20 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

If they not going after the moving baits (spinners/chatters/swim jigs/etc) - then go finesse (DS/Ned/Shakey, etc)

That’s what I was trying is jerk baits, spinner baits, finesse jigs. I may need to try a bed or a trick  worm

47 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

It’s like all my fish are on the winter break already lol. 

 

When I launched this morning, I was thinking I might skunk. The water was cold, the air was cold, and I was cold. I kept thinking about @gim saying that when the water's in the forties, the fishing is cold too. I caught a few applying what @Glenn taught me about bass sometimes finding the last of the green weeds and hanging there. Most of the eel grass was brown-ing and fragile, but I found one patch that was still green and strong and that's where I caught my four bass and two pickerel, but the bites were oh-so-slight. Unless it climbs into the sixties, which is unlikely, I can't see myself launching again. I was so cold that my right hand stopped working. 

Once it drops below 50, it gets tough. Real tough.

 

Neither @Joedodge or @Swamp Girl mentioned what the water temp was though. It was right at 50 here 5 days ago. I imagine it’s below that now.

That's why I'll head for a protected cove on Wednesday if I go out....they stay warmer longer.

@Swamp Girl Are you still launching at first light like a crazy person? I’ve found the best bite being late morning-early afternoon lately. We’re 50’s water now, but have time yet. You should have slooooww crept a small paddle tail on a light jig and saw if that got you more numbers? 

1 hour ago, gim said:

Once it drops below 50, it gets tough. Real tough.

 

Neither @Joedodge or @Swamp Girl mentioned what the water temp was though. It was right at 50 here 5 days ago. I imagine it’s below that now.

 

I think it would have to be in the forties. Our days are short and our nights are long and nighttime lows are mid-thirties to mid-forties. Daytime highs are often only 50 degrees. 

 

18 minutes ago, JonB2 said:

Are you still launching at first light like a crazy person?

 

Nope, I launched at 9:00, but there's nothing crazy about launching at four in the morning. The bass are feeding then.

 

Yeah, a finesse approach might have produced more bass, but my hands were too cold to retie. I live on the North Atlantic, which gives us perfect summer days, but no spring and long, cool falls.

I haven’t brought a thermometer with me. I could check surface temp. But I know one of our major lakes near me is at 55 degrees already. So I’d imagine  the ponds  I fish are about shut down for the winter.