Weather Woes.. Cold Shutting Them Down..

[james86]

It's starting to get a little colder here in north Florida and the bass seem to be shutting down. Anyone else having the same problems? If so, what techniques are working for you right now?

[florida fisher]

It was in the mid 60's this morning when
I went out I caught 2 good sized fish and a couple little ones on a rapala flat rap with a slow retrieve, good luck

[Jrob78]

You do realize you're complaining about the cold in Florida, right?

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

You do realize you're complaining about the cold in Florida, right?

My thoughts exactly. The HIGH was 68 here today, lol.

Water temps are already down to the high 50's, so I probably won't be much help there. Try crankbaits though.

BB

[bamabassman]

We had a low of 43 this morning, and a high of around 73 this evening. Some areas had frost here already. Low was 37 Tuesday morning.

[cassidyta]

Obviously, you guys need the input from someone who KNOWS cold weather.....LOL

Just like us, cold for fish is relative to what ever temperatures they have acclimated to. When we cool off out this way, I focus on working the shadows in reverse. Instead of expecting to find the fish in them, they are usually on the edges.
I find that hard bodied jerk baits are a good producer of strikes. I also do well with slow top water at sunrise. I use very subtle motions on my frogs or spooks.

[keithdog]

We've been having lows at night in the upper 30's and daily highs in the 50's. Bass are still hitting strong here.

[walkeraviator]

Yeah.. the water is just cooling down enough here in KY for the fish to start gettin real shallow. This is prime buzzbait time for us...

[james86]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

You do realize you're complaining about the cold in Florida, right?

lol I know, I know. But I'm not complaining about being cold myself. I was stationed in Maine last year so trust me I know cold. But like others said cold is relative and the fish have definately noticed.

[gonefishin3]

I'm ready for the cool weather its still about 93 here during the day :P

[james86]

It's in the low 80s here during the day and in the high 50s in the morning as the sun comes up. I'll try sticking to topwater. Only problem I see with that is the place I fish the most is super muddy. I have caught a couple bass out of there on buzzbaits but never on any other kind of top water lure. Maybe I'll give the horny toad a try.

[florida fisher]

try shallow divers too

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by james86

Anyone else having the same problems? =

...........

I am!

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

We had a low of 43 this morning, and a high of around 73 this evening. Some areas had frost here already. Low was 37 Tuesday morning.

James is a fellow Bama boy there BB...

Roll Tide!

And that's the only one of those you'll ever get from me!

Originally Posted by james86

It's in the low 80s here during the day and in the high 50s in the morning as the sun comes up. I'll try sticking to topwater. Only problem I see with that is the place I fish the most is super muddy. I have caught a couple bass out of there on buzzbaits but never on any other kind of top water lure. Maybe I'll give the horny toad a try.

I don't think it got over 79º here today dude.

Nothing came on buzzers today, though I think James and I both had follows. I got one on a skinny dipper, and James had two, both on shaky-heads I think.

I hooked a small one on a shaky-head, but it got off before I landed it. This actually pretty good compared to what we have been doing lately. I think I am gonna do more mid/late morning stuff, and see what comes of it.

[james86]

The only thing that worked for me today was a zoom finesse worm and a roboworm. Both in shades of green and both on a shaky head. The pond was surprisingly clear today so I tried a skinny dipper and a swimming super fluke and neither of those produced strikes. Recently the shaky head is the only thing I can catch a bass on.

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by james86

The only thing that worked for me today was a zoom finesse worm and a roboworm. Both in shades of green and both on a shaky head. The pond was surprisingly clear today so I tried a skinny dipper and a swimming super fluke and neither of those produced strikes. Recently the shaky head is the only thing I can catch a bass on.

I have a lot of luck with SH's until the last few weeks. Since we started fishing together I have dumped a lot of scratch into them too. I hope they start going for them again soon.

[lilmule]

60 isnt cold ,weve been having a rather long warm dry spell in Tn,water temp 75,cood nights lol below 60,thats cool not cold and still wear shorts in the 60s
Beats high 90s we were having a few weeks ago
And no the heat isnt turned on,no heat no air,windows open called pleasant
Shakey heads work well in many areas one it imparts action,other is it catches suspended fish when swam,suspect most of your fish are suspended try an unweighted senko to find out.Or any swimworm on a t rig retrieve just a lil slower than a crankbait.

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by lilmule

60 isnt cold ,weve been having a rather long warm dry spell in Tn,water temp 75,cood nights lol below 60,thats cool not cold and still wear shorts in the 60s
Beats high 90s we were having a few weeks ago
And no the heat isnt turned on,no heat no air,windows open called pleasant
Shakey heads work well in many areas one it imparts action,other is it catches suspended fish when swam,suspect most of your fish are suspended try an unweighted senko to find out.Or any swimworm on a t rig retrieve just a lil slower than a crankbait.

It's been in the mid to low 50's here at night. I don't know what the actual water temps are here, but I fish a pretty small lake, comparatively.

At any rate I don't think the temps are the trouble. If anything they should be a benefit, I would think. I am not sure what exactly has turned them off, but the bite has been bad for about a month and a half now. I am sure we will find our stride though. I have been hitting the shaky-heads hard since I picked them up a couple of months ago. I am thinking top water in the morning and some swimbaits in the late afternoon/early evenings might bring the bite back, especially since the water in my lake has cleared up a lot in the past week. I can actually see my lures under water now!

I plan to hit the jerk + crankbaits pretty hard too in the near future. I am sure something there is bound to work.

[basshunter21]

I thought fall was great for bass?

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by basshunter21

I thought fall was great for bass?

It's supposed to be... lol

[basshunter21]

ya I hear ya, I havent fishing for bass in months. Ive been busy fishing for the steelhead. Im heading out tomorrow though and gonna try and get better with the baitcaster, I suck with it. lol

[walkeraviator]

I would say try the smaller hard jerk baits... and vary teh cadence a lot...I like the smaller X-Raps, but are so light you better use teh spinning rig...

[BassFeverJohn]

I went out this morning for about an hour, but I was feeling kinda bad and nothing I was doing was producing any strikes, so I came home. I was a bit upset because the 8# flouro I put on my spinning rig is not very sensitive. I am thinking about getting some 10# braid to replace it with.

I tried a buzz-bait along the banks, and even straight down the middle with no strikes. I tried a couple of swim-baits, and a few shaky-heads. I also tried pulling a chatter-bait with a white skirt through the places I tried the buzzer, but nothing. I tried a few cranks too; lipless and billed. Fish were popping the surface around the edges, but nothing wanted my lures.

[Abbeysdad]

It's always a hoot when somebody in down south, especially Florida 'complains' about it being cold.

[tim4081]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

Obviously, you guys need the input from someone who KNOWS cold weather.....LOL

Just like us, cold for fish is relative to what ever temperatures they have acclimated to. When we cool off out this way, I focus on working the shadows in reverse. Instead of expecting to find the fish in them, they are usually on the edges.
I find that hard bodied jerk baits are a good producer of strikes. I also do well with slow top water at sunrise. I use very subtle motions on my frogs or spooks.

Could'nt agree more with the above. A month or so ago I was getting fish in very shallow, heavy cover/pad areas with ribbit frogs. Now as the water temps have dropped the top water bite has died off and the fish coming from the edges of the cover....they're using the cover as ambush spots. Jerkbaits, cranks and senko stlye worms have been producing very well for me.