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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 Justin Whisler on March 18, 2014 at 8:29pm

Football heads work really well for Smallmouth.

Permalink Reply by Cody Nye on March 18, 2014 at 8:33pm

thanks for the imput Justin. Are they holding to the bottom during the winter months?

Justin Whisler said:

Football heads work really well for Smallmouth.

Permalink Reply by Sparkles on March 18, 2014 at 8:49pm

Define winter...we are still in winter you know!!

Permalink Reply by Cody Nye on March 18, 2014 at 8:59pm

id say my definition would be when that water drops below 50 degrees.

Permalink Reply by Justin Whisler on March 18, 2014 at 9:02pm

No problem. And I don't know if I'd say that because I have caught them on jerkbaits in cold water as well.

Permalink Reply by Cody Nye on March 18, 2014 at 9:23pm

ok great to hear.

Permalink Reply by Joe Boyd on March 19, 2014 at 1:27pm

Just about every bass fishing article I've read on the subject will say that bass won't chase anything in water 55 degrees or less. That doesn't apply over here; I've caught fish on spinner baits and crank baits in 45-48 degree water. jerk baits and jigs will produce, for sure. Just don't limit yourself because the water's cool.

Permalink Reply by Roy Hawes on March 19, 2014 at 8:26pm

To answer your question yes, jerk baits will work here in the winter time. As shad are to Florida, perch and trout are to Washington. Thank you to Washington fish and game for constantly stocking our lakes full of vitamin rich foods to feed our bass, that's something we have that most other states don't.

Reading articles like bass master magazine and such, just take the information and apply it as well as you can to what we have here in Washington. A lot of the techniques will work all the same, sometimes you will be surprised actually with how Northern strain largemouth aren't to much different from there Florida Strain cousins. Sure the water temps are several degrees colder, but the bass have spent their whole lives here, so techniques that are for prespawn fish in florida where the water temps are 55-60, will work on the fish here when temps are 45-55. Our bass are actually a lot more active in the earlier colder months than people give them credit for.

Jigs are always a good standby. Always have one rigged up. They will work year round in any depth of water. Crawfish are hugely abundant in our Washington lakes.

Permalink Reply by Cody Nye on March 21, 2014 at 6:36pm

thanks alot for the info. That makes a lot of sense.

Roy Hawes said:

To answer your question yes, jerk baits will work here in the winter time. As shad are to Florida, perch and trout are to Washington. Thank you to Washington fish and game for constantly stocking our lakes full of vitamin rich foods to feed our bass, that's something we have that most other states don't.

Reading articles like bass master magazine and such, just take the information and apply it as well as you can to what we have here in Washington. A lot of the techniques will work all the same, sometimes you will be surprised actually with how Northern strain largemouth aren't to much different from there Florida Strain cousins. Sure the water temps are several degrees colder, but the bass have spent their whole lives here, so techniques that are for prespawn fish in florida where the water temps are 55-60, will work on the fish here when temps are 45-55. Our bass are actually a lot more active in the earlier colder months than people give them credit for.

Jigs are always a good standby. Always have one rigged up. They will work year round in any depth of water. Crawfish are hugely abundant in our Washington lakes.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on March 22, 2014 at 7:17pm

What is the definition of pelagic?

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on March 22, 2014 at 7:20pm

long fin smelt are pelagic and are found in Lake Washington which is a natural lake...I Google the term! Due to the definition the are more of a pelagic bait fish then any kind of shad.....gizzards like the bottom and you readily see thread fins on the surface!
Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said: