04-27-11, 02:03 PM | #1 |
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New to the fourms and a jerkbait ?
Hi guys i have been reading a bunch of stuff on here over the past few weeks and you have givin me some much needed help.
Ok so heres the situation, I have fished tournaments in the past be never this early in the season. I have a little mini tournament not huge money but enough. Now its not till the second weekend in May, however i am in Wisconsin and we have had a really cold spring. We are fishin smallies on lower long lake, water temps between 46 and 52 tops, and crystal clear water ( you can site fish when they spawn in 18 foot of water). Now my question is, Do i throw jerk baits on some underwater points? and if so do you have some suggestions as to brands and colors? and also do I slow everything way down and fish cover with a jig or something like that? Thanks for the help guys? WIKID |
04-27-11, 02:45 PM | #2 |
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I just want to say welcome! I can't really help with your question because as a shorebound angler, I do not ever face that situation. Don't worry though... The answers will be flowing in soon.
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04-27-11, 03:27 PM | #3 |
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I would def try the jerkbaits in those conditions. Jerkbaits are a top producer when the water is cold. The top jerkbait on the market is a lucky craft pointer. I would get natural colors that match the baitfish in your lake. If the water is really cold, fish it very slow with short jerks and long pauses. in that condition a jerk is more of a twitch or soft sweep of the rod. As the water warms into the upper 50's, you can get agressive with a fast jerk and short pause. Try both the deep diver and the shalow diver. Fish can come up to hit the bait from very deep water in clear lakes. I will be fishing that same condition this week in a gin clear lake that has a current surface temp of 50 degrees. I have some LC 100's and the smaller size in both deep and shalow that I will try. I also will try finesse jigs and posible slow rolling a spinner bait at just a fast enough retrieve to keep it from falling over.
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04-27-11, 04:12 PM | #4 |
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The rapala x raps produce well also on the classic silver /black. Don't be afraid to get aggressive with the retrieve also. Hungry fish are active fish reguardless of the temps. Also try ripping a Hopkins spoon or hair jig through any schools of bait. That can be killer.
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04-27-11, 05:58 PM | #5 |
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Good advice so far. I'd also want to try a 3 1/2" tube on a light weight tube jig of 1/8 - 3/16 oz. fished on a spinning outfit with light line, say 8 pound test or so. Maybe work the jerk baits first and if no takers follow up with the tubes and see what happens.
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04-27-11, 06:31 PM | #6 |
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Hey welcome to the Forum! It's definitely been a long winter and cold spring. I just moved up here from Florida, so it's been a rough year with the bass seasons and all. I can't really help ya much with the what to throw and what not, cause I'm in the same predicament as IB. But I'd go with one that has good rattles, and real lookin colors. Might help pull them up from deep water. Where in Wisconsin you located? I'm in Shawano county, maybe we can sawp tips throughout the year, see if we can help each other out!
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04-27-11, 06:49 PM | #7 |
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I find husky jerks and rogues tend to work better than pointers and x-raps in cold water.
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04-27-11, 09:30 PM | #8 |
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I can't offer you any advice because I never fish a jerkbait, but I can say welcome to the forums!
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04-27-11, 09:56 PM | #9 |
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try a smithwick deep rogue Jr in clown color
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04-27-11, 10:55 PM | #10 |
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My advice is to find the rocks. They will hold the heat and will generally hold the fish. In cold water I think it is important to pause it a lot. I watched a video on the versus chanel and they showed how much the live shad would halt and twitch in the cold water. I would say mirror that as much as possible.
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04-28-11, 07:46 AM | #11 |
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Hey guys thanks for the help so far. you have kind of comfirmed my thoughts on the subject. I appreciate it.
BassBoss I am in Eau Claire which is on the west side of the state. But yes definately we can swap tips throughout the season. I am over that way once in a while, got some buddies that I went to college with that live over in your neck of the woods, might have to hit you up for a hot lake when I am over there. |
04-28-11, 12:59 PM | #12 | |
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Quote:
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04-28-11, 06:52 PM | #13 | |
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Quote:
Also I have family who live in River Falls, WI. There's a pretty good trout stream that flows the River falls that I'd like to fish, though I have a difficult time getting excited about trout fishing! |
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04-28-11, 07:00 PM | #14 |
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Welcome WisconsinKid! Good to have another upper midwestern on the forumn... I hate reading the reviews from the southern guys who are catching bass in early march while we're still waiting for the ice to go out!
I've fished a lot of small-mouth, but not much in lakes and certainly none as clear as you describe. I tend to agree with Kieth and think I'd try a tube if crankbaits don't produce. I'd also try a Rebel Wee Craw crankbait. I've had good luck in both rivers and lakes for small-mouth on the Rebel Craw, though I typically fish it in less than 6 feet of water. Also a finesse worm on a drop-shot rig might be a good presentation in clear water, especially if they're spawning in 18' of water. |
05-04-11, 08:00 AM | #15 |
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Well scheels has there big spring fishing sale going on in town here this week. Last night on the way home from work I stopped and decided I needed to spend the nexts months "lunch money"....lol. I bought a couple of the lucky craft pointer 100sp in American shad and Chartreuse Shad. Along with a whole bunch of tubes and beaver type plastics. and you know the normal hooks and bullet weights, stuff like that. Have any of you guys had any luck with the lucky craft stuff. From what i am reading on the internet they seem to be one of the top jerkbaits out there. they better work for the money I paid for them.
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