blade baits, pool 4,5 water temp?

Hi, Is there a certain water temp when blade baits or rattlebaits are more effective? I’m getting the hang of the ringworm pretty good , but have lots of blade baits, ripn raps, and never really tried em. Just watched the youtube vid of james and eric again, at redwing wanna try those baits. lol Wouldnt the water temp have to be warmed up a little for em to be a little more aggresive.Water temp was 42 last night at pool 5, should I try em now? That is if i can get em to the bottom now I guess.

Some of the best sticks on those pools catch a lot of their biggest fish on blades pre spawn. There have been some pigs caught on blades this year already. Discolored water like now is actually an ideal time to fish blades. Find yourself a bunch of current seams and pitch until you’re sick of it.

At 42 degrees I’m throwing #7 shad raps, Live Target Gizzard Shad, LT Rainbow Smelt at about 4″ long. Heck, I jig 1/2oz Gizzard Shad ice fishing. Think about how many 3 to 5″ perch or shad walleyes puke up in the winter or have in their gut when your cleaning then. Dainty little baits for walleyes aren’t in my wheelhouse for spring. Want pigs? Give them something to eat!

These pics are 2 years ago. Water temp was low 40’s and dropping, had freezing rain/sleet/snow and the flow jumped from 80K to over 100 while I was out.

As for blades, good year round. I use them ice fishing wing dams and all year through freeze up.

Also, look back through old reports and see how big of stick baits Joel Ballweg throws on the Wis. River when the temps are upper 30’s /low 40’s. Very under rated technique.

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awesome thanks gonna try and get out tmrw and give em a try

At night the stickbait retrieve is a twitch pause right? Never tried that for eyes either. I’m from ashland think thats what the guys do for prespawn there.
been trying to make it up there to figure out prespawn also and try missisppi tactics. I know theres huge fish there but ive never timed it right. I have that lt rainbow smelt thats an awesome bait. Wanna try the glass ghost husky also at night.

I suppose these techniques work alot better in the crowds too. Everybodys throwing ringworm or jig/minnow

Blade baits are great all year long.

@tony6 wrote:

I suppose these techniques work alot better in the crowds too. Everybodys throwing ringworm or jig/minnow

For me personally, it seems I get to pleasure fish when its the crappiest conditions or at night. I prefer the night bite anyways. They go from bump to slam the S.O.B.

Let the fish tell you what they want. Some nights pause, some nights a sweep/pause, some nights rip azz

Thanks alot guys for giving up info I know its alot of work figuring it out. Its crazy how finicky they are with color. last night I caught quite a few males on ringworms I tried 10 differnt colors probably after I found the one they liked, and no bites on the other colors. And I think i needed 2 different jighead sizes for each side of the boat. The current was faster on the port side. Then my motor died right in front of the dam with all gates open and used 15 lb thrust troller to get back at 1am alone. lol. Good thing landing was downstream. Got it goin today, gonna try sticks tmrw night