Dropping Water Temps

[jwo1124]

Seing how I watch every fishing show on TV possible, last night I was tuned into NESN's own Mad Fisherman Charlie Moore. The show was taped early spring with the ater temp at 51 degrees. To my suprise, Charlie was throwing a Mann's Maniac Shad lipless Rat'L Trap. I know during when water temps are cool, not cold and not warm, bass school to bust on baitfish, but I didn;t think with the water temp at 50 burning a lipless crank would get too many fish. To my suprise, Charlie caught a good amount of bass. This brings me to my question:

How cold is too cold to stop getting bit on faster presentations like cranks and spinnerbaits?

I would guess that since during these times of cool water, when bass are schooling and on the move hunting baitfish, using any sort of jig or plastic would prove un productive since bass aren;t really holding in cover or on structure. Seeing how they are on the move, chasing baitfish, it would make sense to give them something to chase.

I don;t own a boat with electronics so I have no idea what the water temp is around here in Northern Mass, but I would venture to say it's around 50.

How many of you guys are still throwing Rat'l Traps, spinners, and cranks?

LBH, what are you catching them on down in RI?

Also, is it too late to still catch'em from the bank? If not, what time do you think would be most productive, late afternoon when water temps are warmest and the sun is going down making it prime time to hunt again(dusk)?

[Matt Fly]

There isn't one time in the year that lipless baits don't catch fish.   40 degree temps on up to the 80's,

[tyrius.]

There isn't one time in the year that lipless baits don't catch fish. 40 degree temps on up to the 80's,

I've found that the only time they don't work is when they are tied to the end of my line!  Ug, I can't catch a fish on a rattling bait to save my life!

[Bassbum]

For me, once the water temps dip below 42 degrees

I'll be looking for the wintering holes and run the bottom

with a sloooow presentation.

[John J.]

Yeah that kinda got my curiosity. Usually cold temps means the bass are lethargic and won't move very much to feed. I never would have guessed that they would chase a fast moving bait...

I am sure that early fall would be a good time for them to chase, once the temps are cooler but not when the temps are winter cold...

[Tin]

I'm from RI and whenever there isnt ice on the lake, and the water temp is under 60 I will cast the trap till my arms fall off for two reasons. One is that if they are gorging on baitfish they will destroy it and two even if they are latharligic, the trap allows you to cover A LOT of water so eventually you will run it by a few fish that will react to it.

And as soon as the sun gets up those fish WILL push shallow to warm up. I catch 95% of my fish this time of year in 3 feet of water or less. You can throw a shallow diving crank around stumps, logs, rocks, docks, ect. In a tournament I was fishing around this time last year the h2o temp was 44* and the sun was out. The fish had moved up to about six inches of water, they were just infront of stumps along the bank. You could acctually see their backs out of the water. So dont rule out going shallow this time of year.

[Matt Fly]

The most productive pattern in East Texas has to be throwing Red traps on top of the grass

Mid morning even on Cold days, but the sun is shining, a trap burned across the top of grass produces.

Its more of a reaction strike, than bite.

[Crestliner2008]

jwo - I'm in western MA and this past weekend the water temp was 44 degrees in the Oxbow section of the CT River and the river itself. It's getting down, that's for sure. Time to start looking for holing bass in 20'+ deep holes from now until ice up. Tubes are good this time of year and some bass can still be taken in shallow water on plastics. A 6 lb., 2 oz. LM was taken on Sunday in the 'bow in 4' of water! Don't discount the drop shot either. In another week or so, when the temp gets down to 40 deg. or less, you'll need to break out the Silver Buddies, if you haven't already  

[jwo1124]

Hey Crest,

I belong to this massachusetts forum and I saw that big ol bass on one of the threads that was taken out of there.

http://www.maanglers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5

Wow, I didn't think the water temps were that low. I was fishing for about an hour today before it started to DOWN POUR, and I felt the water with my hand and it it didn't feel "that" cold. I would said around high 50's. Seriously, I haven't seen it rain that much in awhile. But it's good because the ponds around here are extremely low.

It's weird because I was fishing the pond the last two weeks of october and there were still tons of bluegill around the shoreline, as well as small bass. But I couldn;t get anything big from the shoreline. I caught a few small rat bass, some small pickerel, and bluegills, but nothing decent. I've been to this pond a few times this month and I can;t seem to get anything. They stock it with trout twice a year and there just doesn't seem to be that much action when I go. I heard the stockies like to school and just circle the pond foraging, so you;re suppose to toss out your powerbait, float it off the bottom for a few hours and hope to get a few when the school goes by. I can;t stand that though. I don;t have the patience, I need to be actively fishing.

[paul.]

How cold is too cold to stop getting bit on faster presentations like cranks and spinnerbaits?  

interesting question.  my 2 cents would be that these two baits do not have to be "faster presentations" - esp. in cold water.  last winter, i caught plenty of bass in 38 degree water, only about four feet deep, on a shallow running crankbait.  but i was not fishing it fast.  i put suspendstrips on it.  cranked it down, LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG pause.  crank the handle a few turns.  pause again.  the hits would usually come on the pause, as the bait just sit there motionless.  you can also catch plenty of bass slow rolling a s'bait.  

this is not to say that fish won't hit fast moving baits in cold water - it's just not your best bet.