Hey BR,

 

Here in New Jersey/Pennsylvania the air temperature has been rather odd right now, we have been getting cold nights that have gone down to 20*C and warmer days in the upper 40*C and low 50*C range. Part of me wants to hit the water and go after them with finesse tactics but I'm concerned that these colder nights have already frozen everything, My ponds I bank fish from are about 30 minutes from where I live so I haven't been able to really check what's going on with any ice forming. 

 

What should I do Bass Resource? Take a trip and see what's going on at my spots or wait until the weather is a bit warmer for a longer period?

You may have C's and F's confused! Go fishing, if iced over go home.

Tom

Sounds like your window is closing. Go try it so you don’t live with regret the next 4 months 

You should go until you know for sure your water is solid.  Your temperatures are similar to what we are seeing in northwest Missouri.  We had some single digits to teens for a couple of nights with highs in the 20s and 30s on those days.  Following the cold spell, today the low was in the 20s and the high was in the 50s.  I went to a 70 acre lake an hour north of me and the surface water temperature varied between 40 and 41 degrees.  Some ice had formed in some coves and in some very shaded areas, but the majority of the lake was still warm enough to fish.  

I live in Eastern Pa, right by the NJ border.  I was able to go today for a few hours.  The edges and the shallow end were frozen but overall it was ok.  Tonight may freeze over some more but odds on the bass are hanging in the deeper holes or run offs where the water is warmer.  

Quote

Should I go fishing this week?

 

Should you breathe?

Its only a 30 minute drive. Would be upset personally if I didnt go. 

Not been many times I've gone fishing and wished I hadn't. Lots of times I haven't gone and wished I had.

11 hours ago, Koz said:

 

Should you breathe?

Thanks, very informative.

11 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

I live in Eastern Pa, right by the NJ border.  I was able to go today for a few hours.  The edges and the shallow end were frozen but overall it was ok.  Tonight may freeze over some more but odds on the bass are hanging in the deeper holes or run offs where the water is warmer.  

Yeah that's what I was thinking, but the ponds I fish are only 7 feet deep at the deepest points. Everything else is 3 to 5 feet. I worry this will all be frozen. 

I say go for it.  Fish until your body and mind says no or if the pond is frozen.  

Seems to me unless safety and personal health is a concern, the true answer to this question is always "yes" whenever you're not totally sure it's a "no".

 

You should at least go check out those ponds and find out. Bring some tackle and a rod in case there is still open water.

We've been in the same scenario as the guys west of me. It was single digits Tues. and Wed. morning. Smaller ponds skimmed over. Yesterday and today got to the low/mid 40's and I've caught a bunch of fish. Went at it slow with ned rig and the fish are a little sluggish but it's still fishin'.

9 hours ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

Thanks, very informative.

Yeah that's what I was thinking, but the ponds I fish are only 7 feet deep at the deepest points. Everything else is 3 to 5 feet. I worry this will all be frozen. 

Don't worry, Practice your skipping technique.

If you go in the afternoon chances are the water will be open.

Tom

Wow.....should I go fishing he says.....smiles.....

I hunger to get out rain sleet snow as all have been good times.....

On 11/16/2019 at 10:45 AM, TriStateBassin106 said:

Yeah that's what I was thinking, but the ponds I fish are only 7 feet deep at the deepest points. Everything else is 3 to 5 feet. I worry this will all be frozen. 

Bring a sledgehammer and you can pretty quickly unfreeze part of it if that's the case.

2 hours ago, galyonj said:

Bring a sledgehammer and you can pretty quickly unfreeze part of it if that's the case.

 

5 hours ago, Oregon Native said:

Wow.....should I go fishing he says.....smiles.....

I hunger to get out rain sleet snow as all have been good times.....

 

22 hours ago, WRB said:

Don't worry, Practice your skipping technique.

If you go in the afternoon chances are the water will be open.

Tom

 

23 hours ago, The Bassman said:

We've been in the same scenario as the guys west of me. It was single digits Tues. and Wed. morning. Smaller ponds skimmed over. Yesterday and today got to the low/mid 40's and I've caught a bunch of fish. Went at it slow with ned rig and the fish are a little sluggish but it's still fishin'.

 

On 11/16/2019 at 2:56 PM, MIbassyaker said:

Seems to me unless safety and personal health is a concern, the true answer to this question is always "yes" whenever you're not totally sure it's a "no".

 

You should at least go check out those ponds and find out. Bring some tackle and a rod in case there is still open water.

 

On 11/16/2019 at 12:49 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

Not been many times I've gone fishing and wished I hadn't. Lots of times I haven't gone and wished I had.

 

On 11/15/2019 at 11:12 PM, JediAmoeba said:

I live in Eastern Pa, right by the NJ border.  I was able to go today for a few hours.  The edges and the shallow end were frozen but overall it was ok.  Tonight may freeze over some more but odds on the bass are hanging in the deeper holes or run offs where the water is warmer.  

UPDATE: I went and managed to catch 2 dinks on a NED rig, there was no ice at all. Glad I went! Thanks guys for the advice!

19 minutes ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE: I went and managed to catch 2 dinks on a NED rig, there was no ice at all. Glad I went! Thanks guys for the advice!

Congrats -- that's more than I caught today, and probably more than I will catch between now and April.

5 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

Congrats -- that's more than I caught today, and probably more than I will catch between now and April.

Do you fish from bank or boat? I'm guessing the obvious because of your username. 

 

They're still bass hanging around the shallow areas, don't be surprised if you get some bites, and it's still Fall, the bite probably won't slow down heavily until december. 

1 minute ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

Do you fish from bank or boat? I'm guessing the obvious because of your username. 

 

They're still bass hanging around the shallow areas, don't be surprised if you get some bites, and it's still Fall, the bite probably won't slow down heavily until december. 

What I mean is: I didn't catch anything because, unlike you, I didn't go.

 

In any case, we have ice most places except the river, and I have no spare time anyway. The last time I was able to get out was October 20th. I am done until Spring -- at least until March, probably more like mid-late April. 

 

The moral is: Take the opportunities you get because, at some point, you may stop getting them.

TriState, you know the difference between water temperature and air temperature, and that it takes a lot of heat or cold to have an impact on water temperature vs. air temperature.

 

So invest an hour of your life to check out your pond.

 

And consider giving yourself a swimming pool thermometer for Christmas so you can put a cord on it and throw it into the pond to check out its temperature.

 

Let us know what you do.

53 minutes ago, Sam said:

TriState, you know the difference between water temperature and air temperature, and that it takes a lot of heat or cold to have an impact on water temperature vs. air temperature.

 

So invest an hour of your life to check out your pond.

 

And consider giving yourself a swimming pool thermometer for Christmas so you can put a cord on it and throw it into the pond to check out its temperature.

 

Let us know what you do.

Read the update post I made. 

On November 17, 2019 at 3:38 PM, TriStateBassin106 said:

Do you fish from bank or boat? I'm guessing the obvious because of your username. 

 

They're still bass hanging around the shallow areas, don't be surprised if you get some bites, and it's still Fall, the bite probably won't slow down heavily until december. 

Do think bass can read a calendar and know what December is?

The Bass calendar has no months and water temperature controls thier life cycle.

Cold water period or winter, pre spawn transition to spawning, spawn, post spawn transition to the warm water summer period, fall transition to winter.

That's it in a nut shell.

Tom

Go fishing when you are able to and enjoy it. 

As long as the water is not frozen, and I'm not freezing, I will be fishing.