I haven't ever tried bass fishing in the winter but intend to this year. I was just wondering how cold is too cold for fishing in the winter. Right now here in Missouri we have had quite a bit of cold weather and I'm sure the water is cold but tomorrow it's looking like it might get up to around fifty degrees and I was thinking about hitting the lake tomorrow.

If the season is not closed by law (ours is  :'() and the water is not frozen (ours is  :'() then it is not too cold.  You may have to expect fewer bites, fish much slower, and deal with ice in your guides, but they can be caught.

Harpo,just like Mainer said,here in Pa. I fish clear up till I can't get the boat on count of ice or the snow on the boat ramp is to deep.

Go for it! If you got open water that you can get your boat into, you can catch fish. Like the guys said, be patient and slow down in cold water. We're all iced up here in NE Pa.. The guys are ice fishing now on the ponds and small lakes.

I fished a lake a few days ago that more than half of it had ice on it.  A fish still needs to eat and cold water isn't going to stop it.

I'm from Missouri and I fish both lakes and streams year round. I always catch my biggest brown bass in winter.  When it gets below freezing, I hate to go because the guides freeze up and casting becomes a pain.  In 1999 on Lake of the Ozarks I was averaging over 50 bass per day with several fish over five pounds. Watrer temps were in the 40's, and the clown Rogue was supreme! Right now the bite at Lake O. is tough, but I'll be heading there within the week.  Drop me an e mail. Also check mid america outdoors website for up-to-date tournament results.  As you can see, lot's of guys fish through the winter with success.

Wow! Nick.  I had no idea fishing is that good at the Lake of the Ozarks.  Haven't been there in twenty years, may have to give it a try.  Jerkbaits in winter?  If I can do that then the weather is never too cold.

I didn't know it was that good either. I've only had a chance to fish there once and didn't fare nearly that well. It was in the middle of July though and was extremely hot. I did try fishing yesterday with no luck. I went to the two public lakes I normally fish and both were still frozen over so I went to a nearby river and would have had just as much luck at the frozen lakes as I did there. Oh well, I'll try again today or tomorrow. Thanks for the replies everyone.

My buddy just got a 2lber thru the ice while crappie fishing yesterday. It's never too cold!

It's never too cold, but I do get very frustrated at picking the ice our of my rod guides.

Up here in Michigan, I would say it's too cold when there is ICE!!...lol.  Can't put the boat in the ice.  But for me personally, too cold is under 50...lol.  

Will fish in the cold anyways if there is a tournament, but will not go out of my way to just fish in the cold.

how about this ? what water temp do u look for to really begin fishing? 50 degrees or higher? i usually start fishing hard at the end of feb[in middle ga]. what would the ideal water temp be?

Georgia? You must be a Yankee transplant (like me).  Ask some of the Rebels down there when it's too cold...It's NEVER been too cold in Georgia.  I'm catching lots of big smallmouth in water 46-51 degrees.  Kentucky bass (spots) are probably your best bet right now and I know you have plenty of them around the state. You really can catch everything in the region, year around.

I cant do anything till melt down...lol or go down south to fish.

I read somewhere else on the forum thats it not neccessarily how cold the temperature is, but how consistent it is...  I live inOrlando, and up until last week, the weather hadnt gotten below 50 in a month.  The fishing was great, the bass were taking everything topwater, spinners, worms, crank bait, you name it.  We've had about 5 days of realativly cold weather, nights in the 30's, and the fish have not been biting at all.   Or maybe its just that I'm not a very good fisherman.  

It depends a lot to whom you 're asking, to me 38 degrees is freezing !  , anywhere above 90 is in my comfort zone.

One bass fisherman recently told me to put Vasoline on my guides when it's too cold.  He says the water doesn't stick.

Down here we put ice in our liquor or tea not in the lake. I still wonder how we lost the war. lol we fish year round.