Cold Weather Bass

[Zach_BassFisherman]

Well, its been really cold here in southwest missouri the last four days, and i usaully dont fish cold weather so i thouhght i would ask what are some of the best baits or lures to use for bass??

[Rebbasser]

Zach-any idea what the water temperature is?

[zooker]

water temp is key right now..

zooker

[Zach_BassFisherman]

im not really for sure but im gonna say around 40 deg. im not sure i could be wrong!

[WIbassfisherman]

Zach,
Up here in Wisconsin I'm just rigging up to prefish for my first tournament. The water currently is 35.5 degrees and here's what I'm tying on.

9/16oz Swim Jig, Large single colorado bladed 3/8oz spinnerbait, 3/4 oz rattle trap, DT 6, 4" Flippin Tube, 1/4 oz Strike King Jig, and a chatterbait.

In the cold stained water I'll be fishing the deepest part of the lake is currently 8feet deep and that's with high water. I'm an aggressive fisherman and even in cold water I'm going to chuck and wind looking for reaction strikes to help locate bass. If I find productive areas I'll slow down with jig, tube, shakey head, but until then I'm going to slow roll some horizontal baits to cover the water column for two days. On the 3rd day if nothings panned out I'll go out and just pitch to isolated, recently flooded, shoreline cover very methodically. But hey..that's just me.

[BassAddict]

If the water is fairly clear I'd throw a suspending jerkbait. Jig would be my next choice.

[Patrick Krueger, Jr.]

Here, in Northern Illinois, I got skunked four days in a row, at my honey hole pond, during the warm spell a few weeks back. I went again with mid-twenties air temp, and for about an hour I was catching little guys on almost every cast with an X-Rap and a carolina rigged floating lizard. The pond is about half an acre, loaded with bass from under a pound to 5's and 6's.

I was suprised but thrilled to finally get them.