I like throwing jerkbaits but besides one day about a month ago I have found that for whatever reason they are not wanting to travel up for the shallow jerkbait. Lake that I am fishing more like a pond, 60 acres is really clear right now, we haven't had a lot of rain and water temps are 40-42 range and with the cold weather that is coming through this weekend it's going to go even lower but hoping that it's not going to freeze up since we have some warmer weather next week. I really thought the other day with the wind  it would have been a good day to throw them bit not a single taker, it was clear sunny though. I started thinking that maybe they were just deeper and didn't want to come up all that way to feed so I am thinking that maybe a +2 jerkbait might get down 10ft or so and maybe be the difference. I do have a +1 but for whatever reason kept trying to force the other jerkbait that I have had decent luck on and just kept throwing it.

 

Just thought maybe I would pick up a couple of the +2 and see but was wondering if anyone has had any luck with them, thanks.

 

 

I have to ask; How deep is the water you're targeting?

Fish are not going to move far to feed in frigid water at this time of year and that includes going up or down. That +2 that gets down to 10ft. would be an option in 15ft. but if the fish are belly down on the bottom, I'd have serious doubts about getting them to move that far up.

If they don't, try switching to a blade bait and gently yo yo it off the bottom and back down. 

 

1 minute ago, papajoe222 said:

I have to ask; How deep is the water you're targeting?

Fish are not going to move far to feed in frigid water at this time of year and that includes going up or down. That +2 that gets down to 10ft. would be an option in 15ft. but if the fish are belly down on the bottom, I'd have serious doubts about getting them to move that far up.

 

Depth varies but my understanding that they tend to want to stay in that 10-14ft range, from what I have read. The bottom varies and deepest part are 30ft but majority is shallow. I would be targeting the 15ft or less range and yeah I understand but nothing else I have been trying has worked and with the shallow Jerkbait they maybe are getting to 5ft.

 

Lots of bait on the screen so fish are moving was just thinking that maybe being a little deeper might be the trick...

A JB bite is the most fun way to catch fish, especially in the winter when most moving baits struggle.

The tough part about JBing are the seemingly endless variables that come into play.  Size, profile, color, action, buoyancy, sound, cadence, speed and so on.  So dont get discouraged if you struggle from time to time.

Throwing a JB is time consuming.  Ill target higher percentage areas with a JB.  After 6 or 8 casts with no takers, Ill change the color or dramatically change the cadence and timing if I really suspect there are fish there.  After another half dozen casts with no luck, Ill go to a finesse swimbait, like a 3" easy shiner on a 1/16 or 3/32 if the water im targeting is deeper than 5'.  When you do have success with a JB, don't be afraid to experiment with different colors. The best days you will have JB fishing will be with bold colors or just a touch of orange or chart in gin clear water and blue bird conditions.

 

The local mill ponds/lakes around here are similar, except the max depth is usually less than 10ft. 

Try to find cover/structure, like stump fields, lilly roots, emergent lay downs, rocks, points, bridges and even dock pilings in shallow or moderately shallow water, (3-8") that is in close proximity to deeper water.  Bridges and spillways offer cover and residual heat. If you can find a steep bank close to a bridge, it only takes a few branches or transition ot hard bottom for the fish to relate to.  

 

Personally, I would invest more into vision +1 jrs than +2s.  Try tuning some JBs to sink really slow.  IME In deeper water they will more readily hit a sinking bait than chase one up.  For baits down to 10' I like a staysee 90.  Ima starting making the foxy fry again, which can get to 10 too with the right line.  Damiki Abys and the little rozantes are great deeper diving JBs.  

Dont sleep on cranks either.  They will hit cranks consistently in frigid water.  DD flap slap, shad rap, wiggle warts, R2S DD crank is great and will dive way past 10'.  You just have to use lighter line and orient the tip to get the depth you want.

Spy baits are really good.  Takes a little while to learn how to bottom trace, but its worth it.  To get best results, fish them on really light FC  #4 or #6 on spinning gear.  If the line is too heavy it wont shimmy well at all and makes it harder to control depth consistently.  Ive also found that if you can get bit on a spybait, you can catch them on a JB and vice versa.

 

 

 

7 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

A JB bite is the most fun way to catch fish, especially in the winter when most moving baits struggle.

The tough part about JBing are the seemingly endless variables that come into play.  Size, profile, color, action, buoyancy, sound, cadence, speed and so on.  So dont get discouraged if you struggle from time to time.

Throwing a JB is time consuming.  Ill target higher percentage areas with a JB.  After 6 or 8 casts with no takers, Ill change the color or dramatically change the cadence and timing if I really suspect there are fish there.  After another half dozen casts with no luck, Ill go to a finesse swimbait, like a 3" easy shiner on a 1/16 or 3/32 if the water im targeting is deeper than 5'.  When you do have success with a JB, don't be afraid to experiment with different colors. The best days you will have JB fishing will be with bold colors or just a touch of orange or chart in gin clear water and blue bird conditions.

 

The local mill ponds/lakes around here are similar, except the max depth is usually less than 10ft. 

Try to find cover/structure, like stump fields, lilly roots, emergent lay downs, rocks, points, bridges and even dock pilings in shallow or moderately shallow water, (3-8") that is in close proximity to deeper water.  Bridges and spillways offer cover and residual heat. If you can find a steep bank close to a bridge, it only takes a few branches or transition ot hard bottom for the fish to relate to.  

 

Personally, I would invest more into vision +1 jrs than +2s.  Try tuning some JBs to sink really slow.  IME In deeper water they will more readily hit a sinking bait than chase one up.  For baits down to 10' I like a staysee 90.  Ima starting making the foxy fry again, which can get to 10 too with the right line.  Damiki Abys and the little rozantes are great deeper diving JBs.  

Dont sleep on cranks either.  They will hit cranks consistently in frigid water.  DD flap slap, shad rap, wiggle warts, R2S DD crank is great and will dive way past 10'.  You just have to use lighter line and orient the tip to get the depth you want.

Spy baits are really good.  Takes a little while to learn how to bottom trace, but its worth it.  To get best results, fish them on really light FC  #4 or #6 on spinning gear.  If the line is too heavy it wont shimmy well at all and makes it harder to control depth consistently.  Ive also found that if you can get bit on a spybait, you can catch them on a JB and vice versa.

 

 

 

Lots of good information,. appreciate you taking the time write it out. Water temps have hit the 40's and ive been twice without a bite. I do not have FFS so hard for me to know where they really are. I do have electronics though and can find the bait with 360 and the lake has lots of bait but just not having any luck and thought maybe something deeper would help. Ive tried crankbaits some warts and have the r2s dd and others just no takers. Lake has fish I just not sure how to call them up or find them so far... everyone else is crappie fishing, lol. Again thanks for the information, I have a couple of spybaits also just haven't ever caught anything on them but good to know.

Fish like to feed up for a jerkbait but with cold water they don't want to travel far so a deeper diving will put the bait more in their faces if they are holding in 10ft of water or deeper...    The fish may be even deeper than that I'd jig a blade bait off the bottom or drag a jig or ned rig 

5 hours ago, RHuff said:

Fish like to feed up for a jerkbait but with cold water they don't want to travel far so a deeper diving will put the bait more in their faces if they are holding in 10ft of water or deeper...    The fish may be even deeper than that I'd jig a blade bait off the bottom or drag a jig or ned rig 

I've tried multiple times with a blade bait and have gotten better at working but not a single taker..Here is one of the shad balls that I was poking around and they see, to stay in one area. My range rings are 20ft so as you can see its a lot of bait, lol...thrown mutiple things around them and even snag one (gizzard shad) but never have caught any bass.

Go the other extreme.. throw a big 6 inch flutter spoon 

37 minutes ago, RHuff said:

Go the other extreme.. throw a big 6 inch flutter spoon 

Ive actually tried that too...lol but ive not thrown spoons much not sure in the winter how fast to pull them off the bottom...

I don't use anything deeper than the +1 Jr. If that doesn't get their attention it's time to swim a minnow or break out the Rapala ice jig or Dixie jet spoon.

On 12/11/2025 at 4:33 PM, bishoptf said:

Ive actually tried that too...lol but ive not thrown spoons much not sure in the winter how fast to pull them off the bottom...

 

It's my opinion that no matter how cold the water is; you can jump off the bottom fast.  It's how far the spoon travels horizontally that I like to limit when they're not chasing.  I'll mix a big rip with small subtle lifts/flips to give them time to get to it.  I'm pretty sure the magic of spoons in cold water; is the drastic difference in speeds between the rips, flutters, and sitting on the bottom, looking like a meal struggling to deal with the cold water temps.

 

scott

I don't have a lot of experience fishing when temps are this cold.  But my jerk bait experience and success has increased significantly in recent years.

 

My suggestion is to allow the lure to pause longer.  Like painfully long.  As long as you can stand it.

Imo you’re using more of a late winter into early spring tactic. Try using a jig and craw, a football jig to be more precise. Of course if you’re hellbent on a jerkbait bite (which I understand) then good luck. Fish with confidence. I know a guy who just last week caught 20# a couple came on a stunna. (Kentucky lake-south) they’re gonna get down in the mud and that’s for sure..especially with this system that’s about to move in.. hope you can stick a couple 5 pounders wherever you’re at. 

3 minutes ago, F14A-B said:

Imo you’re using more of a late winter into early spring tactic. Try using a jig and craw, a football jig to be more precise. Of course if you’re hellbent on a jerkbait bite (which I understand) then good luck. Fish with confidence. I know a guy who just last week caught 20# a couple came on a stunna. (Kentucky lake-south) they’re gonna get down in the mud and that’s for sure..especially with this system that’s about to move in.. hope you can stick a couple 5 pounders wherever you’re at. 

Yeah, not sure I have any 3/4oz football jigs pretty sure I have 1/2oz but only time all year I have been skunked was like last year when the water temps were 40 and below. I wish I didn't catch anything over 4.5lb last year, I had a couple that I lost that I think would have been more but just haven't been able to really get on them. The other thing I am going to try is a ned, I mean I'd just like to catch something at some point. I get Ned Khde newsletter and folks in Kansas catching anywhere from 20-40 fish an hour...ouch, my catch rate has been zero, lol...Good point I need to try more stuff and quit trying to force things, lake is not that big you think I'd have an easier time figuring things out...

 

I did pick up a suspending deep rattling rogue and and a H20 express jerkbait +1, not sure I would call it a 100 size but it only has 2 hooks but goes to 8ft so something to try when I get to go back out...looks like Monday will be back in the 40's after sundays high of 10, lol...and then rest of next week warming back up in the 50's.

@bishoptf Totally understand, that’s what we do is try different techniques, which is fun and educational. I believe a 1/2 ounce football or even an Arkie style head is plenty adequate. The Ned is a great bait and I’m sure @Bluebasser86 can chime in.. seems if I remember right he would slay them with that this time of year..

Of course where we fish is instrumental in success also. It will happen for you, I totally believe this. 

When I really struggle to figure a body of water out or just can't seem to get bit power fishing, I junk fish. If I want to cover water ill throw a small (3") swimbait or soft JB on a light head and fish high % winter areas/cover, like points, steep channel banks, lily root fields, lay downs and so on.  Youre going to run into perch, crappie, bluegill and pickerel (if you have them) often, but you will run into bass as well. When I find crappie schooling in windblown corners, coves or points, there are often bass on the outside of the school.  I like to throw small JBs over and around the school.  Slower sinking lipless are a good alternative as well.  Usually those are pretty fired up and will actually chase a little bit during that feeding window, which can be really short in the winter, so take advantage when you can.

The little JBs I like to throw are the Rozante 77/63 and the 110Jr.  Awful hard to beat the Rozy 63 when it comes to small JBs.  There are some great ones out there, but WT system in the 63 makes it easy to bomb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

times we try to force a piece into a place it looks like it would fit, but it just doesn't.  When I hit a wall, I go to a failsafe, which for me is a small swimbait on a 1/16  

On 12/13/2025 at 10:59 AM, bishoptf said:

Yeah, not sure I have any 3/4oz football jigs pretty sure I have 1/2oz but only time all year I have been skunked was like last year when the water temps were 40 and below. I wish I didn't catch anything over 4.5lb last year, I had a couple that I lost that I think would have been more but just haven't been able to really get on them. The other thing I am going to try is a ned, I mean I'd just like to catch something at some point. I get Ned Khde newsletter and folks in Kansas catching anywhere from 20-40 fish an hour...ouch, my catch rate has been zero, lol...Good point I need to try more stuff and quit trying to force things, lake is not that big you think I'd have an easier time figuring things out...

 

I did pick up a suspending deep rattling rogue and and a H20 express jerkbait +1, not sure I would call it a 100 size but it only has 2 hooks but goes to 8ft so something to try when I get to go back out...looks like Monday will be back in the 40's after sundays high of 10, lol...and then rest of next week warming back up in the 50's.

Bass don’t need to eat often in cold water because their metabolism has slowed way down. You are trying to get a reaction bite from bass that could care less about eating. Storm Suspend Dots or Strips to get the jerk bait to sink to whatever depth you desire.

Tom

 

1 minute ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Bass don’t need to eat often in cold water because their metabolism has slowed way down. You are trying to get a reaction bite from bass that could care less about eating. Storm Suspend Dots or Strips to get the jerk bait to sink to whatever depth you desire.

Tom

 

Understand, I was unable to get out today, three boats were already out and I didn't realize with the 2 days of really cold weather that we recently had 2/3 of the lake had ice on it. Going to stay warm for the next week or so and will get out next week. I think I am going to try besides the jerkbait, a ned rig, football jig and small swimbait. I have thrown the swimbait some with no takers but think with all the bait in the lake thats probably not a bad thing to throw.