Im talking 35-45 degree water throwing wither bucktail or living rubber on a small 1/8-3/8 oz head and 1/0-2/0 hook. Are guys going chunk, craw, beaver? Im fishing in a middle sized river with a ton of rock. 

Chunk 

I like a chunk with more of a subtle action in cold water. NetBait Paca chunk is a good fit. 

Reins Punching Predator Creature Bait 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Reins_Punching_Predator_Creature_Bait_4_6pk/descpage-RPP.html

 

A-Jay

Zoom Chunk or Yum Craw Chunk or even the Zoom Super Hog (trim upper appendages and flappers and leave the lower claw section, it’s very slimline and subtle)

i have some smallies in a local lake.  i got to using broken pieces of Senko as a trailer.  just a 3" piece.

 

it really works.  

Another option is fluke-style bait on a crawler head dragged slowly on the bottom.  They seem to key on minnows more when the water gets that cold and I've had far more success on a fluke than a jig, especially with bigger fish.  Good luck!

18 hours ago, drakesndrum said:

They seem to key on minnows more when the water gets that cold and I've had far more success on a fluke than a jig, especially with bigger fish.  Good luck!

Ive found this to be true across lots of species. A local trout stream you can POUND them in winter on streamers but its about 1/4th as productive once the hatches start.

Big black beaver on a big black jig.

Craw trailers after the water is 45°F

Flukes and trick worms below 45°F

And neds at any temp

I don't fish jigs much in cold water, but I don't consider 45 degree water cold, this is for LMB which I don't fish for much below 40 degrees, smallies, yeah, I'll show 'em a jig early in the season.

Hand pour soft plastic like Don Iovino* Craw trailer while they last on TW.

UJ #11 pork frog 1st choice.

Tom

* being closed out as Don isn’t making any soft plastics.

3 hours ago, WRB said:

Hand pour soft plastic like Don Iovino* Craw trailer while they last on TW.

UJ #11 pork frog 1st choice.

Tom

* being closed out as Don isn’t making any soft plastics.

I’ve seen good stuff about don iovino plastics. Next time i get somewhere that has UJ#11 I want to pick up a jar. I tryed pork frogs when i was a kid but never had any luck. I was only throwing them on a Johnson Silver minnow though. I never took them off and they would always dry out on the hook.

1 hour ago, Bdnoble84 said:

I’ve seen good stuff about don iovino plastics. Next time i get somewhere that has UJ#11 I want to pick up a jar. I tryed pork frogs when i was a kid but never had any luck. I was only throwing them on a Johnson Silver minnow though. I never took them off and they would always dry out on the hook.

Tackle Warehouse currently has UJ # 11 crawdads brown on sale and closing Iovino’s craw trailers, suggest oxblood.

Don’t wait!

Pork trailers must be kept wet, a lure wrap with foam works good, take off the rind after fishing.

You nose hook pork trailers and can put the skin side down, fat chunk upwards for better gliding swimming action.

Tom

The Don Iovino craw trailers are fantastic!!! Here is another one I've had success with for smallmouth and largemouth in cold water. Conquistador FinessePro Mini Craw Trailer 2.5" 8pk - Tackle Warehouse

 

thanks guys. That conquistador looks awesome. I thought maybe the bait monkey was satisfied with my purchase of of some rolls of rubber skirting, but i think it actually made it worse. I’ll have to get acouple different trailers here.