Cold water bass?

[jmartin]

Hey guys I am heading to Lake Anna tomorrow. Water temp 39ish. Hard lake to fish in cold weather but an abundant supply of 5-8 pounders what can I do to entice these lunkers? Any pointers will be great. P.S. best pointer gets new Nitro Z9.... LOL
Thanks in advance,

Jerry

[doc]

fish slow, I would throw a jig personally. lots of scent, very little action.

good luck

[Lilmoosecountry]

Jigs are ok. But Bass are not always on the bottom because it's cold. They will generally suspend in the thermocline where the water is the warmest. My suggestion is suspending jerkbaits. I perfer the rogue in the bleeding clown patern. If none your jerkbaits suspend. Storm makes these little lead tapes that you can attach to the bottom. There around 3.50 per package. Here in Missouri about everyehere you go you better beable to fish the jerkbaits. That's what they respond to the best. Don't forget soft plastic- Weightless senko work real nice. You need to slow down way down. It may take you 3 to 5 mins. percast. They'll bite if you can find them. But you almost need to smack them on the nose to get it done.

[Wags]

Lilmoose......I seen those tapes in the new bps catalog and they caught my eye (along with about $5,000 worth of other stuff). I was wondering if they effected the movement of the lures? It also said they were easily removed, is this true? re-usable?

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by Wags

Lilmoose......I seen those tapes in the new bps catalog and they caught my eye (along with about $5,000 worth of other stuff). I was wondering if they effected the movement of the lures? It also said they were easily removed, is this true? re-usable?

i have never tried to re-use them but yes they work, and no they don't effect the action of the bait. moose is right, around here we have to throw jerkbaits a lot.........not my favorite way to fish at all but a lot of the time it is the best way to get bit. be sure and play with the bait at the side of the boat so you can tell when you have added enough of the dots or stips. some baits will require more than others. water temp and altitude can also effect the amount of weight needed to get the bait to suspend so just because you get the bait to suspend now doesn't mean it will work right in spring. i personally want my bait to rise very slowly.........probably about a foot a minute. also you can add the weights to different parts of the bait to make it do different things. most of the time i will add the weight to the tail of the bait so it sits with its tail down like it's a dying baitfish.

[Lilmoosecountry]

Yep Carolina said it all. I put my weight behind the bill. Then one at the tail. Depends on it's size. But the majority of the weight is in the nose. I like mine with the head angled slightly nose down. You customize what you like. The jerkbait will slay bass if your patient.

[zooker]

when it gets cold.. i get out the freestyle jig rod..


and use a freestyle jig..


using this jig takes a spefic type of rod handle.. note the lenth of the handle on the spinning rod..



i use a ball bearing swivel about 14" above the bait and a ball bearing coast lock swivel on the lure..line is straight up 10 pound braid..

zooker

[woody]

Locate the warmest part of the lake, check near large structure; sunken road beds, boulders.

[Lilmoosecountry]

Yep that's good bait to use. i cast mine. I like a 1/4.oz size. Keep a white & silver model in the tackle box.

[Buckeyefishing]

Up here in Ohio my buddy uses a Vibee in cold water and catches alot of bass. Just use a silver or shad colored one and fish it slow. Lift up slowly and let it fall. It takes patience especially when the weather is cold, but it works.

[keithdog]

I agree with Moose on using the jerkbaits. I also would suggest using a crankbait fished slowly. I know a lot of folks wouldn't even think of using a crankbait in fridged water, but I can't tell you how many bass I've caught using a medium diving crankbait just before ice up.