Clear, deep inland lake. Smallmouth and largemouth, the smallies disappear in the summer but I've been picking them off the past few weeks in cold water (low 40s). This week night air temps will stay in the 50s and daytime air temps 60s and 70s. That means the water temps should finally climb through the mid and high 40s. Water temp Sunday was 44, my guess is by Thursday 46-47, by next Monday 49-50. I have one day I can take off work, my goal is to hit them while they are still schooled up and feeding aggressively. I read an article that stressed the climb through the 40s as being the best pre spawn bite for smallies, then over 50 degrees they start scattering. Not sure how true that is, but I'm looking for advice when the best time would be for me to take the day off and get on a hot bite. I've been doing pretty well a few hours at a time on weekends but they have been sluggish when they strike. On the other hand it's late for the water temps to be this cold and so I think now things are going to take off quickly. Should I try sooner than later? Is there any truth to 50 degrees being a significant temperature? My options are going this Thursday, next Monday, or waiting even longer til temps are well into the 50s. Everything else being equal, what do you think?

I think the bass stay bunched up until they start to think about spawning. Since spawning activity starts in the upper 50s as the temp gets (stably) into the 50s the fish will start to spread out looking for spawning locations. I don't think it happens all at once so there is a long period where you can find some groups of later spawners still in pre-spawn while early spawners are already scattering out looking where to build nests.

 

When the temp is in the 40s I think almost all the fish are in bunches. I do think the water has to be in the mid-50s for a reasonable period of time before most of the fish will move up. Also, measure the temp 5' deep and not just 6" below the surface - especially on a sunny day.

Well I had decided on going out next Monday to give it a few more days to get the water temps up, but now it looks like rain all weekend and that would mean post-frontal...

Don't let that discourage you. Some of my best fishing has been during immediate post-frontal conditions. But the key is "immediate".....as in within a couple of hours of the front passing. My worst fishing usually happens about 12-24 hours after a major front. I think the fish are made active by the change in weather/pressure, but then shut down for the most part after the front has passed. A couple of days of consistent weather will make them "wake up" again. Several fronts of quick succession can work either way....either the fish are very active, or they are very difficult to catch. Just my observations and as always, your results may vary. Just remember that the best time to go fishing is when you can.

Yeah yeah yeah I know it's not a smallmouth... but I'm still glad I chose to go out yesterday!

Water temperature went WAY up, from 44 to 50, 51 in just 3 days. It was a tougher bite, had to move around more, but I caught some quality fish including the above 5.5 pounder.

1 hour ago, Swest18x said:

Yeah yeah yeah I know it's not a smallmouth... but I'm still glad I chose to go out yesterday!

Water temperature went WAY up, from 44 to 50, 51 in just 3 days. It was a tougher bite, had to move around more, but I caught some quality fish including the above 5.5 pounder.

Why the blue latex gloves ?

A-Jay

@Swest18x, that’s a monster! 

As for the gloves, I play classical guitar (you play with fingernails instead of a pick) so I wear a right hand (cloth) glove for a lot of tasks to keep from breaking a nail. Fishing is one of those activities, but too many times I've hooked a cloth glove on a treble. If I'm fishing treble hooks I compromise with a vinyl glove, better than no glove at all.

 

But here's the real fishing application: fishing cold weather / water I've found vinyl gloves keep your hands warm a lot better than you think, certainly better than nothing, and you still have a lot of coordination for knots and tools unlike regular gloves. In real cold weather I like a pair of vinyl under a light cloth glove, your hands stay warm longer when the cloth glove gets wet and you don't have to keep changing gloves that way.

 

My welder's gloves work pretty well. They're not as bulky as kitchen gloves, they're form-fitting, and they're economical. 

 

Beautiful bass!

I can not speak for your area but in NW Arkansas Beaver lake is clear with visibility of 10’ or more.  My friend and I have caught over 150 bass most of which are smallmouth in the last 3 trips.  The water temps are in the upper 50s to low 60s.  The Ned rig and Keitech swim baits have been the best producers.