Cold-Water Bassin'....

[lunker-lander]

Since Bassin' is only.... oh..... two weeks away up here in Michigan, I need some tips on what to use/where to go on my first outing.

I'm expecting there to be floating chuncks of ice with very cold water in the 35-36F range.

What would ya'll use? Pond or lake? Streams or main lake?

-Lunk-

[PowerBass]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

Since Bassin' is only.... oh..... two weeks away up here in Michigan, I need some tips on what to use/where to go on my first outing.

I'm expecting there to be floating chuncks of ice with very cold water in the 35-36F range.

What would ya'll use? Pond or lake? Streams or main lake?

-Lunk-

Lake, main lake. Look for channel swings, humps, points. Work em slow. Football jigs, Shakey Head, Dropshot, Jerkbait, Blade Baits.... Slow it down more when you think you went slow enough. Rocks should hold warmer water too, hit a long stretch of rip rap....

[MIbasser]

Lunk, take a word from the wise... don't go for bass till it opens (see my post on fishing seasons)! If you want to pay a nice fine, have fun and good luck!! The DNR looks at it as poaching.

[lunker-lander]

I'm aware of the season(s), Basser. Cabin Fever has a death hold on me!!!

-Lunk-

[MIbasser]

Only 6 1/2 more weeks.....

But I did catch some on the river with a Rat-L-trap's (crome and blue/black)

[fishin' fool]

With water temps that cold, I would use a drop shot, float-n-fly, or dead stick a small jig, even a hair jig. Stick you the deep water with cover. When I'm ice fishing, I find active fish over deep weed beds like coon tail. Mix alittle wood cover, steep breaks, or anyother cover in with it, it would be a good spot to start probing around. But if it is to deep, light won't penetrate and there for aquatic plants can't grow. So the next spot to look for is a steep break with cover on it. Fish very very slow.
Good fishin

[howghunter]

i am glad in pa they only thank its poaching if you keep then.but other then that what every one said is right or if your luck you dont live to far from a warm water area.

[BassMoJo]

lol ...you cant get in trouble if its catch and release ...even if thats not the case say your fishing for something else ...oops I caught a bass! big deal you can not get in trouble for that haha

[Rebbasser]

A jig with a real pork trailer, like an Uncle Josh. Black/blue or green pumpkin.

[lunker-lander]

What color and 'model' of Uncle Josh should I buy? I've heard you guys say stuff like...."I like #10 in Green Pumpkin". What number should I get?

-Lunk-

[pignjig]

Lunk, with water that cold, you might consider fishin' fool's float-n-fly suggestion, too. Especially if you're going to be anywhere near drop-offs and ledges! Good luck, my pike-fishin', boat-fixin', braid-spoolin', uni-knot tyin', gore-tex wearin' friend!

-Pig

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

I'm aware of the season(s), Basser. Cabin Fever has a death hold on me!!!

-Lunk-

Yeah, I've heard the DNR watches Hudson REAL close. IDK about the other lakes and such up around your way though,

BB

[lunker-lander]

It's not Hudson; yes, Hudson is watched close though, especially for the muskies.

What times should I be fishing? Mid-day, morning, noon?

-Lunk-

[senko]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

It's not Hudson; yes, Hudson is watched close though, especially for the muskies.

What times should I be fishing? Mid-day, morning, noon?

-Lunk-

Evening, at the spots that got the most sun throughout the day.

[lunker-lander]

Originally Posted by pignjig

Lunk, with water that cold, you might consider fishin' fool's float-n-fly suggestion, too. Especially if you're going to be anywhere near drop-offs and ledges! Good luck, my pike-fishin', boat-fixin', braid-spoolin', uni-knot tyin', gore-tex wearin' friend!

-Pig

Yessum!

-Lunk-

A picture will be taken when my Gor-Tex arrives!!!

[Rebbasser]

Lunk, I wouldn't go with anything less than a #11, which is the original. It's got more bulk which will make for a slower fall, which you want in cold water.

[lunker-lander]

Thanks!

-Lunk-

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

I'm expecting there to be floating chuncks of ice with very cold water in the 35-36F range.

What would ya'll use? Pond or lake? Streams or main lake?

-Lunk-

A road trip south to warmer water!! lol

LL, stick with the tubes and jigs and fish them slowly! I don't know what kind of depths you will be fishing? Deeper water may warrant tying on a slab spoon and slowly vertical jigging your fish. A drop shot or shakey head should always be handy and be fished about anywhere.

[Wishing2BFishing]

[quote=howghunter;180381]i am glad in pa they only thank its poaching if you keep then."

howghunter, I second that . . .

[lunker-lander]

Originally Posted by Bob Smith

A road trip south to warmer water!! lol

LL, stick with the tubes and jigs and fish them slowly! I don't know what kind of depths you will be fishing? Deeper water may warrant tying on a slab spoon and slowly vertical jigging your fish. A drop shot or shakey head should always be handy and be fished about anywhere.

The first spot I am going to hit for this year is a long, shallow flat with a slow-tapering point and drop-off at the end. The flat is all sand with isolated weed clumps, (probably not present this early though), with the point starting in 4' of water and going out to almost 22' in a distance of about 75 yds.

I'm hoping to start out by dragging a PNJ or tube, locating the fish, and then following up with a Drop-Shot to pick off all schoolies.

Could I use a deep diving crankbait, (Bomber Fat Free Shad), to locate fish? It is large in nature, and wide-wobbling, so I figured it may work. What do you think?

-Lunk-

[howghunter]

lunker just give it a try the fish will tell ya.i have read and heard from others that they got some fish in water around 38-40 deg. with a crankbait.but water that cold i have had some luck with a 3/4 spinnerbait black/blue twin-willow-leaf then just slow-roll it.

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by howghunter

lunker just give it a try the fish will tell ya.i have read and heard from others that they got some fish in water around 38-40 deg. with a crankbait.but water that cold i have had some luck with a 3/4 spinnerbait black/blue twin-willow-leaf then just slow-roll it.

LL, in response to your last post, Howghunter just gave you the absolute best answer. Since you haven't done it all winter, break out a lot of different stuff and get it wet! Haphazard as that sounds, you might just be surprised what will and won't work. "nothing ventured, nothing gained"!

[lunker-lander]

It's starting to get that time! Anything else that I need to know?

-Lunk-

[senko]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

It's starting to get that time! Anything else that I need to know?

-Lunk-

Be careful!

[keithdog]

I would mention that you would also want to try any sheltered bay that is on the north side of the lake. Especially if you have sunny conditions. Warm southern breezes will push warmer water into those areas. That along with the natural warming of the sun and you could strike gold in a bay like that. I really like using a Smithwick Rouge or a Chatterbait in situations like that fished very shallow near cover, especially wood. Now something I havn't tried yet in the very early ice out situation is a lipless crankbait like the Rattle Trap. But I have read often how even in that very cold water, the pros suprisingly have very good luck with that lure. I just read an article in which Boyd Ducket claims that the lipless crankbait is one of his favorite early season baits.