......Coldwater fishing?

I rekindled my love for LMB fishing last June, so I haven't been fishing that long. But I slayed them all summer and had a blast.

In about September, when the water temps fell into the 60's, I started getting skunked regularly. It's now been about 20 straight times that I've gone out, some in sept, some in Oct, and some now. Ive gone to 3 different ponds at which I slayed them all last summer, and I can't for the life of me, catch a darn thing.

I've tried everything. Jigs, cranks, spinners, Senkos, brush hogs, rattle traps, jerks, FAT IKA'S, you name it. I've changed colors, I've downsized, I've slowed down, I've sped up, and now I'm fishing so slow that I can watch an episode of Seinfeld from one cast to the next.

Any suggestions for fishing clear water thats about 45- 50 degrees?

I have fun fishing, even if I dont catch anything, but I'd like to improve this part of my game if I can. What are you guys doing to nab fish in these conditions. Remember, I'm a shore fisherman, and can't target specific structure since I can't see it. I try to target isolated weed beds and other cover if I can.

T

try a chatter-bait or spinner-bait or something with great vibration, sometimes that coaxes strikes. Also try topwater, I got a bite today on a zara spook.

late winter and fall are my fav time to fish!! i absolutley knock them dead!! Try shakey head worms on harder bottom lakes and in weedy lakes try a 1/2 red super spot. last year i made 25 casts to the same spot and caught 22 different fish. jigs also produce in the dead of winter make sure with both the shakey head and jig to crawl it really slow

for example

C:\Users\bassnbrett101\Pictures\bass w. ice.jpg

how big is the pond you fish and what kind of structure is on the shoreline?

jigs also produce in the dead of winter make sure with both the shakey head and jig to crawl it really slow

for example

What about a shakey-jig?? ;D I made about ten of these and want to try them out and see how they do.

that fish was caught off a point (half the lake was still covered in ice), i've caught fish like that coming off trees as well.  its mostly a rocky lake but i catch fish off stumps and trees doing the same thing.  I use a 3/4 ounce footbal head jig in a crawfish lookin color.  It was a decent sized pond, the owner runs a ski boat on it in the summer and he has plenty of room to drive.  acre-wise i'd have to say atleast 30 to atmost 50.  

The shakey-jig looks like a real producer lol. i might have to try it during spring break next week.

best cold water bait IMHO is a jig with pork trailer...you can use plastic if you want.  Work it slow, with muddy water try blck/bl or blck/yellow.  Just drag it along the bottom.  Also might try slow rolling a colorado blade on a chart/white or a black blade.  When the water just starts to heat up try a lipless crank or rip bait with long long pauses...i wouldn't go top water yet...just MO

i have caught some of my biggest numbers of fish over the past few years in the winter time. last year the worst day 25 degrees and 20 mph winds i caught about 30 LM's seven over 14". i threw a floating lipless rattle trap SLOW rolling it. and a bandit 200 craw around wood. when pond fishing keep moving until you get a bite.

I got skunked this winter too, so don't feel like the only person.

I caught 35 fish just in january  ;D Only went out like 8 days

For some reason I do ok until ice forms but right after ice out, if I am getting skunked, thats when it happens most.

Don't forget about suspending jerkbaits when the water temp is in the 40s and 50s.

I stay inside the house during the winter...lol

Once NOV. rolls around and i'm not catching anything i call it quits.Usually the weather beats me to it.I'm not an ice fisherman to be quite honest.

I'm not either.  You just have to remember the fish are somewhere.  in ponds its usually a point or some kind of offshore structure.  i usually use baits to get reaction strikes, but late winter and early winter are some of my best times

Around here, right after ice-out (like now), when the water is in the low 40's, the only thing I can get them to take is a small crappie jig. I just throw it under a float.

I had a LOT of success this winter with tight wobble cranks and rattle traps:  Especially the traps.  I was catchin fish in 20 degree weather with snow and ice on the rattle trap

THEY know who you are and THEY know where you live and THEY know when you're around. Could possibly explain it even though it sounds kinda FISHY. Ahgagagaga!!!

Cold water is tough for everyone, but cold, muddy water is much worse!

My best advice is to slow down and focus on structure in deeper water.

8-)