Lot of people think topwater are only for warm water. You’d be surprised. I’ve caught some nice fish in early spring on wake baits in shallow. It makes sense, fishing a small pond or shallow water. The water warms up quickly. Your fishing rivht over their heads. They won’t pass up on an easy meal

Count me out. Might I catch them on top in cold water? yeah, but so many more productive ways to catch them. There are some WWDs and other niche situations, where it might make sense. 

4 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

Count me out. Might I catch them on top in cold water? yeah, but so many more productive ways to catch them. There are some WWDs and other niche situations, where it might make sense. 

Talking to some swimbait guys, they’ve caught some real big bass on wake baits at ice out 

31 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Talking to some swimbait guys, they’ve caught some real big bass on wake baits at ice out 

Interesting. 

While anything is possible,

There's 10 Pros right now in Alabama struggling to get a bite on anything and the water temps in the high 50's.

A-Jay 

 

 

11 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Interesting. 

While anything is possible,

There's 10 Pros right now in Alabama struggling to get a bite on anything and the water temps in the high 50's.

A-Jay 

 

 

I’d fish a swimbait.  There’s days when I can’t get bit on conventional baits, but I’d throw a 6-9 inch swimbait and start getting bit.  

4 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’d fish a swimbait. 

Wrap that boat and get in there...

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Interesting. 

While anything is possible,

There's 10 Pros right now in Alabama struggling to get a bite on anything and the water temps in the high 50's.

A-Jay 

 

 

I think the issue is the shad kill. Fishing on the Tennessee River right now is fruitless,

Our water was stuck in the low 40's due to the relentless wind and cold nights last spring all the way up until the close for the spawn on May 1st. We did very well on wakes, glides, and Whopper Ploppers beginning at the end of February. It was nutz.

Wp in cold water??? I caught some giant smallies in 55 degree water on WP but not largemouth 

1 hour ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Wp in cold water???

I was getting nowhere one night in early March. 38* water temps. Tied on a WP 75 in perch and it was on. Stuck with it. Was my best producer up until May 1st where water temps only reached 42*. The two 5 1/2ers below were both caught in 42* water.

31 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I was getting nowhere one night in early March. 38* water temps. Tied on a WP 75 in perch and it was on. Stuck with it. Was my best producer up until May 1st where water temps only reached 42*. The two 5 1/2ers below were both caught in 42* water.

Wow awesome fish. Will have use mine a bit earlier then normal 

5 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Our water was stuck in the low 40's due to the relentless wind and cold nights last spring all the way up until the close for the spawn on May 1st. We did very well on wakes, glides, and Whopper Ploppers beginning at the end of February. It was nutz.

As a kid I did really well on skitter pops on unseasonably warm Feb days, I got away from it as I got older.  I was doing well mid Feb last year with a chatterbait.  My buddy got a few here and there and with about 45 mins of light left he said I want to get a fish on a WP.  His first fish matched my biggest and his second beat it by over a lb.   What's old is made new again... sort of.

I have a couple slammers due to arrive this afternoon, after a long wait for them. You better believe that as soon as enough ice is gone for a decent cast. They are going swimming. Along with the whopper ploppers now. Lol. 

7 minutes ago, Derek1 said:

I have a couple slammers due to arrive this afternoon, after a long wait for them. You better believe that as soon as enough ice is gone for a decent cast. They are going swimming. Along with the whopper ploppers now. Lol. 

I love slammers!!! I own a lot.  I’ve had good days when water temps are aboive 50 in early spring 

I've done well with poppers after ice out. They make a good disturbance but don't move very fast.

 

I've been unsuccessful trying to coax a bass to break thin ice to grab a frog, but I try every year. ?

18 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I love slammers!!! I own a lot.  I’ve had good days when water temps are aboive 50 in early spring 

These will be my first two. Ordered them 11 weeks ago now. It was tough to just try to forget about them. Pretty excited, I’ll be filling up the tub tonight. Lol

Don’t think I’ll catch anything though 

I haven't had any luck on topwaters at ice out. Not to say they don't work, it could just be me. I think of the fish as deep and slow at ice out. But it may also be what those terms mean. If the water is now warm and the fish are shallow, I don't think of that as "ice out" anymore. Ice out water temps are in the 30s or low 40s. On a large lake in the north, ice out takes a month or more, and the water takes another month or so to warm up after that.

Ice out topwater is completely unheard of for me.

The brown bass I get the first several days and perhaps even a couple of weeks after initial open water, usually pretty deep, sluggish & appear to be moving in slow motion.

While it would be very nice to get on something like that,

I still get a few decent fish early on.

But I have to dress for it, if you know what I mean. 

A-Jay

The only top water I have had any luck with in late winter /early spring is a Bomber Long A Minnow .