For those of us that deal with hard water season what lures would you have in your box? Just a general question as I know conditions can vary. The ice just went out and you're going fishing. What is your pre-conceived notion of what will catch 'em?

I already assume im going to catch nothing. But I'll start with a spinnerbait, maybe a bladed jig worked slowly or a shad rap, and a ned rig

My iceout selection for LM's on a small inland lake will probably start with this;

-1/2oz blade bait

-3/16oz 2-3" mooch minnow

-110jr+1

-75mm SF duel hardcore shad

-3/8oz dht punisher w/ a smallie beaver

-3/4oz duh spoon

-3/8-1/2oz smeltinator underspin w/ a 2.5" mayor

If the crankbait bite is on and I feel like they're willing to chase, I'll immediately add in and slow roll a 3/4oz dj cali swimjig w/ a r2s dwalker. I also favor the N end of my lake that is a dark mud bottom and target the steepest 1st breaks, casting past and working downhill. I expect to find them on that 6-10' break, but certainly have run into them up on the flats or still staging deeper off the 2nd breaks in 15-20' fow.

scott

depends on the lake for me. The shallower weedy lakes around will have fish up in those weeds as that will be the only (and warmest) cover around. I'll be throwing a bladed jig through it and probably a jerkbait off the edges. I'll have a spinnerbait on the deck if conditions warrant. And a finesse bait, probably a ned, if it's a still day. Maybe a lipless if it's a warm day or the grass is light (more disintigrated than normal over the winter).

The bigger lakes that lack grass will have the bass in either rocks or timber. In both cases the plan leaving the house will be scope chasing fish which means a couple jighead minnows, a pair of jerkbaits, and an A-rig all rigged up. If the water is under 40 I'll have a blade bait rigged up or really close at hand.

This is all for water in the 38-50 range. Once the water hits 50 all bets are off. But you didn't ask about that.

hmmm... hair jig, Rozante 77, Pointer 78

I may need to make some changes, but right now this is what I have loaded in the tackle bag.

Crankbaits.

Lipless Crankbaits.

Spinnerbaits.

Vibrating Jigs

Hard Jerkbaits.

Flukes.

Swim Jigs.

Bottom contact jigs.

Spinnerbait, jig, lipless. In that order.

My start is;

Rattle Trap-red

Small Medium Diving Crankbait - red(ish)

Spinnerbait - big Colorado blade (gold) slow rolled

Swimjig w/ flatworm trailer - dark color (swam slowly)

Paddletail Worm - drop shot (minnow profile) or Wacky drug on bottom

Small Football Jig - dark color (small trailer) pulled along bottom

Parallel rip-rap, points near creek turns and channels while looking for dirty(ish) water. Deeper water access to coves with isolated cover (boulders, stumps or weed clumps) at the transitions

Expect nothing, rejoice in anything!

Crankbait and a jig. I've caught some big ones with a crawfish colored Arbogast Mudbug.

When my ice runs out I run to the store and restock my cooler. As far as lures go, I will have everything in my box year around. South of the border fishing does have some advantages.

My first of the year often comes at night on a wake bait before the ice is even fully off the lake. For daytime as soon as the ice goes, Drt tiny klash, Jerkbait, red trap, red crankbait, jig, bladed jig. You best shot at a true giant is usually from ice out thru another 3 or 4 weeks.

If it's a local and I am fishing from the bank...

Crankbaits - small BFS size always works. I fish it fast and slow.

Drop shot - if they are still in the mud, a slow moving minnow that is easy for them to eat

Trout Minnow - another BFS bait that seems to work

Senko - wacky rigged and dragged on the bottom

If it's out on the water in my kayak or boat....

Jigs - works in deep water and sometimes shallow with a do nothing trailer

Crankbait - both big and small. Shad baits with a smaller tighter wobble work best.

Jerkbait - always my favorite in cold water

A-rig or small swimbait - another cold water big fish catcher

Blade bait or spoon- I bounce it off the bottom like a dead or dying fish

Something that thumps if you have dirty water - spinnerbait, big ribbon tail worm, bladed jig or underspin with a swimbait. These are also my last resort baits and least likely to get bit in cold water but they do work under the right conditions. They tend to work better when the water starts to warm up and fish are more active. They also tend to get bit due to a feed response and not a reaction strike, which is what you tend to get more of this time of the year.

The best advice I can give for on the water is to look for shade lines and places where fish have access to deep water. So maybe rip rap with a steep drop off or an area with tree cover that blocks part of the morning sun near the bank but not all. Also look for spots that block wind with an obvious cut off between the wind blown water and the calm water blocked by the wind. This is generally a main lake point or secondary point that curves or wraps into a cove. Also, on my lakes, fish will not orient themselves to shallow water cover until the water reaches about 50-55 degrees. Another cheat code, look for crappie fisherman that are catching fish. Bass sometimes hang around the same area but focus on different food.

My best producers at ice out is a yo-yo’d lipless crankbait and a jig and chunk or craw type trailer

When I did have ice, the only thing that worked for me, was a green pumpkin jig sporting a watermelon or green pumpkin (net bait) paca craw… small or the medium one.

I would grid out an area in my head and work a tight pattern sometimes doing it twice.

I believe they are there, just lazy and half dormant.

This is a great thread.

For me it’s my second year fishing ice out. Last year it was a rapala jerkbait, a finesse jig, and a yum dinger.

Only thing I’m gonna do different this year is downsize the jerkbait. Downsize the dinger to Ned size. And add a 1/4 rattle trap. Jig wil stay the same.

But like @casts_by_fly said once the water hits about 50 I’ll start working just about anything.

On 2/13/2026 at 7:53 AM, bwillis said:

I already assume im going to catch nothing.

Try not to be over confident

In all honesty, I hope this year you get on em after ice out and your confidence for year's to come will much more positive ... Good luck (oh an a red craw lipless crank yo-yo'd ... kick up some weed/grass while you're at it )

1 hour ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Try not to be over confident

In all honesty, I hope this year you get on em after ice out and your confidence for year's to come will much more positive ... Good luck (oh an a red craw lipless crank yo-yo'd ... kick up some weed/grass while you're at it )

I appreciate it. Ill be having spinal surgery to remove a tumor in the near future, which recovering from hopefully won't encroach on fishing time too much.

3 hours ago, bwillis said:

I appreciate it. Ill be having spinal surgery to remove a tumor in the near future, which recovering from hopefully won't encroach on fishing time too much.

Oh crap, so sorry. I had no idea. I wish you nothing but luck on the surgery and a speedy recovery.

3 hours ago, bwillis said:

I appreciate it. Ill be having spinal surgery to remove a tumor in the near future, which recovering from hopefully won't encroach on fishing time too much.

I hope the surgery goes well and you have a fast recovery

2 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Oh crap, so sorry. I had no idea. I wish you nothing but luck on the surgery and a speedy recovery.

No way you could've known. I finally had an MRI after a couple years of pain, and they found a benign tumor, which has gotten bad enough that the neurosurgeon I saw the other day referred me to another neurosurgeon at Brigham and Women's in Boston. Im hoping to have the surgery done in the next couple of weeks, which should have me back near normal activity by May or so.

59 minutes ago, bwillis said:

referred me to another neurosurgeon at Brigham and Women's in Boston

Well, you are certainly going to one of the best here in Boston.

Good luck man

@bwillis sending you a boat load full good vibes and thoughts your way.

Kept us updated during recovery, please

Much appreciated, and I'll do my best to drop in

21 hours ago, bwillis said:

Ill be having spinal surgery to remove a tumor in the near future,

Good luck.

Mostly jigs and lipless crankbait with some jerkbait and floating worm and spinnerbait/swim jig and frog depending on warm it’s been and how shallow I start seeing them.

I fish a jig a lot til I start seeing them around spawning areas and then the other stuff gets used a lot more. Mostly jigs of various weights and sizes is the short answer for that first bit of wet water after ice melts.

Prayers for a speedy recovery and safe surgery for @bwillis !