fishing topwater in the winter.

bubba bass bigfoot · 12-03-06, 08:07 PM

i never hear about using top water lures in the cold or just when the bite is slow. i know in the cold the bass go deep but ya think you can draw them up, just wondering what you think in genral on using top water when the bite is slow.

texasbasser · 12-03-06, 08:12 PM

the topwater bite has been "okay" around here.
been getting them on walk the dog style scum frogs.

carolina-rig-01 · 12-03-06, 08:18 PM

not only do fish go deeper in cold water but they really slow down as well, not just the bite but as a general rule they won't be as aggresive towards faster moving prey. i have heard quite a bit on winter topwater but never really tried it myself because i have more confidence in slower and deeper presentations such as a suspending jerk bait using long pauses or a jig n pig ( in cold water a pork trailer will give better results than plastic). but as for drawing fish up from deep water it can be done. i don't know how they can prove it but guides on table rock swear a bass will come up from 30 feet of water to eat a spook. just my 2 cents worth but i am sure some other guys on here can give good advice.

ToPwAt'R GuY · 12-03-06, 08:38 PM

In cold weather the bass aren't as aggressive as the warm water months. The bass wants an easy meal. A lure like a slow moving jig or a suspended jerkbait will normally get you more bites. I always have a topwater bait rigged up though. You can never know when that big ol' bass is lookin' for some surface action.

Marty · 12-03-06, 08:45 PM

Conventional wisdom says that topwater is most effective in warmer water and lower light, and topwaters would be far from my first choice in colder water. However, bass and other species often don't behave like the book says they should. So the bottom line is that I wouldn't hesitate to use an unconventional technique if the conventional ones aren't producing.

bubba bass bigfoot · 12-03-06, 09:23 PM

I figured it would suck in the winter, b/c the bass are sluggish, but just wondering. thanks.

skeeter944 · 12-04-06, 12:25 AM

try a buzzbait in early spring/late winter,it will catch some giants!

Vabass22 · 12-09-06, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasbasser

the topwater bite has been "okay" around here.
been getting them on walk the dog style scum frogs.

Yeah, but what are the temps, mid 60s! 19 degrees on the way to basketball this morning! brrrrrrrr

Rebbasser · 12-09-06, 09:41 PM

bbb, the winter topwater bite is usually slow to non-existant for the reasons given. However, bass don't always follow conventional wisdom, so it is always worth a cast or three just to see. I fish with Flyrod a lot, and he ALWAYS chunks a topwater for at least a few casts regardless of the conditions. I've seen it pay off more than once.

JB · 12-09-06, 10:16 PM

I've seen it work in prespawn up here in april, on a buzzbait with the water temp in low 50s.....but you can be in for a long day if you stick with topwater with temps that low.

WTL · 12-09-06, 10:42 PM

I think topwater is a hard sell this time of year, but not impossible. You just got to hit something different. But topwater turns on a little earlier than most people think about, when you get into some prespawn bass the devils horse can sometimes get lit up.

1FASTLASER · 12-10-06, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeter944

try a buzzbait in early spring/late winter,it will catch some giants!

Man dont tell ALL the trade scerets.LOL Yes I can assure you that late winter early spring is a GREAT time to chunk a buzzer just slow er down. I have caught them in 48 degree water on a Strike King Buzzer. Sounds goofy but hey the bass didnt read our book now did they.

Fish2win · 12-10-06, 10:17 AM

Normally in the spring and early winter I do not fish topwater lures when the water surface temperature is below 55 degrees. Once the bait fish activity ceases to be on top I have a problem with believeing that bass would attack a surface bait. You can aggravate a fish into attacking a lure but in the winter when water temps are in the 40's here Tennessee I find other methods to be more practical.
I do remember a really different situation that occured in 1978. I lived in Memphis Tn at that time and fished the lakes in North Mississippi as well as several Oxbow lakes along the MS river year round.It was Feb and the water temps were anywhere from 46 to 51 in the area depending on the lake. I know that is not that cold but that is cold enough to have the bass suspending in winter habatat.
There was an unusually strong warm front that through. The front dropped about 6 or 7 inches of rain while the air temps were in the high 70. This lasted for about 3 days. The water runnimng into the backs of the creeks was much warmer . The fish in these creeks went immediately to the warmer run in water which warmed into the upper 50's. We started catching fish on buzz baits like crazy. This lasted until the next cold front came through and winter fishing returned.
I have never witnessed this again but at least that was one time that the bass did hit topwater in the winter. Fish2win

Big Mac · 12-11-06, 09:04 PM

Water temps play a big part in the success of topwaters in winter. If there is a warm wind, lots of sun, or warm rains, they will come up to feed. I always look to structure, reeds, rocks, trees, or stained water to capture and retain the heat and get the fish to feed. That is where I cast my topwaters, and don't forget to always fish the west side of the lakes (they get more sun). They do work.

.....mac

Rodman_Rob · 12-13-06, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Water temps play a big part in the success of topwaters in winter.

that was exactly what I was about to type. here in florida you can still get a fairly consistant topwater bite in the evenings but not in the mornings. we've been having cold nights sending the fish deeper and warm days sending them back up top in the evening. of course if you're at a spring fed it doesn't matter as much, that's almost always topwaters since the temp is a consistant 72.

islandflyfisher · 12-24-06, 10:24 AM

Topwater has been doing well for me the last few days. I have used a black tiny torpedo (twitching it fast), a 5 inch senko on the surface, a zara spook (the medium sized version), and a Mann's hard worm. I only got one on the hard worm, but didn't fish it very long. It has been between 70 and 85 degrees out. That might help. The water has been colder though. I think that some funny stuff works in fishing, so don't hesitate to try it.

fishinallyear · 12-24-06, 07:02 PM

top waters goin pretty good around here....basically dont use top waters if you notice the turtles are sitting on logs...caues that means the waters to cold for them there for the bass are probably goin to be alot deeper

12-03-06, 08:07 PM	#1
bubba bass bigfoot BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 206	fishing topwater in the winter. i never hear about using top water lures in the cold or just when the bite is slow. i know in the cold the bass go deep but ya think you can draw them up, just wondering what you think in genral on using top water when the bite is slow.

12-03-06, 08:45 PM	#5
Marty BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 1,580	Conventional wisdom says that topwater is most effective in warmer water and lower light, and topwaters would be far from my first choice in colder water. However, bass and other species often don't behave like the book says they should. So the bottom line is that I wouldn't hesitate to use an unconventional technique if the conventional ones aren't producing. __________________ Meeting expenses is easy...they're EVERYWHERE The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits Rochester, NY

12-09-06, 09:41 PM	#9
Rebbasser BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 10,142	bbb, the winter topwater bite is usually slow to non-existant for the reasons given. However, bass don't always follow conventional wisdom, so it is always worth a cast or three just to see. I fish with Flyrod a lot, and he ALWAYS chunks a topwater for at least a few casts regardless of the conditions. I've seen it pay off more than once. __________________ It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3

12-09-06, 10:42 PM	#11
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	I think topwater is a hard sell this time of year, but not impossible. You just got to hit something different. But topwater turns on a little earlier than most people think about, when you get into some prespawn bass the devils horse can sometimes get lit up. __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

12-10-06, 10:17 AM	#13
Fish2win BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norris Tennessee Posts: 469	Normally in the spring and early winter I do not fish topwater lures when the water surface temperature is below 55 degrees. Once the bait fish activity ceases to be on top I have a problem with believeing that bass would attack a surface bait. You can aggravate a fish into attacking a lure but in the winter when water temps are in the 40's here Tennessee I find other methods to be more practical. I do remember a really different situation that occured in 1978. I lived in Memphis Tn at that time and fished the lakes in North Mississippi as well as several Oxbow lakes along the MS river year round.It was Feb and the water temps were anywhere from 46 to 51 in the area depending on the lake. I know that is not that cold but that is cold enough to have the bass suspending in winter habatat. There was an unusually strong warm front that through. The front dropped about 6 or 7 inches of rain while the air temps were in the high 70. This lasted for about 3 days. The water runnimng into the backs of the creeks was much warmer . The fish in these creeks went immediately to the warmer run in water which warmed into the upper 50's. We started catching fish on buzz baits like crazy. This lasted until the next cold front came through and winter fishing returned. I have never witnessed this again but at least that was one time that the bass did hit topwater in the winter. Fish2win __________________ Norris Tennessee set the hook! They dont have hands.

12-03-06, 08:12 PM	#2
texasbasser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Antonio, Tx Posts: 2,301	the topwater bite has been "okay" around here. been getting them on walk the dog style scum frogs.

12-03-06, 08:18 PM	#3
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	not only do fish go deeper in cold water but they really slow down as well, not just the bite but as a general rule they won't be as aggresive towards faster moving prey. i have heard quite a bit on winter topwater but never really tried it myself because i have more confidence in slower and deeper presentations such as a suspending jerk bait using long pauses or a jig n pig ( in cold water a pork trailer will give better results than plastic). but as for drawing fish up from deep water it can be done. i don't know how they can prove it but guides on table rock swear a bass will come up from 30 feet of water to eat a spook. just my 2 cents worth but i am sure some other guys on here can give good advice.

12-03-06, 08:38 PM	#4
ToPwAt'R GuY BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: missouri Posts: 930	In cold weather the bass aren't as aggressive as the warm water months. The bass wants an easy meal. A lure like a slow moving jig or a suspended jerkbait will normally get you more bites. I always have a topwater bait rigged up though. You can never know when that big ol' bass is lookin' for some surface action.

12-03-06, 09:23 PM	#6
bubba bass bigfoot BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 206	I figured it would suck in the winter, b/c the bass are sluggish, but just wondering. thanks.

12-04-06, 12:25 AM	#7
skeeter944 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Somewhere in South Carolina Posts: 2,377	try a buzzbait in early spring/late winter,it will catch some giants!

12-09-06, 10:16 PM	#10
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	I've seen it work in prespawn up here in april, on a buzzbait with the water temp in low 50s.....but you can be in for a long day if you stick with topwater with temps that low.

12-11-06, 09:04 PM	#14
Big Mac BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Santa Rosa, Ca Posts: 20	Water temps play a big part in the success of topwaters in winter. If there is a warm wind, lots of sun, or warm rains, they will come up to feed. I always look to structure, reeds, rocks, trees, or stained water to capture and retain the heat and get the fish to feed. That is where I cast my topwaters, and don't forget to always fish the west side of the lakes (they get more sun). They do work. .....mac

12-24-06, 10:24 AM	#16
islandflyfisher BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 329	Topwater has been doing well for me the last few days. I have used a black tiny torpedo (twitching it fast), a 5 inch senko on the surface, a zara spook (the medium sized version), and a Mann's hard worm. I only got one on the hard worm, but didn't fish it very long. It has been between 70 and 85 degrees out. That might help. The water has been colder though. I think that some funny stuff works in fishing, so don't hesitate to try it.

12-24-06, 07:02 PM	#17
fishinallyear BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cola, sc Posts: 13	top waters goin pretty good around here....basically dont use top waters if you notice the turtles are sitting on logs...caues that means the waters to cold for them there for the bass are probably goin to be alot deeper __________________ "thats a keeper"

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