, my interpretation would be lots of bait, no Bass.     

 

When you see 'spaghetti' above or below those bait balls, it's going down like donkey kong.    That's when they are absolutely fired up down there screaming through the bait.   Other times you'll see them on the edges of the bait stacked up like sharks circling their prey.

 

Below are screenshots from days where I smashed them

 

[TnRiver46]

Silver buddy