Okay so - I really want to catch more bass this winter.  I’m really, really bad at catching bass once the water gets below 50 degrees consistently.  As it plummets - I tend to make out like gangbusters on crankbaits and chatter baits and frogs and buzzbaits and jerkbaits and then something about that water being below 50 seems to really upset the shad and shiners and the whole food chain seems to make these big migrations.

 

I’m fairly certain if I can figure out where the food chain migrated to I’d have a lot better luck with the famed dead sticking technique - which has worked very very well for me - WHEN THERES BASS AROUND.

 

I talked to a local fishery biologist via email and he said warm pockets of water form on the bottom of the lake and you get inverted thermoclines and bass will hug the bottom in these hot spots and the shad stay near them to survive all winter - in my lakes the bottoms are flat - it’s like everything is just carpeting the bottom and hanging on until the temperature above their heads rises a degree or something - it’s confusing.

 

I’m somewhat aware that in the winter time bite windows can shrink down a lot.

 

Is deadsticking in the wintertime gonna catch bass that aren’t feeding?  Like if I’m dead sticking a drop shot worm where I am very confident there should be fish - will they hit if the shad aren’t moving around?

 

I want to get better at locating these warm deep pockets of water so I can be more productive fishing slowly during moments when I can make a cast or two.

Really want to understand fishing slow for inactive bass in colder water and I feel like location is probably what I struggle with the most!

 

Any wisdom or experience you can share to help would be awesome and probably awesome for anyone who struggles when it gets really cold but water is still wet.

 

Thanks!

Good post Pat. I've struggled with cold water fishing also. It takes all the patience you've got, because for me, the strikes come at a slow rate. I've struck out many times.                          I have a friend that's a conservation officer and a good bass fisherman. His advice is to fish during the warmest part of the day and fish deeper, and slower. I have caught a few bass in cold water by downsizing baits and dead sticking. There's been some big fish caught in cold water, and it's tough. I think slow retrieve is the key. Good luck.

I have my best luck in the winter months with blade baits, both hopping and dead sticking after a hop.

 

Second best are small baits like Neds or jigs, worked as slow as my patience allows.

 

I always have a jerkbait tied on too.

I fish for largemouth through the ice so it can't be colder than that.  Most of the fish I catch are in little depressions on the bottom (sometimes just a couple of feet deeper than the bottom) in bays with no current.  You also helps to have some vegetation that is decaying near that gives warmth to the water and draws baitfish.  

21 minutes ago, DogBone_384 said:

I have my best luck in the winter months with blade baits, both hopping and dead sticking after a hop.

 

Second best are small baits like Neds or jigs, worked as slow as my patience allows.

 

I always have a jerkbait tied on too.

any tips on where to fish these presentations in the super cold months?  What to look for?  Thank you!

 

3 minutes ago, Reel said:

I fish for largemouth through the ice so it can't be colder than that.  Most of the fish I catch are in little depressions on the bottom (sometimes just a couple of feet deeper than the bottom) in bays with no current.  You also helps to have some vegetation that is decaying near that gives warmth to the water and draws baitfish.  

 

This is very very helpful @Reel thank you.  I like that you said “no current” because that certainly narrows down fishable water a lot on most days.

Because it's through the ice, I use small lures like jigging Rapalas and tail spinners (Deracoup).

When the water is in the mid 40's or higher I do well with jerk baits and crank baits when the fish are "up".  When the fish are "down" finesse jigs work.  Water temps that are just before freeze up, 39-40-41, is when deadsticking or super slow works.  A small Dark Sleeper or what I call a Ned Jig works.  I don't use a Ned rig because of too much brush.  A Ned jig is just a light finesse jig (with a brush guard) with no skirt and a half a stick worm.  

These are fished on channel swings or banks in 8 to 15 feet (water is usually 3 feet of visibility).  You know you are right when the bass you catch have brown bellies.

Green weed beds will be in deeper water and are good if you can find them (maybe they are in those warm pockets the biologist talked about.)

These pre-freeze up temps don't last very long usually.  The whole late fall period doesn't last long enough for me!  I only like ice in my coke-cola.

I don’t have a ton of input. But a dead sticked Stick bait or trick worm used to kill them in florida. When it cooled off I worked deeper spots really really slow. Like some low make a hop with it and then check bass resource on your phone and then make the next hop. Did really well like that. 

<Science mode on for a minute>  The most dense water is 39 degrees. Anything warmer or cooler necessarily will 'float'.  Of course some water on the bottom that is 40 degrees in a body of water that is 39 degrees isn't going to float to the surface in a chunk- as it would rise in the column it would mix with the colder water and cool.  But what that means is that in a static body of water the water is going to try to reach an equilibrium between the soil temp, the water temp, and the air temp.  If the soil (lake bed) is warm still because the lake has been 50 (and the soil has a ton of mass) but the water temp has cooled off then the lake will still be warming the water until the water cools off the lake bed.  That will make a localized warmth on the bottom (when the water temp stabilizes in the winter, the lake bed is probably the same temp at that point).  The same thing happens on winter sunny days when the sun warms the lake bed or rocks- you get a degree or three warming.  Early spring warm up- look for the south facing banks with rock and wood that absorb heat.

 

So how does that apply here?  To have a hot spot on the bottom, it means there needs to be a spring or some other warming feature to create it.  It could be a flowage from a nearby creek that settles there.  It could be a sunny spot. Could be vegetation breaking down and releasing heat.  Figure out the 'why' and that will guide you to the where.  A rock dam in the sunshine will absorb sun and warm the water locally.  That slightly warmer water will settle along the rocks and into the crevices keeping a localized warming.  Dense wood dock pillars will do the same and slow the mixing.  Weeds will do it.  Anything that stops the mixing of the warmer water with the colder main lake will do it.  Wind blowing warmer water across the surface will heat the wind blown bank a little.

 

And for deadsticking?  More power to you.  I can't do it when it's 80 degrees, sunny, and I have a beer in my hand let alone in 40 degree feels like 25 in the winter when 1 fish is a good day.

Dead stick a ticket to Mexico.  Topwater in the morning all winter long.  Last time I went bass fishing a couple weeks ago, the surface temp. was 68 degrees at dawn, and 74 degrees by noon.  I only had to slow down for lunch.

I wish I could help you, Pat, but I don't know nothin' 'bout catchin' cold water bass.

 

For ice fishing deadsticking wasn't the right choice.  The largemouth would bite a lure that was worked with what I would call medium action or they would not bite at all.  

Yeah dead sticking is something that seems to always work when there are a significant amount of fish around for me - it’s my least favorite way to fish but I’m so curious about these cold water fish, I’ll try anything.

 

To me it’s like the dead of summer - very tough to get bites at all so dead sticking suddenly becomes very effective for a period of time where it feels like the fish have stopped biting everything.

 

In the summer you can find fish that will bite other stuff more easily but in the winter I feel like the list of presentations that works well gets really small - my hunch is that winter here behaves similarly with its own quirks.

 

I have been fishing lots of reaction baits for weeks and I’m fairly convinced I’m missing tons of fish and confusing myself at this point by not slowing down substantially (if that’s what the fish want).

 

The big problem with slowing down when there’s no fish around is it can falsely kill your confidence even worse when you aren’t getting bites - hence the concept behind this thread - sounds like protected areas with softer bottom and clearer water and some good cover with steeper banks could be very good ideas and checking them between 12-4 pm seems smart at this point in the year.  
 

For what it’s worth I agree with most everything being said here - in general bass seem like they go for middle of the road presentations a LOT but I can’t seem to make those work when it’s super cold.  I’ve tried very fast a lot the past couple weeks so I figure I need to find them and then slow down a lot and maybe catch one or two small ones even just to get a feel for where they are.

A jigging spoon with really small jerks sometimes is the ticket for me.

Cold water period your sonar is your friend use it!
I sonar survey more than fishing to find bait and bass. 
The only time I dead stick is picking out a backlash.

Jigs are my most productive lure followed by structure spoons in cold water.

Hand poured soft plastics is all I use in cold water they are softer and more buoyant. Neko rig * ( nail weight) and Slip shot rig ( finesse C-rig) slowly dragged where you meter fish usually pays off. When located the Neko rig or drop shot about 6” hook to weight.

I fish hair jigs with pork trailers the same year around with same technique; Horizontal Jigging.

The earth has a hot core keeping the ground is warmer than the cold water. spring water is always between 50-60 degrees year around. Threadfin Shad die off when water drops below 50 degrees. 
Tom

* shake it!

True "dead sticking" I don't really do. I'll let a topwater bait soak for a minute or two after landing sometimes, or I'll stitch a worm/jig/huddleston, or add extra long pauses to a jerkbait retrieve, but I'm not sure I'd go as far as to call it "dead sticking". 

6 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

where to fish these presentations in the super cold months?  What to look for?

I fish Cape Cod waters in the winter. They are generally featureless, deep kettles. I find my best fish at the bottom(ish) of steep drops,and bowls, that are next to shore or shallow flats. 

I’m not gonna write a book or post anything from AI, but if fish are in the mud, (belly on the bottom) I’m using a 1/2oz football jig or even lighter with a crawfish trailer, or a 5” Yamamoto twin tale grub. As always locate the balls of baitfish and don't worry about whether or not you can correctly ID them just fish like they’re LMB. Spoons are effective if fishing in an area where fish are. Baitfish are key, because even a novice can id that on a basic graph & that’s what most fish types are hanging close to..

I’d add that living rubber is my personal favorite, but feather jigs are nice also, I just can’t ever locate them & when I do they’re ridiculously high.. 

I believe Cadman makes Living rubber Puff Ball jigs and Hair jigs.

Tom

I'll throw out a few thoughts:

 

- Yes, you can still catch a good fish or two when the baitfish activity isn't there. You just tend to get more numbers when they are up and chasing, which may or may not happen in your waters. Seems like each lake is different, so trial and error to try and figure that aspect out.

 

- Best winter location generally is any living green weeds, usually either Chara or coontail this time of year. Look in the back pockets (flats) of coves first, usually less than 8-10 ft of water. Perhaps you already known where some is located on your waters (if they have them). Mine here don't.

 

- Two other areas to look for back in the creeks are channel swing banks, or any steep (>45 deg.) bank, especially if comprised of rock/riprap. The other is any deeper slot, depression or creek channel meandering through the back half of the creek arm. 

 

- Main lake areas, it's usually steep banks and channel swings, along with main lake points adjacent to deep water (for the area).

 

- Deadsticking: Some areas/spots I would consider trying this with some degree of confidence:

 

> Steep dropping banks - especially shorter stretches (less than a hundred yards). Cast up shallow, pull the lure a couple feet and let drop and sit; after your patience runs out, repeat, all the way out into 12'-15' of water. Eventually you should find certain key stretches that you can then focus on in the future without having to hit everything.

 

> Green weeds - Chara and coontail are both good for this. Fish the edges of the veggie flats, especially those bordering any deep edge. Dead stick at the base weedline. The other surprisingly cool option here is a light weight Ned fished over the top. Let the bait lightly settle and hang on the vegetation, then just shake,jiggle and hold in place. Rinse and repeat. Will freak you out the first time a bass grabs the bait from off the weeds and runs...then you'll be supercharged with confidence and willing to do this all day - lol.

 

> Deep docks - throw to the deep edge or either side, and then just deadstick. Any fish under that dock will see it fall, but in the cold water, it often takes them a bit to react. I think they sit there and watch to see if the bait is going to move off. When it doesn't, they slowly come over and finally investigate.

 

> Fallen trees on steep banks: Pretty much the same as docks, but I just throw right up against the deep end and let sink and sit.

 

> If you can isolate individual pieces of cover, that would be the final option...like a single stump on a steep drop or the edge of a drop/ledge. Just move until you bump the cover and know you're right there, then deadstick. In a flat lake with little structural elements, isolated objects like this can be the best percentage game in a given day vs. trying to locate bass randomly over a football field of nothingness.

 

That's pretty much initial thoughts that come to mind. Fire back with specific questions on any of this.

 

@Team9nine - I always love when you take the time to reply.  I can see why you’re always on them every time you go out.  Would love an opportunity to be in a boat with you someday - we aren’t too far apart - we should make it happen!  I’d love to take you out on my little deep grass lake with 11 lb bass swimming around in it!

 

I am really glad you replied because you fish in my backyard and know what you’re doing - almost everything you have said aligns with a lot of my suspicions!

 

I figured the biggest key is gonna be finding the isolated patches that are productive in lakes that have grass and isolating the depth they want to be at +/-.

 

Bait: this is one I have consistently struggled with when it gets super cold.  I have been out with folks with far more advanced electronics than I posses and they tell me they can see shad “carpeting the bottom” in areas and on 2D and even side imaging it is very difficult to make out.

 

Occasionally I will see what looks like a lot of fish suspending a few hundred meters from the dam outflow but I have never been bitten fishing these ghost returns.

 

I was ALWAYS confident the places with healthy grass would be better in the cold due to the grass holding heat and producing oxygen and probably keeping fish *relatively* shallow when temps plummet - I fish a couple really really good small public ponds with healthy grass - one of which I have found the deeper water and even found adjacent hard edges that transition to grass in 5-6 feet around fishing piers and islands and the dam - I have tried a lot of things on the bottom and can’t get bit on the bottom which is sad because I feel like when I’m struggling I usually can fish the bottom and get something to bite.

 

Before the cold snap a few nights ago - I was doing very well fishing jig head minnows - but crappie sized ones 🙂. 
 

Maybe this afternoon when I go back to fish the melted ice/freshly warmed water from the 50+ degree rain that’s gonna fall - I will just commit to crappie jigs and see what happens.

 

I tried a 2” swim bait on a ball jig head yesterday slow and fast and low and middle and high deep and shallow around and through the remaining grass adjacent to deep water around birds and couldn’t buy a bite - I’ll tell ya - that tiny ned sounds like not a terrible idea - would need to downsize my line a lot to make that work though.  
 

@F14A-B I have caught some giant fish on full living rubber skirt jigs 1/2 oz with chunks but usually for me it’s after it just starts to warm a degree or two and the big girls and trying to spawn that very first time in the cold muddy water when that works the best for me.

 

I will try dragging on around the hard edges next to the grass lines and see what shakes out.

 

I think until I get something much more powerful for electronics I’ll skip fishing my big open water lakes with zero grass.  Sounds like I’ll be miserable fishing those until I can follow gizzards around in real time etc.  My experience is that grass lakes fire hard much earlier in the spring and I’m gonna assume that means I probably will be rewarded if I stick with it through the cold months and then mix in my wood and rock spots as it warms up a little bit more.

 

 

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

Bait: this is one I have consistently struggled with when it gets super cold.  I have been out with folks with far more advanced electronics than I posses and they tell me they can see shad “carpeting the bottom” in areas and on 2D and even side imaging it is very difficult to make out.

 

Baitfish aren’t restricted by air bladder conditions like bass are, so they are much more free to roam the water column depending on weather and water conditions. Not unusual to graph them in two totally different depth ranges and locations on back-to-back consecutive days. It makes consistency difficult. Some bass roam with them and chase; others are more solitary on structure or cover and simply wait the passing shad out, it seems. Follow the wind on warmer days, and move up in the water column later in the day on warming trends, especially if you get some cloud cover or natural low light to go with it. It also depends on baitfish type in your waters. Gizzards tend to be more solitary and shallow; threadfin group tight and are often deep; herring are similar to threadfin, but usually not at the same depth.

 

 

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

Occasionally I will see what looks like a lot of fish suspending a few hundred meters from the dam outflow but I have never been bitten fishing these ghost returns.

I’ve chased a lot of ghosts on my waters, too. They are often carp or catfish, but I still throw a time or two just in case - lol. 

 

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

I was ALWAYS confident the places with healthy grass would be better in the cold due to the grass holding heat and producing oxygen and probably keeping fish *relatively* shallow when temps plummet -

 

Green grass is always better than no grass. Ned Kehde (Ned rig fame) and I have compared notes over many years back when I was in Indiana because our waters were so similar. Good grass lakes always produced better in winter than non-grass lakes with very few exceptions, at least for numbers and bite activity. 

 

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Before the cold snap a few nights ago - I was doing very well fishing jig head minnows - but crappie sized ones 🙂. 
 

Maybe this afternoon when I go back to fish the melted ice/freshly warmed water from the 50+ degree rain that’s gonna fall - I will just commit to crappie jigs and see what happens.

 

I tried a 2” swim bait on a ball jig head yesterday slow and fast and low and middle and high deep and shallow around and through the remaining grass adjacent to deep water around birds and couldn’t buy a bite - I’ll tell ya - that tiny ned sounds like not a terrible idea - would need to downsize my line a lot to make that work though. 

 

 

A small blade bait modified for bigger fish might be worth a shot. It has historically been one of my best producers when fish aren’t feeding on bottom. I’ll try and track down a pic.

Update (Johnson Thinfisher - 3/16 oz., about the size of a quarter. Big fish mod is remove the back hook completely - I leave the split ring - then upsize the front treble to #4, nearly as big as the bait. Looks a little funny after, but doesn’t seem to hurt a thing. Lets you run 8-10 lb. test line on a med. rod and swing hard on hooksets. Have caught bass to 8 lbs. on the modified bait, and can swim it in as shallow as 18” of water. Works great down to about 8’-10’.)

 

I absolutely need to throw a blade bait more often when it’s cold - seems wildly productive for so many people - I am very experienced fishing a lipless crankbait - I have thrown blade baits but I’ve never really committed to them - how much overlap is there in terms to eliciting a strike?

 

On the grass ponds we have a lot of sunfish, crappie and golden shiners - the grass lake - a lot of perch, sunfish, crappie, golden shiners and gizzard shad.

Quite a bit of overlap, just some nuances. Lipless is the more aggressive bait IMO since nearly all of them use lead or shot of some sort for both sound and casting weight. They typically need to move faster to create their vibration patterns (due to bait width/thickness). Good for ripping through veggies. Blade baits are usually silent, put out more vibration at slow speeds, better at ripping off bottom (faster reaction due to being all metal), and as effective as lipless on flats. Not as good in weeds, but fine around edges or sparser patches.

 

In my experience, Sunfish and golden shiners are usually weed dependent (hence shallower) in winter. Crappie can be anywhere from the deep weedline out, but often located in deeper water or suspended in open water. Gizzards can be anywhere depending on size, weather and water conditions and have the widest range of movement patterns (roam). That can make them the harder one to pin down in relation to predator patterns and relationships.