11 hours ago, Bazoo said:

sock+croc season.

I rock my crocs with socks even in the summer. 

Water temps dropping below 55 and into freeze up is the best time of year to fish here in Iowa.  

When the deer start rutting the big bass start eating.

Here in NC - when the water has a 4 in front of the temperature - you’re gonna have a looooooong day on the water.

 

I do OK in the high 40s - usually bigger fish but maybe 1-3 bites a day is all I am hoping for when it’s 46-48. When the daily low surface temp is 48 and it goes up - it’s game on big time - pretty much like a light switch.

 

Once water is in the 50s from dawn to dusk - you can catch them any way you want to just about and they’re everywhere doing everything.

 

I actually think bass are good with colder water for the most part - it’s their food that struggles and they follow their food.

North Central Missouri. We're at 44 degrees this morning, and we're supposed to have two mornings this week with temps of 38. My wife says it's cold. I don't mind it.

Winter fishing is my jam. Cant wait, just wish it wasn’t always dark . 47-49 degree water is right in the wheelhouse of a smallmouth bass, which is about what it stays all winter here 

Last year I caught bass in every month except February (could not get out even once). This year I really want to get every month. 

 

I feel lucky to live in a place where I can fish year round. Even if the bass don't want to play winter is a good time to fish for sturgeon. 

It was actually just into the high 30s when I tried to launch the boat this morning in the mid mountains of NC. Had to switch ramps and we were into the mid 40s by the time I was actually fishing on Badin. 4 great fish and a few rats and the pattern was wood + grass but no real rhyme or reason. 72 when the boat was on the trailer at noon. This is the best time of year.

8 hours ago, VolFan said:

It was actually just into the high 30s when I tried to launch the boat this morning in the mid mountains of NC. Had to switch ramps and we were into the mid 40s by the time I was actually fishing on Badin. 4 great fish and a few rats and the pattern was wood + grass but no real rhyme or reason. 72 when the boat was on the trailer at noon. This is the best time of year.

 

Hard agree - in NC - you really can’t beat fall and sometimes fall basically lasts til February and then we get two weeks of winter and they start spawning - really hoping we get a winter like that this year!  🙂

 I just started fishing again and now it might be over.I dont do cold. Hope  to get a few Indian summer days . Big fish bite then. 

1 minute ago, scaleface said:

 I just started fishing again and now it might be over.I dont do cold. Hope  to get a few Indian summer days . Big fish bite then. 

Sorry to hear that scaleface. I'm sure next season will be a special season. You'll be amped up every time you go fish again.  

 

JF10

16 minutes ago, scaleface said:

a few Indian summer days

 

If we get an Indian summer day, I too might launch again. This Thursday is a possibility with a high of 56 degrees. However, I'll stick close to shorelines, which limits my options. If they aren't tight to the shorelines too, I won't catch them. 

Winter fishing in Iowa.  There's always a way to catch 'em.

This aint me!  This is a friend that's tougher than I am!  She caught these bass over a green weed bed in 15 fow on an ice jig.

1 hour ago, Lottabass said:

Winter fishing in Iowa

 

Thumbs down for ice fishing

1 hour ago, Lottabass said:

Winter fishing in Iowa.  There's always a way to catch 'em.

This aint me!  This is a friend that's tougher than I am!  She caught these bass over a green weed bed in 15 fow on an ice jig.

I'm quite content being here in the south and being able to go out on my kayak all year long.

It's been Hurricanes and Nor'Easters pretty constantly out here on the Outer Banks. We're settling into mid 50s, but it's hard fishing salt or fresh with 30 MPH+ consistent winds (not gusts, I'm talking all day unceasing blows) and gaint waves. I bought a 12 footer surf rod that can throw up to 1 lbs of weight, but we'll so how much I want to get pummeled. 

 

When the weather lets me, fishing is great salt side and should be very good fresh for another month. We'll see how many opportunities I get with the gnarly  weather though. 

 

I'm probably driving my wife insane with how stir crazy I get when I can't fish.

It’s in the low 80’s today and Nov 4th is the end of daylight savings time.

We could use cooler weather!

Tom

PS 🙏for the folks in Jamaica cat 5 Melissa @ 185mph!

2 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Nov 4th is the end of daylight savings time.

You mean the 2nd....never ends on a weekday.

 

Us...high today might hit 50

30 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

You mean the 2nd....never ends on a weekday.

 

Us...high today might hit 50

@MN Fisher - here in west central mn we only climbed to 44 - with big winds and rain, blah !

My hope is to get out on Friday (31st) and Saturday (1st) - and then Sunday (2nd) winterize the boat - it looks like this weather pattern (low 40's, rain, wind) is going to carry on this week so it will be unpleasant at best when I venture out, I just need to gear up appropriately for the conditions - I would like to keep going out yet with DST on Sunday there will be less daylight and colder temps, and I do not have a heated garage to store the boat in (I have it covered (roof) but not enclosed/heated) so once the temps are consistently below freezing the risk of engine/water freezing/damage becomes too much - someday I would like to live where I could go out on open water for 8 to 10 months of the year (if not all 12 months) #DreamOn 

11 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I calculate 6 pack(minimum) to complete that task

My truck was stuck at a boat ramp and I didn’t have any suds, I told my wife to please run to the store and gave her a $20 😂 

Loons arrived here in north central NC last night.  Loved hearing them this morning.   Surface temps in high 50s last few days and the bite has been lousy.  I expect it is about to get really good for a couple weeks.

On 10/21/2025 at 5:43 PM, TnRiver46 said:

47-49 degree water is right in the wheelhouse of a smallmouth bass

 

I sure hope so.  I'm heading out today to iron out some issues with my Active Target.

 

Historically, temps are still in the low 50s for SE Massachusetts.  We'll see.

@gim I have insulated crocs