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Favorite cold water techniques (40-50 degrees)

Hey what are some of the most effective methods for catching winter bass in our natural lakes. Are suspending jerkbaits as effective up here with our lack of pelagic bait fish? Because bass fishing here in Western Washington is a completely different ball game than the rest of the country, I would like some imput on how the fish are behaving this time of year.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Roy Hawes on March 23, 2014 at 8:22am

No offense but ive never caught trout or perch on top waters...they are bottom dwellers as well. Google that.

Permalink Reply by Sparkles on March 23, 2014 at 8:32am

I use to catch trout fly fishing all the time...just saying!!

Permalink Reply by Roy Hawes on March 23, 2014 at 8:48am

I stand corrected

Permalink Reply by Roy Hawes on March 23, 2014 at 8:52am

I do know that our natural lakes like Washington and summit with a few exceptions are a heck of alot deeper than the natural lakes in Florida. And catching our fish can be a hard transition if you weren't raised here

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on March 23, 2014 at 2:56pm

You've never caught a cutt out of wa or samm on a top water like a spook? Happens all the time.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on March 24, 2014 at 9:15pm

I have caught trout perch squaw fish watched Marcantonio catch a carp on topwater. So what is there to google? I have also caught other species as well, I will copy and past the term pelagic for everyone so people know where I am coming from.

Roy Hawes said:

No offense but ive never caught trout or perch on top waters...they are bottom dwellers as well. Google that.

Permalink Reply by Roy Hawes on March 24, 2014 at 9:23pm

Guess I need to throw topwaters more. I apologize for acting up, I just didnt like the way that you wrote in abput the guy asking his original question. Sure we dont all have your knowledge and your experience, or know all the definitions, but we are trying to speak the language. Trying to help each other. Motivate each other, teach each other. Most of us are here to learn and share ideas, not make other people feel like idiots.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on March 24, 2014 at 9:46pm

Knowledge obtained from google and wikipedia!
Guys would not be catching suspended fish on TW swimmers if it were not for pelagic bait fish these lakes possess I would consider kokanee a pelagic fish as well now reading the definition. I do understand we do not have thread fins in our lakes which are in huge numbers across the country but to say we have none isn't correct. I saw another story where another author writes that crappies are pelagic, and we have those as well. We also have stickle backs which get out in the middle of the lake any time of the year other than the spring like shad. Point being we have pelagic baitfish in our natural lakes.....just no shad.

BTW Roy I have never claimed to be knowledgeable about anything, I don't post pictures of big fish I catch, or brag, I dont feel like I need to or have to. I just like to throw my 2 cents in every once in a while and create conversation, also like to prove myths wrong and that is what I just did. I do like however someone trying to call me out and proving me wrong.....but you failed miserably!

Tell me Roy did you learn nothing in my post, you say "Most of us are here to learn and share ideas" I think everyone learned or realized something in my post.

The intention was not to make someone feel like an idiot, but to correct which I believe to be false.

Did you know that Lake Washingtons bio mass is made up of mostly long fin smelt, atleast that's what I heard.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on March 24, 2014 at 9:50pm

Also jerkbaits are good, you just have to use them in a way to get them in front of the fish, even if that means trolling them with a 3 way rig!

Permalink Reply by Roy Hawes on March 24, 2014 at 10:07pm

You make alot of good points, and you dont have to post pics, everyone knows you and what good things you do for the sport here in the northwest. Is the longfin smelt only found in lake Washington?

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on March 25, 2014 at 2:18pm