I think it’s a lost cause for bass.
I was just out this afternoon for an hour and half, caught and released 6 bass. Didn’t think that was too bad. Was using a jig and plastic.
Its a lost cause for bass fishing. The water temp was 48.5 on Sunday and a couple friends of mine never got a bite in 5 hours of fishing. They’re getting ready to hibernate for the winter now. If I were you, I’d do the same.
Crappies, walleyes, and pike will bite in cold water (hence why people catch them fairly regularly in the winter). Muskies have the feed bag on too right now because the cisco spawn is going or will be going soon.
Its a lost cause for bass fishing. The water temp was 48.5 on Sunday and a couple friends of mine never got a bite in 5 hours of fishing. They’re getting ready to hibernate for the winter now. If I were you, I’d do the same.
Bass bite all winter, we catch them all the time fishing in weeds for panfish.
Yes indeed they bite all winter. Water temps yesterday where I was catching bass after bass was 46 – 47 degrees. Some times I use a heavier line when ice fishing just because I know, I’m going to be getting hit on by the bass in the lake.
Hope the bass are not totally shut down. I have a cousin coming to fish this weekend and he his hoping for a few to take home and eat. Yes I said it – ” Take home to eat ” Each year in the fall he plans a trip to get a few for his freezer and to eat fresh. For those of you who say Yuck – I bet you have never eaten a bass from cold water – They are just as tasty or even more tasty than a walleye and far better than crappies – Just my opinion of course. I target lakes that have real clean water and have a over population of small bass ( 12-14″ ) There are a few in my area that fit those needs. Bass do tend to get a bit hard to locate and catch once the water temp gets in the 40’s. We can normally pick up enough on slow reeled spinnerbaits or a slow worked jerkbait. Depending on how cold the water is a rattletrap can often be effective. So much for the theory that bass slow way down and you need a real slow moving bait to catch them.
Not that Im any expert but have been on a decent bass bite just days before a lake freezes up. Large husky jerks just twiched over and along weed beds. Nothing would hit the bait until it stopped and suspended.
Still fishing, we got some nice crappie and walleye a few days last week.
Also agree the bass bite all year. My boy got this one out of the house last winter.
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Glad I asked. It’s windy and 30 here today. Maybe I’ll give a few more tries. Thanks
Yep. They still bite. It’s slow this time of year but it’s also a great time of year to break your PB if you know where to look and can make yourself slow down enough.
Got a half dozen on the Miss today, shallow wood. Nothing big but nice to get out.
I have caught bass late in.to the fall and in the winter- This time of year fish clearer lakes and find cabbage weeds. The lake does not have to be very clear but clear enough that some panfish relate to weeds all year. Lots of dark water lakes that are very hard to pattern in the winter.
Anyone fish from shore or waders below the Monticello power plant in the Winter?
Anyone fish from shore or waders below the Monticello power plant in the Winter?
Yep
Is now a decent time to be there? Midwest Outdoors and Mn Bound have had some good clips over the yrs. i tried it a few yrs ago. Not much action for me.
Is now a decent time to be there? Midwest Outdoors and Mn Bound have had some good clips over the yrs. i tried it a few yrs ago. Not much action for me.
Not right now. It’s so flooded out it’s almost impossible to fish from shore currently.
Get your waders, walk around for a half day, follow the warm water, figure out how it hugs the shoreline or further south the islands, then fish those eddie’s and seams. Waders are nice to travel but not really needed to catch fish. Most areas the bass and eyes are just a cast from shore.
Shiner/natural minnow fluke on a weighted hook was my go-to.
I should’ve have known. Was in the cities last weekend. All the rivers were over their banks. The Mississippi is high, dirty, and moving fast up here, too.
I should’ve have known. Was in the cities last weekend. All the rivers were over their banks. The Mississippi is high, dirty, and moving fast up here, too.
I fish the Miss a lot here in the cities and up in Monticello and it’s been a rough year for shore fishing it to say the least.
Well I went out and battled the cold this morning and got skunked…..brutal. Found marks and found schools of what I think were crappie so I dropped some waypoints for early ice so it wasn’t a total failure. I think that’s going to end the open water season for me.
Well I went out and battled the cold this morning and got skunked…..brutal. Found marks and found schools of what I think were crappie so I dropped some waypoints for early ice so it wasn’t a total failure. I think that’s going to end the open water season for me.
Can’t give up so easy 
I’m finding the crappie suspended at 25′ or still right over the weeds in 16′. Small jig and a minnow. Haven’t read a crappie that’s turned me down yet.
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<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
Well I went out and battled the cold this morning and got skunked…..brutal. Found marks and found schools of what I think were crappie so I dropped some waypoints for early ice so it wasn’t a total failure. I think that’s going to end the open water season for me.Can’t give up so easy
I’m finding the crappie suspended at 25′ or still right over the weeds in 16′. Small jig and a minnow. Haven’t read a crappie that’s turned me down yet.
I just don’t get it. I can catch crappie in the Spring and in the Winter but late Fall I can’t figure it out.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Joe Scegura wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
Well I went out and battled the cold this morning and got skunked…..brutal. Found marks and found schools of what I think were crappie so I dropped some waypoints for early ice so it wasn’t a total failure. I think that’s going to end the open water season for me.Can’t give up so easy
I just don’t get it. I can catch crappie in the Spring and in the Winter but late Fall I can’t figure it out.
Everyone needs to spend at least a day with Joe the guide. I think I have both my PB smallmouth and walleye with Joe. Thinkin’ I need a big crappie soon!
Lunchtime action
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Who is Joe The Guide?
Who is Joe The Guide?
Joe Scegura. The guy who is making it rain crappies from a few posts ago….. 
Did okay a few days ago on a lake I never fished before. Strange outing to say the least!
Water temp dropped to 54 as compared to 62 degrees last week on a lake closer to home.
Cloudy with some light rain, breeze – calm
What was strange was cruising along spooking fish near the surface. Backed off and caught perch on different lures:
The perch were hitting minnows on the surface in different areas and just a matter of racing to the splashes to catch a few.
even on a trolled crankbait in 8′:
Caught other panfish on a Beetle Spin:
…and small crappy on soft plastics in 5-8′ – sometimes mixed in with the perch schools:
Went to the large flats in the other end and saw swirls in 2′. Cast to one and caught a 9 lb carp !
Last year I photo documented a decent number of schooled crappie caught on different days in 39 – 42 degree water in 7′ near shallow flats and steep shorelines.
Guess it depends on the water, but in any case it helped using small soft plastics on light jigs and my usual favorite 5′ dive crankbait.
(Too bad I fell out of the boat and hurt my ribs on the steep, narrow woody launch. Still painful after three days; no xray, thank you.)
The Muskies are going well up in my neck of the woods.
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