Cold Water Questions?

[evans_usmc69]

What all do you guys change up in colder water? The water temp here has dipped down to around the mid 50's and I have not had any love with a hudd so far I caught the small bass on a 10" FS on a slow retrieve, is this how you guys throw the trout freestyles in this cold or colder water? This is my first winter season throwing swimbaits(yep, still a hardcore rookie ) and have no idea how to fish the FS's in cold water other than the slow reel.

 

Any suggestions or tips are welcome, I have a tourney Saturday on some local STE water and there are trout EVERYWHERE, but the water just dropped off the docks(my main targets) and the fish won't bite a hudd too well. Thanks in advance, I'd love to get some input from some Cali guys that target the trout eaters when the trout trucks show up in colder water. Thanks

 

-Travis

[Rubberdaddy]

Mid 50's was perfect for the way I fish the ss freestyles, all my recent vids were with temps below 60. One, two, or three cranks of the handle then pause, repeat. Crank hard and then the slack will make the bait glide left, right, and even up. Don't leave too much slack though as many hits come on the pause and you want to feel it. Try downsizing the Hudd to a 68 as well. When all that fails, I drag a mission fish or slow roll a rising son

 

[Mossypumpkin]

I did great in water in the mid-50s this fall slow rolling 6"hudds and BBZs.

[flaswimbaiter]

Even though it does not get that cold down here, I still have to change my tactics.

 

I use the same baits, I just seriously slow them down. Baits like the RS and hudds seem to be more effective. As for freestyles I stick with floaters and deadstick or barely craw them.

 

This will be my first winter using glide baits, they should work when the fish are suspending.....I hope.

[Ceaser]

if there is weeds to rip the bait out of then your money. ALot of times, in cold clear water Ill burn a bait by cover, like matt peters does in STE with the triple trout in summer. they come out and kill it, reaction bite. Besides that the slow and steady is good to me all the way down to 48. I fish em like a rip bait in reel cold water. I throw hard baits all winter and catch more than I do on soft baits

'

[evans_usmc69]

Thanks for the replies, keep em coming! I really just need more confidence in baits when it gets this cold and hearing from you guys gives me all the confidence I need The urge to throw something different is strong and I need to just erase it from my mind!

[Fishingallday31]

if there is weeds to rip the bait out of then your money. ALot of times, in cold clear water Ill burn a bait by cover, like matt peters does in STE with the triple trout in summer. they come out and kill it, reaction bite. Besides that the slow and steady is good to me all the way down to 48. I fish em like a rip bait in reel cold water. I throw hard baits all winter and catch more than I do on soft baits

'

 

 

Exactly what I do. Find some shallow grass, rip a bait through it fast and hang on. Had a 10 fish day last week doing this. Good stuff.

[Top Ramen]

Another thing to think about is a big topwater bait. As long as the water temp is above 52, you can get hit on top. Keep it slow. And big.

 

If you are hesitant, look at all the threads DSouth has put up in the Got'em section using Slammers and similar baits.

[evans_usmc69]

If you are hesitant, look at all the threads DSouth has put up in the Got'em section using Slammers and similar baits.

 

VERY VERY good point! I'm so used to slowing down out deep this time of year that I am a little unsure and not confident in what I'm doing. Time to grind it out and keep casting from what it sounds like. I had a ton of confidence in the hudd last year, but not this year for some reason, been funky around here

[Mossypumpkin]

Another thing to think about is a big topwater bait. As long as the water temp is above 52, you can get hit on top. Keep it slow. And big.

 

If you are hesitant, look at all the threads DSouth has put up in the Got'em section using Slammers and similar baits.

 

 

I got a 2 pounder on a 9" Slammer last week at 49 degrees. They flat out work! But I was cranking it a couple inches under the surface.

[smalliebigs]

Mid 50's was perfect for the way I fish the ss freestyles, all my recent vids were with temps below 60. One, two, or three cranks of the handle then pause, repeat. Crank hard and then the slack will make the bait glide left, right, and even up. Don't leave too much slack though as many hits come on the pause and you want to feel it...

 

 

That's exactly how I fished the TT all winter last year with good success. Did the same thing Sunday afternoon (surface temps still 62) and had 3 follows on the TT and one hit on a HPH (somehow didn't stick).

[mcm83]

there are fish that are shallow year round. slow rolling is the ticket-along with the occasional rip.

good luck

[colbypearson]

Thats cold? ........ I get them on 8" hudds water from 30's to 40 somewhat regularly ( one or a couple every hand full of trips lol) December-Feb

[evans_usmc69]

Thats cold? ........ I get them on 8" hudds water from 30's to 40 somewhat regularly ( one or a couple every hand full of trips lol) December-Feb

 

COLDER It hits 30's and 40's here too, that's when the bobber and fly comes out I'm gonna try some swimbaits this year for sure, but man I love the whole process of making flies to catch big smallies

[mcm83]

Thats cold? ........ I get them on 8" hudds water from 30's to 40 somewhat regularly ( one or a couple every hand full of trips lol) December-Feb

 

COLDER It hits 30's and 40's here too, that's when the bobber and fly comes out I'm gonna try some swimbaits this year for sure, but man I love the whole process of making flies to catch big smallies

along the same note as the bobber and fly, when my wife goes fishing with me right before the lakes freeze over, she slow rolls 3" curlytails on a 1/4oz jighead in 24+' of water...last year she pulled up a 3, then a 5, and then a 6lber to top it off!!!