Mountainryan Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Hey SU, anyone else in the frozen north dying to throw big baits? I don't ice fish so I'm dying of boaredom and building the bait box. To the question in the title, everything is still frozen up here, once it thaws the temps will still be under 40. What is the low range for big baits? I plan on throwing 68 specials and 8" hudds dragging bottom. I have some mc paddle tails I can slow drag too. Any chance of picking up fish in these temps or leave the boat in the garage? Tight lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossypumpkin Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 I catch fish in central Maine before the ice is even off the whole lake from shore. Swaver 200, hudds and realpreys swimbaitman and MA Frog Man 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimbaitman Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 I catch fish in central Maine before the ice is even off the whole lake from shore. Swaver 200, hudds and realpreys listen to this man, took his advice and caught my first bass of the year in february at a place where half the lake was still covered Mossypumpkin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEbucketmouth19 Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 I tried from shore today on a lake that was partially frozen (mind you it is currently freezing not thawing). Didn't catch anything but I was dragging a hudd 68 slow. Had to stop when it dipped below freezing and my reel iced up. I catch fish in central Maine before the ice is even off the whole lake from shore. Swaver 200, hudds and realpreys Any tips for using the Swaver in cold water? I got a 200 over the winter but haven't tried it out yet. Is a slow lazy glide best? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MA Frog Man Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 You will catch your biggest bass right after ice out waynem 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Ive had my best luck with 68specials perch just after ice out. As far as lowest temps if it doesnt bounce off the hard water your good. Thow em their hungry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishinpunk Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 You guys are lucky, here in MN we can't fish for bass until early may because of DNR laws, except for a few sections on the Mississippi River that are open all year. Also some boarder waters that are nowhere close to me. I don't have to explain to you guys....Winter blows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigpoppabass Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Plastic is the way to go in cold water. Watch southern trout eaters vid to get fired up about cold weather hudding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timcauliffe Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 I caught my PB in 38degree weather with even lower water temps on a rat. Go slow or go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassturds Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 dude a rat in that cold of water for big fish?? thats friggin crazy!!! im doing something wrong, bite has been chit all winter timcauliffe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timcauliffe Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 dude a rat in that cold of water for big fish?? thats friggin crazy!!! im doing something wrong, bite has been chit all winter It was on Veteran's Day 2 years ago in November. Then last Veteran's Day I pulled a 5.9 on a slow bounced jig. Not the same as a big bait, but the slower the better. bassturds 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynem Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Bass are not going to behave in just one way because the water is cold. A lake can still be 50% frozen over and one day they will hit topwater or cranking baits and the next day you have to crawl or suspend a bait ever so slowly in the depths in order to get a bite. Every experienced ice fisherman knows that some days the bass will grab a shiner and rip the line off a tilt and the next the bass will eat the shiner and not even move enough to trip the flag. If you catch it right the ice-out fishing can be fantastic with fish moving extremely shallow and then a subsequent cloudy day will move those same fish back to the depths. Just like the rest of the year each day is a new puzzle. MA Frog Man and danthefisherman 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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