In your opinion, what temperature bass go to winter mode and what temperature do they come out of it?

50 degrees or so

Once it drops below 50 is when they really seem to slow down and transition into winter mode here.

60 degrees is the magic number for smallmouth on the Tennessee River.

At this temperature the fish are relatively shallow and VERY aggressive.

The fish stay active as the temperature drops. The coldest water I have

fished on the river is 44*, but the lakes experience colder surface readings.

The downside to the colder water is shad kill. When that occurs, "catching"

comes to a complete halt.

Here in NE PA the action slowed considerably once the water dropped blow 45. I caught a 4lb largie in 40 degree water on 11/25 and not one since in the past 10 or so outings. A friend caught another 4lber and a 2lb smallie out of the same water in 38 degrees on 12/8.

The question now for us North East bassers are really when does the action start to pick up signifigantly again? I plan to fish until the water is solid which will probably happen within the next 2-3 weeks. I will be out there as soon as the ice melts in late Feb/March.