7 hours ago, Basshead091221 said:

Don’t be afraid to throw topwater in cold water especially in shallow water 

 

So true. I caught some of my first bass last year on the surface in c-c-c-cold water about a foot deep.

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

So true. I caught some of my first bass last year on the surface in c-c-c-cold water about a foot deep.

I took a 6lber years ago mid March here in NY with water in 40s. A walking bait fished painfully slow with long pauses did the  trick 

1 minute ago, Basshead091221 said:

I took a 6lber years ago mid March here in NY with water in 40s. A walking bait fished painfully slow with long pauses did the  trick 

 

My experience with walking baits is that they clobber them, but I've never worked one slowly. Did your six-pounder clobber your walking bait?

On 4/7/2025 at 7:31 PM, 928JLH said:

Always check your drag setting prior to fishing on every setup you are using for the day. I always loosen my drag completely when reels aren't in use. Nothing worse than a slipping drag on a good hook set. 

 

R

Boy am I guilty of that, too many times I've set the hook only to cuss out myself 

Bunch of great replies, the only one I can think of now is on a bright sunny day is to look for a shaded spot, be it a dock, overhang, shady side of an island or bank.

 

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

My experience with walking baits is that they clobber them, but I've never worked one slowly. Did your six-pounder clobber your walking bait?

Yes. The fish at the time were feeding on golden shiners. I would twitch the bait 2-3 times then pause it for 5-10 seconds. It is a painful and boring way to fish but works 

10 minutes ago, Basshead091221 said:

I would twitch the bait 2-3 times then pause it for 5-10 seconds.

 

I'll give it a try. Thanks!

My trick is simple.  Spend more time on the water.