Cold Weather Night Bassin

[1984isNOW]

I'm well read and well experienced in night fishing, but I haven't ever really done it past September in the northeast. 

 

I can already tell there's a difference, I know the fish spread out a bit and move around a bit, but on cold nights are they ambushing shallow or will more of them more likely be in deeper water? 

 

Mostly ponds, lots of grass and weeds and muck.

 

A lot of people tout top water in October - but that's daytime, when fish are trying to catch some warmth. Still throw a buzzbait on a cold October night? 

 

What about November when it's significantly colder?

 

Obviously you lucky Texas and Fla fisherman don't understand my pain, but can anybody else offer some insight on cold weather night bassin?

[Pat Brown]

We select our baits primarily for the depth and speed and cover we will be targeting.  The food that bass eat at night don't suddenly change - neither should our baits or even locations.

 

Usually at night there are feeding windows and they feed shallow and deep on structure and cover and primarily stay bait oriented even in the darkest and coldest nights.

 

Topwater works excellent in October - night and day.  Probably better at night.

[gim]

One item to consider is starting later than daybreak if there is a frosty overnight low.

 

I am going tomorrow but I will not be starting until 10am because the low here is supposed to be 35 degrees.

 

Clouds play a pivotal role here. If there is a thicker cloud deck, it can keep overnight low temps higher, and then starting right away in the morning is worth while.

[1984isNOW]

My man @Pat Brown laying the encouragement on thick, I'm gonna hit with couple banks tonight and hopefully the yak tomorrow night - I'll letchyou how it goes

@gimruisi see what I did there, clarified the topic. What you said definitely makes sense, I'll certainly consider it if i can ever fish with the living.

 

But I'm basically bound to the night like a pescatarian vampire who likes to play with his food and throw it back like a picky toddler 

[LrgmouthShad]

8 minutes ago, gimruis said:

low here is supposed to be 35 degrees.

Truly two different worlds, man. Triple digit heat index on the water today in TX

[1984isNOW]

@LrgmouthShad i tried telling you bro, you don't know my pain 

[Catt]

A bass's metabolism is finally tuned to its circulatory system temperature which is the same as the surrounding water temperature.

 

This means how fast the bass digest it's food not necessarily how active they are.

 

In cold water their metabolism slows down, their brain slows down, so the bass slows down.

 

But this doesn't mean the bass stops feeding, it simply means they do not have to feed as often. 

 

The opposite is true in warm water, the bass digests it's food quicker which requires it to feed more often.

 

But we have to keep in mind bass are predators & will strike a lure when an opportunity arises.

 

I've caught bass in the dead of winter when reeling in to make another cast

[Pat Brown]

I think the times we must be the most cunning are times when there is little to no current of any sort for a prolonged period - hot or cold/night or day.

 

I feel as though current activates fish and dictates bite windows probably the most of anything.

 

My favorite source of current in small ponds are gentle rains and 5-10 mph sustained winds.

 

If you see on your weather app that clouds roll in at 11 pm or the wind picks up at 1:30 am etc - be there or be square 😉

[1984isNOW]

Couple hours and a few spots last night,

spinnerbait, paddletail, buzzbait, ribbon tail worm... nothing. Was freezing out, couldn't feel my fingers at one point. 

 

6 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

little to no current of any sort for a prolonged period - hot or cold/night or day.

💯

I've definitely decided this is mega, especially for some particular water bodies more than others

[Catt]

Not only is the bass's metabolism down so is their food sources. All the Bluegill, Bream, Gizzard Shad, Threadfin Shad, ect are cold-blooded.

 

Where the bass will located can be determined by the same daytime method...look for em. 

[Zcoker]

Doesn't get that cold down here in south Florida. Still gets frigid. Down to the bone. Those kinda nights I steer clear of, favoring the peak heat of the day, those nice chilly Florida winter days where the sunlight dances like a chime. I've caught some of my bigger fish at the peak of those kinda days. The feeding windows are indeed narrower. Bass tend to hit in very small slots, day or night. So being there ready to go is a good first start. First light is a good light. Rocky areas retain heat. Punching the mats equals big fish. Any movement like wind or current is a good omen. Cold weather doesn't mean the fish stop eating, just means that adjustments need to be made. 

[Swamp Girl]

Quote

Still gets frigid.

 

Miami in January: "Daily high temperatures are around 76°F, rarely falling below 68°F or exceeding 82°F."

 

@Pat Brown: Where did you learn so much about bass?

[gim]

8 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

Miami in January: "Daily high temperatures are around 76°F, rarely falling below 68°F or exceeding 82°F.

That’s laughable if the term frigid is being used to describe it.

 

I just launched the other day at 35 degrees and fished in the 40’s most of the day.

[Swamp Girl]

10 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That’s laughable if the term frigid is being used to describe it.

 

I just launched the other day at 35 degrees and fished in the 40’s most of the day.

 

Frigid means colder than cold, so it confused me. I have had fingers that weren't quite working my last two outings. I can keep my torso warm, but I can't fish with insulating gloves and they'd have to be waterproof too, since my hands are nearly always wet. For you and me, 68 degrees is balmy. 

[Fried Lemons]

It is a thing in new england where there are a few hardcore guys catching giants at night in freezing temperatures on big wakebaits. From what I hear they fish the baits extremely slow.

[Swamp Girl]

6 minutes ago, Fried Lemons said:

It is a thing in new england where there are a few hardcore guys catching giants at night in freezing temperatures on big wakebaits. From what I hear they fish the baits extremely slow.

 

@PhishLI has shared some photos of Mainers doing exactly that.

[MassYak85]

12 hours ago, Fried Lemons said:

It is a thing in new england where there are a few hardcore guys catching giants at night in freezing temperatures on big wakebaits. From what I hear they fish the baits extremely slow.

There are definitely guys that do it and catch toads. I haven't been successful at it yet but I have caught fish on MS Slammers down near 40 degree water temps during the day. 

[Zcoker]

On 10/15/2024 at 8:58 PM, Swamp Girl said:

 

Miami in January: "Daily high temperatures are around 76°F, rarely falling below 68°F or exceeding 82°F."

 

South Florida January 33 degrees right there,  says it all, one degree shy of freezing. Yep 

 

[Swamp Girl]

@Zcoker: That's a warm spell in Maine in January. You were lucky to hit that high temp. 

[Zcoker]

Just now, Swamp Girl said:

@Zcoker: That's a warm spell in Maine in January. You were lucky to hit that high temp. 

 

well, yeah, right I know that. We lucky most of the time with sunshine. Just shows that it does get “frigid” down this way, cold for us, cold for the fish. You folks can have it!

[Swamp Girl]

36 minutes ago, Zcoker said:

 

well, yeah, right I know that. We lucky most of the time with sunshine. Just shows that it does get “frigid” down this way, cold for us, cold for the fish. You folks can have it!

 

We don coats, hats, and mittens when it's cold here, just as you don Sun armor in Florida. Six of one, half a dozen of another. 

 

It's great that you love Florida so. Pity you don't live closer to the Everglades. I see the driving time from Safety Harbor to Golden Gate, FL is two hours and 42 minutes. I assume you launch beyond Golden Gate. Ever dream of moving closer to the Everglades? I love having my fishing spots five to fifteen minutes away.

 

I remember when it snowed in Miami. They got an inch and cars were crashing into each other all over the city because many of the drivers had never seen snow before that weird day.  

[Zcoker]

51 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

We don coats, hats, and mittens when it's cold here, just as you don Sun armor in Florida. Six of one, half a dozen of another. 

 

It's great that you love Florida so. Pity you don't live closer to the Everglades. I see the driving time from Safety Harbor to Golden Gate, FL is two hours and 42 minutes. I assume you launch beyond Golden Gate. Ever dream of moving closer to the Everglades? I love having my fishing spots five to fifteen minutes away.

 

I remember when it snowed in Miami. They got an inch and cars were crashing into each other all over the city because many of the drivers had never seen snow before that weird day.  

Pity? Golden Gate? I don’t know where in the world you’re getting your information from, but I live right down the road from the everglades, right down the road from a lotta nice spots, including the ocean. No dreaming on my end. My other home in Safety Harbor is one block from the bay, so no dreaming there either. Florida is full of water, close by for a lotta folks.  
 

Yep, it snowed here once. Live here long enough and freezing weather or snow is quite the surprise! 

[Swamp Girl]

I got your info from you. You said you lived in Safety Harbor. You didn't say anything about a second home. Great that you live so close to your beloved Everglades!

 

21 minutes ago, Zcoker said:

Florida is full of water, close by for a lotta folks.  

 

It sure is. I've been there many times.

[Zcoker]

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I got your info from you. You said you lived in Safety Harbor. You didn't say anything about a second home. Great that you live so close to your beloved Everglades!

 

 

It sure is. I've been there many times.

 

I have a house in Safety Harbor and go over there once in a while. Maybe that’s what you saw somewhere. I live in Palm Beach County.