What are your 3-5 go to lures for water temps under 50*

[Bluebasser86]

12 hours ago, txchaser said:

This last two winters (and a bassU class) taught me that there are fish that will absolutely smash fast stuff when it's cold. 

I’m a huge believer in this after fishing through many Midwest winters. I catch fish on flat sides in 40-42 degree water all the time when I use to believe I had to fish something super slow. The fish may not move much in cold water, but if they decide to eat something they’re more than capable of catching something moving at a fairly quick pace. 

[casts_by_fly]

13 hours ago, CDMTJager said:

Question about a Ned rig. Never fished a Ned rig. I do have a all the Ned Rig tackle and soft plastics just haven't tried a Ned Rig yet mostly because my lakes have very little to no weed free hard bottom left accessible from shore by early may, in short the lakes I do 90% of my fishing average depth from shore is under 10" and weed up very quickly after May1st.

 

Am I correct in thinking a Ned Rig is meant to be fished in a mostly weed free hard bottom, and not a very good choice for moderate to heavy weeds?

I am reasonably confident my most fished lakes bottoms will be relatively weed free from ice out till early to late May depending on temps.

 

Originally yes.  Not weed free, but not for heavy weeds with the light line and open hook.  However, keep the weight light and it will float over the weeds rather than bury.  And when you are still hooking up weeds every cast then grab a couple packs of these and thank me after.

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bass_Union_Weedless_Ned_Heads_3pk/descpage-BUNWNH.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bass_Union_Weedless_Darter_Heads_3pk/descpage-BUNWDH.html

[Bankbeater]

Jerkbait.

Swim Jig.

Spinnerbait.

Crankbait.

Lipless Crankbait.

 

I might fish with a Texas rig if there is a lot of brush, but most of the time it will stay in the car.

[A-Jay]

What are your 3-5 go to lures for water temps under 50* ?

 

Fishing for brown bass here 50 is not a temp that I've identified as all that significant.

With a surface water temps of 50, with clean water, 

whether it's warming or cooling seems far more critical. 

Helps me choose where & when to with.

42 degrees is a more of a line in the sand for me.

Either way, I'm rarely fishing any type of mid depth.

It's either shallow or deeper.

Baits for the shallower deals include but may not be limited to;

Jerkbaits, Bladed jig, hair jig.

Deeper stuff might still see a jerkbait getting wet, just a deeper unit, 

Swinghead and a Blade Bait.

A-Jay

 

 

[33oldtimer]

Caught my first bass last year in Feb. on a Ned dragging it slowly. Spinnerbait just in case they are more active than I expect. Skirted Jig finesse size dragging it slowly, maybe letting it soak a bit.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

If I had to pick just 5

Finesse swimbait 3" easy shiner on a 1/16 head

ned rig

suspending or very slow sinking rattle trap

chatterabit fished very slow

jerkbait

 

 

 

[Choporoz]

I have been fishing sub 50° water almost daily for months.  I have caught bass on a lot of different things.  But nothing compares to blade bait.  Many days, that is all I threw.

[Columbia Craw]

Smallmouth:   Jerkbait and hula grub

Largemouth: Jig and spinnerbait

[Sp33dSnake]

If the water is that cold in Florida:

My lures are:

1.) College football on TV
2.) Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips
3.) Yuengling Tan & Black Beer
4.) Johnny Walker Black if Yuengling doesn't make me forget about the cold.
5.) Buffalo Chicken Wings

Those are my lures, because I'm probably not outside.  😆
 

[Skunkmaster-k]

Blade baits are my #1 favorite cold water bait. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1.  Jighead Minnow

2.  Blade bait

3.  A-Rig  

 

 

Lot of things can and have worked, but nothing has consistently outperformed those three baits.   

[Mbirdsley]

1) shad rap 

2) 110 size jerk bait 

3) chatter bait 

4) spinner bait 

5) lipless 

 

I have fished all day using a chatter bait or jerk bait in cold water with never putting it down. 

 

once the water starts to hit 55 degrees crank baits start to play and T-rigging plastic. 

[FryDog62]

The best lures I have found to tick bass off in cold water are a jerk bait and a blade bait. If you are waiting for bass to get hungry and slurp slow moving lures, wait til spring...

[CDMTJager]

Ordered some Jackal blade baits from TWH as I was shocked to find I didn't own a single blade bait and I already have more than enough hard sided jerkbaits.

Lakes near my home are now ice free but its freezing rain and snow today so tomorrow is supposed to be dry and in the mid 40's and lake temps are 33-35* so I will see what I can do. 

 

Thanks to all for the help and advice.

[Choporoz]

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/163752-its-almost-blade-bait-time/

[papajoe222]

My top three are a hair jig, blade bait and a suspending jerkbait. If I stretch it out to five, I'd add a paddletail swimbait and a Colorado bladded spinerbait.

[RHuff]

Jighead Minnow is in a class all by itself… next would be a Frittside 5, Blade Bait, Jerkbait, and a Jig

[Bird]

Maybe because it's geographic or I'm a miserable failure 😳

But for LM bass, I don't do well with water temps below 50.

I caught 2 on a flat side crank a couple of years ago and threw a victory parade.

Can we talk about 50* water ❓

Jigs

Spinnerbaits

Jerkbaits