whats the best i use to live in AZ Full Time now i got to school in Michigan and go to AZ in For the summer so ive never fished in a "Cold" State whats the best lure to use when the ice melts? i was thinking dropshot or a jerkbait

Thats a VERY open ended question, as you'll see with the million different responses you'll get. Ice melted here (Philly area) within the past few days. I'm going to do the following:

1) Find shallow grass and toss a River2Sea Tungsten Vibe in red. Rip it out, let it fall.

2) Find a 45* sloping bank with gravel or rock on it and toss either a R2S Trophy Minnow in Bluegill or throw a balsa crankbait (DT6/10, Shad Rap) in a craw pattern.

3) Drag a jig in channels.

 

Good luck to you!

crankbait. period

I would go with a Shaky head or slow rolling a crank bait. If the bass aren't on a reaction bite, you can usually pick a few up by dragging a shaky head work really slow.

I like a LC pointer 78sp myself ( so do smallies!!!!)..or a small jig

Cold water first trip out every spring- jerk bait baby.

Jerkbait

Last few years I've been doing good with Yo Zuri Vibes and KVD Red Eye Shads, right off the ice.

Ice out is normally a jerkbait for me unless the water is dirty with low visibility, if that is the case I use a lipless crank or flat side crank. The flat sides I like are the Rapala Shad Rap and the DT Flat 7 and Flat 3, dirty water means red craw in the DT Flat and red crawdad in the Shad Rap. If it is seriously cold, then the hair jig comes out.

This time of year I have better luck with crankbaits.

Ice out probably won't happen around for another 2 weeks yet   Been a terrible winter, temperature wise. As soon as I can see open water and can launch, I'll be carrying 3 rigs with me:

 

1)  Medium action spinning rod with a Pointer jerkbait, switching on & off with a tube.

 

2)  Medium-light action spinning rod with a drop shot.

 

3) Medium-heavy casting rod with a 1/2 oz. blade bait.

 

One of these will be the ticket. And it usually is #3.

Just a reminder, Bass season opens April 26th here in Michigan. Lipless, spinnerbaits and bladed jigs are all effective. 

Jerkbait, lipless crankbait, crankbait, spinnerbait, and a blade bait.

Ice out probably won't happen around for another 2 weeks yet   Been a terrible winter, temperature wise. As soon as I can see open water and can launch, I'll be carrying 3 rigs with me:

 

1)  Medium action spinning rod with a Pointer jerkbait, switching on & off with a tube.

 

2)  Medium-light action spinning rod with a drop shot.

 

3) Medium-heavy casting rod with a 1/2 oz. blade bait.

 

One of these will be the ticket. And it usually is #3.

 

^^ My #1 cold water bait as well. 

 

Tom

Jerk bait, hair jigs, blades, and spoons.

"Blade bait" recommendations....please...

 

for me..

1st tourney is this sunday.  ice just melted off about 10 days ago.  forecast high of 45 (and thats not until 4pm). ugh!!

 

i'm going to be using..

 

LC 78sp pointer

hair jig w/pork craw trailer

rubber skirted jig w/3" damiki air craw or Power Team craw d'voure

Norman thin-n

Rapala dt-6

Spro little john

lipless crank...

 

and hand warmers!!!  lol...

Silver Buddies, bud.

When the water is still cold in Wisconsin I will usually fish:

 

1) Husky jerk in clown color (the x-raps move a bit to fast for cold water, but those are my go to in summer), fish it slow with long pauses

2) Tube in green/blue, or green/gold/red weightless on a mustad big bite 3/0 tube hook

 

I fish both of these on a 7' medium action rod spooled with either flouro-coated copolymer or 10 lb flourocarbon.

 

Side note: you WILL catch notherns on the husky jerks in cold weather if they are in the lake. Check you not after dragging one of those in as a lot of times you will need to retie.

Aruku shad in perch fished on meter marks on transitional shelf's in 20+ foot of water fished yo yo to slow winds.

"Blade bait" recommendations....please...

 

 I agree with Silver Buddies, but I have about 7 or 8 other manufacturers and configurations. Problem with blades is that you tend to loose a lot of them. They need to jigged close to the bottom, hence they tend to snag easily. Check out the pre-molded blade bodies (less hooks) offered by Barlow's. A reasonable facsimile of the Silver Buddy, but cost is very low. Finished lures, after adding split rings and trebles, is around $1.50 per lure! Hard to beat. And they work.

Deep suspending jerk, shallow suspending jerk, hair jig with baby rage or baby paca, drop shot, lipless crank, carolina rigged centipede. 

Last few years I've been doing good with Yo Zuri Vibes and KVD Red Eye Shads, right off the ice.

I've got to give that a go, John. I'm usually a LC Pointer or finesse jig kinda guy.

I'd go with a jerkbait.

Jerk bait, hair jigs, blades, and spoons.

 

^^^ What he said ^^^

 

Those would be right at the top of my list, and if you're talking clear natural lakes in Michigan, I'd almost guarantee the blade bait as the best immediately after iceout.

 

-Brian