Water temp below 50 degrees?

[santacruz]

Can bass still be caught in water temps below 50 degrees.If so what type of lures would you use?

[basspro96]

I went yesterday and caught a bass in 39.1 degree water. So yes they can be. It also some of the best fishing action at times. Down in Tennessee we use the Float N Fly. Jerkbaits. Jig N Pigs. Just slow slow slow presentations.

[Catt]

Absolutely

Texas rigs, Jig-N-Craw, Jigging Spoons, Carolina rigs, Drop Shot rigs, Wacky rigs, deep diving cranks, lipless cranks & the list goes on. 

[Goose52]

My catch rate dropped dramatically when the water temp went below 50deg, but I still caught some fish. Sub-50deg. baits that I've used so far this winter include t-rigged baits, spinnerbaits, lipless cranks, jigs, and jerkbaits.

Caught my last fish of 2010 yesterday on a t-rigged plastic craw in 40deg surface temp water (the lake was iced over the day before).

[Bassnajr]

How bout a Carolina Rig with a nice big lizard fished SO SLOW you want to cry!!!!??? 

[Carrington]

bass can be caught in any temp just as long as the water isnt boiling and its not completely frozen through the whole lake to the bottem.  Fish a drop shot or something else that is really finesse.

[SeanW]

How bout a Carolina Rig with a nice big lizard fished SO SLOW you want to cry!!!!???

   Dont have to be that slow, and try a full size brush hog or a Zipper Monkey Bug. I seem to do better on those two baits.

   Think deep, its more stable and largemouth are lazy creatures. Ive drop shotted bass down to 100ft. Usually 45-50 is pretty solid. If there is still grass they will be near by.

[CJ]

Yup! Jig, tube, vibration bait, and jerkbait are about all I use below 50.

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

Certainly.Just remember that in the winter you want to slow down. Jigs carolina rigs drop shotting etc.

And by the way basspro you should probably change your little signature thing that says its a 9 pounder since you changed your picture haha ;D

[Catt]

A bass's metabolism is finely tuned to its circulatory system's temperature which is the same as the surrounding water temperature. Water temperature that has warmed as little as 1 or 2 degrees from the day before or even from morning to afternoon can trigger a feeding frenzy.

Do not over look the fish catching ability of crank baits, spinner baits, & lipless cranks

Here's an example of fishing shallow cold water with a fast moving lure.

February 3rd 2007 was a nasty cold morning with Northwest winds at 15-20 mph, a slight misty rain falling, air temperatures in the middle 30's and surface temperatures in the low 40's. Slow rolling a 1/2 oz Red Chrome Rat-L-Trap in 2 ½ of water results in a 12 lbs 8 oz largemouth.

Bass feed efficiently (maximize food intake and minimize energy output), if the prey is large enough a bass will burn the energy required to catch it even in cold water.

[RoLo]

The short answer is that bass can be caught in any water that hasn't turned to ICE.

Another short answer is that 'live bait' is King during the winter. Now for the long answer:

For northern-strain bass, "50 degs" has always been the water temperature of demarcation.

Since I've always loved hunting at least as much as fishing,

I always took to the field during the winter months, rather than chase bass in a stupor.

When I moved to Florida however, all that seemed to change.

In the first place, I've virtually given up hunting, so now I'm a year-round angler.

In the second-place, I've found that the critical water temperature for Florida-strain bass

is closer to 60-degrees, and not 50 degrees. When water temperatures are in the 50s

(like right now in central Florida), I openly admit that Florida-strain bass

are better positioned to win, and I'm better positioned to lose.

North of Ocala, Florida there's a mixture of northern-strain and Florida-strain bass,

and north of Frostproof, Florida you'll very rarely encounter water temps in the 50s.

Differently put, if there is one angler south of Ocala who "consistently" catches bass

in water under 60 degrees, I have yet to meet him.

During wintertime, the digestion process of bass is grossly slowed down

and the time spent by bass 'off-the-feed' is greatly increased.

There are however two ways to increase the duration of the strike window in cold water:

1) Slow the retrieve speed

2) Increase the noise or visibility of the lure (earlier notice enlarges the sight window)

I've learned over time that the fast-twitch muscles of bass function surprising well,

even in cool water. The "fastest" Florida-strain I caught in my life was in 67 deg water,

not in 85-deg water as I would've expected. That particular bass displayed the speed

of a bluefish, moving from abaft to astern in a fraction of a second.

In any case, I've come to believe that during the wintertime the wake-up factor

of the lure is just as important as a slow delivery, especially in murky water.

Some anglers may laugh at using spinnerbaits or rattle cranks during the winter,

but loud lures fished slowly will often outproduce quiet stealth lures in cold water.

Roger

[South FLA]

I've found that the critical water temperature for Florida-strain bass is closer to 60-degrees, and not 50 degrees. When water temperatures are in the 50s

(like right now in central Florida), I openly admit that Florida-strain bass are better positioned to win, and I'm better positioned to lose. In Florida you'll very rarely encounter water temps in the 50s.

Differently put, if there is one angler south of Ocala who "consistently" catches bass

in water under 60 degrees, I have yet to meet him.

BINGO, Florida anglers listen up, unless of course you are using SHINERS. Water temp has held in the mid 50s to upper 50s in most bodies of water I am fishing now, and my catch rate is LOW, VERY LOW.  Hopefully this warming trend kicks start the bite, but unlike Rolo I get away from unproductive water and hunt, duck and doves for fun when the bite is slow. 

[RoLo]

[quote author=544258414B58456674744663636E6473070 link=1293904358/11#11 date=1294106705

unlike Rolo I get away from unproductive water and hunt, duck and doves for fun when the bite is slow.

Hmmm

I sold my Barnegat Bay sneakbox,

but still have several shotguns and a bunch of decoys ;D

[Vinny Chase]

My favorite cold water baits:

1) North Star Custom Baits Hair jig

2) Pointers

3) Aruka Shads

[fishfordollars]

Can bass still be caught in water temps below 50 degrees.If so what type of lures would you use?

I guess you failed to watch last years Bassmaster's "Classic"

Traps or any other lipless lure.

[BigEbass]

I fished the last 3 winters here in AL and I have only been fishing for 3 years....so far from my limited experience I can echo nearly all what has been said - my catch rate is dramatically lower in winter, but you know there are some guys that can find some deep grouped up fish and get on a spoon bite lets say and rip out a good number right?   I am now trying to learn the spoon, I really struggled 12/31/10 to get even one bite, but the wind was really kicking my butt..

Anyway, I also am picking up the float n fly technique and have read from alot of forums that is a great tactic for cold cold water bass suspended - I tried it for my first day on 12/31/10 and caught one fish that then got hung up and lost him, not sure how big the fish was or anything  >

And I have started to throw big swimbaits and it stands to reason that a big huddleston for example SLOW ROLLED SO SLOW on the bottom for example would be a decent bait to go after a big un as the bait fish I believe during the winter approach their largest sizes and bass still eat big fish then...so there is that caveat to consider I suppose (although I have yet to try this, but understand that it certainly works).

Good luck - I am going to be focusing on learning float n fly, spooning, and drop shot this winter primarily, all new to me 

[Nick]

For northern bass 50 degrees is a pretty well defined point for thinking! about slowing down, but a good crankbait, jig, or spinnerbait bite can be had down into the lower 40's. GENERALLY, slow down, but generalities are made to be broken. In winter the larger fish tend to bite more consistently and the smaller fish nearly disappear thankfully. Below 40, I tend to disappear from the fishing holes!

[riverfisher]

Here is a cold water Hudson River,  New York Bass from last weekend my uncle caught on a 6" sucker!! We were targeting monster pike but he took the bait. BRRRRR

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn253/dloucks100703/Icebass.jpg

[Paul Roberts]

if there is one angler south of Ocala who "consistently" catches bass in water under 60 degrees, I have yet to meet him.

Interesting. Good stuff, Roger. (Man, that hunting is hard to give up.)

[InLikeFinz]

Good info guys. I'm printing this thread to hand out to the joggers who give me crazy looks while I'm fishing this winter, haha.

[Capt Ray]

I've found that the critical water temperature for Florida-strain bass is closer to 60-degrees, and not 50 degrees. When water temperatures are in the 50s

(like right now in central Florida), I openly admit that Florida-strain bass are better positioned to win, and I'm better positioned to lose. In Florida you'll very rarely encounter water temps in the 50s.

Differently put, if there is one angler south of Ocala who "consistently" catches bass

in water under 60 degrees, I have yet to meet him.

BINGO, Florida anglers listen up, unless of course you are using SHINERS. Water temp has held in the mid 50s to upper 50s in most bodies of water I am fishing now, and my catch rate is LOW, VERY LOW. Hopefully this warming trend kicks start the bite, but unlike Rolo I get away from unproductive water and hunt, duck and doves for fun when the bite is slow.

I live in NW Florida and our winter water temps are consistently in the high 40's lower 50's and fishing has been pretty good.

We have the best luck on suspending jerk baits, small tight wobble cranks, and of course shacky heads, flick shake heads, and drop shot rigs.

The problem is not the bass being cold, it is the anglers, after all, we are in Florida.

[Goose52]

Good info guys. I'm printing this thread to hand out to the joggers who give me crazy looks while I'm fishing this winter, haha.

One of my lakes is on a relatively busy road and I've had folks drive by and yell out the window..."are you crazy"! This as I've been standing there fishing in the rain, wind, snow, etc. .............. ;D ;D ;D

[Evans]

Only technique I use in winter, is the float n fly. Guess I should try other stuff as well but I've just had too much success with it to try anything else! I fished Lake Burton in GA back in December when water temps were 43 all around the lake, didn't do great but did manage 3 spots for 8.5lbs and enough to win our club tournament. Fished Hiwassee Lake here in NC this past week and caught limits both days, even on a 4 hour trip. Biggest so far has been a little over 3lbs, but I have too much confidence on it to throw anything else when the water is below 50! Plus it's a lot of fun to tie your own flies

[bradbass]

You sure can try something like a 8-10" plastic worm or swim bait but work it real slow, bass dont want to have to move quick or far to get a meal in cold water.

[Triton21]

Storm PEE WEE WART YV37 crank. Hold on tight or you will lose your rod.

Kelley