Does anyone know how to catch bass in winter?

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arrowslinger88

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Joined
Sep 29, 2010
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14
City & State/Province
Tennessee, Nashville, Donelson
I have been fishing on percy priest and old hickory and havent caught a fish since the water dipped below 50.I movef to tennessee about a year ago and need to learn to fish in cold water.I am willing to take someone with me if they can show me some winter fishing tactics that i havent tried yet. Just im me if you would like to go.
 
Drifting shiners helps,but really,slow down,jigs on long points near drop offs,or rattle traps over grass beds,or fish by the steam plant.Either way its slow going,but Ive caught some of my biggest fish Feb
 
Don't expect to set the woods on fire when it's below 50 degrees especially for largemouth. I've had some exceptional days below 50 degrees though, but the temp was rising quickly.

From my experience, the 40-45 degree range sux. Once it rises over 45 they get noticably more active with each degree. The most 5lb+ fish I've ever seen in one spot (23 fish, nearly on consecutive casts) came in Feb '09 on KY lake. Water temp was 47 and was on a major upswing..
 
Fish jigs very slow on points, pockets and wash outs. Learn to fish the Float-N-Fly for smallmouth. Also try to fish Silver buddies on points and ledges. The emphasis is slow.
 
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Deep and s-l-o-w. I have had some great days on Dale Hollow when it was so cold you had to keep dipping the rod in the water to get the ice out of the guides. Usually we were fishing 1/8 ounce Doll flies with pork trailers in 20-30 feet of water over big rocks off long points and just about letting the natural motion of the boat provide the action.
 
I don't do much in the winter but on the Harpeth river, I like to wait till the rain pushes the water a few feet above normal, then I go down to a creek mouth and fish where the water is backed up and eddying slowly. I used to catch em that way a lot with a curl tail grub. Green pumpkin is the best color IMO.
 
The same way I do in the summer! We have been caughting 10+ every time we have been and that is walking the bank! Most have came on a jig or 5in texas rig finesse worm.
 
Take the old auger and drill holes in the ice. put out a couple of tip ups with minnows and fish with ice fishing rod and reels with wax worms. Keep augering holes until you find the bass. That's how I do it here in the Winter Wonderland!! ha!
 
Finding big schools in the creek mouths. Use your electronics and don't fish until you find a school. Most of the time it's a mixed bag - stripe, bass and sometimes crappie mixed in. Small jigging spoons and done especially well on 1/4 oz. lead heads with Kinami 4" grubs in white w/ silver flake. Fish slow with very little action - more just dragging through the school. It's hit or miss even after locating fish.
 

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