Fall/winter
 

This is my first year trying to bass fish in colder months. Is the fall bite pretty much over? Should I start to target bass much different now? Hopefully heading out this weekend to Mercer or Carnegie
Thanks

Re: Fall/winter
 

We catch bass ice fishing.

Re: Fall/winter
 

Just try to fish fer the warmest few hrs of the day

Re: Fall/winter
 

They will hit live bait in cold water, but if you aren't going to eat them, mash the barb down.. If using lures, go slow.. I like jigs of some type in deeper water, and vertical jig.. A calm sunny day that warms the water a bit is better than a cloudy one very often... bob

Re: Fall/winter
 

Agreed. Usually there is like a 2-3 window. Sunny, windless days are best now. Less wind=easier slow fishing

Re: Fall/winter
 

I didn’t get a hit in Carnegie Lake Sunday. Also didn’t get a hit in Mercer Lake on my last trip there. Last year my last batch of corn meal bait lasted from October through March of this year with no bites on most days. I did catch a catfish on my last piece of bait. I still have some corn meal bait left from this year’s last batch. Open water winter fishing really sucks.

Re: Fall/winter
 

the colder water has all the fish running a lower metabolism than the warmer months and the pond/lake fish can hunker down wherever they find water they like and conserve energy, only feeding as needed. plus after the fall turnover there is oxygen throughout most lakes so they can move anywhere in the water column and aren't necessarily in their warm water locations.

try stream and river fishing during the colder months. might have to mix it up from bass but stream fish are always burning energy so they will feed more readily

Re: Fall/winter
 

Thanks all. I fish for trout all winter in rivers, it’s such a nice time to fish with no people or mosquitoes but I got into bass fishing last 2 years and just thinking about putting the boat out on water for some colder temps bass/pike. Boat sits in the garage ready to go, but usually doesn’t leave the garage between November and April. Seems like consensus is to just slow presentations down to extremely slow retrieving and the key is trying to find the fish,
Thanks

Re: Fall/winter
 

if i was you i'd travel further north and hit a lake with smallies and largies in it. one or the other always seems to cooperate and the smallies bite pretty good straight through winter. drop shot, ned rig, bladebait, swimbait all slow small movements. the water got cold quick this year, but i personally think the winter bite can be just as good if not better than the fall bite.