Cold Weather Bass

[Walcrabass]

I fished solo at Stockton Sunday. My partner opted out. Launched at State Park. Didn't start until about 10:00 A.M. Tried the Crankbaits for about three hours on Bluffs, and steep broken rock banks. Caught one. Began fishing with Finesse Stand Up Jigs. Green Pumpkin with Chartreuse and Orange. Caught a couple. Too many "Flip" Bites where they did not hold on. Used some Paca Chunks and Zoom Craws in Okeechobee and Green Pumpkin. Caught a few more. Used a Stand up Jig Head with Green Pumpkin Zoom Craw. Caught a few more. They still were not really chomping it. I had been using the Jigs in 1/4 and 3/8 oz. Changed to 1/2oz. Bluegill Bandit color that has an Orange tracer in the belly with a Big Green Pumpkin Zoom Craw. Caught some more that bit better and they were bigger. Had a brain storm. Dipped about half of the Claws in Chartreuse Garlic flavored dye. WHAMMO!!! Caught several fish with only about two hours of fishing time left. Ended up catching six(seven?) fish that didn't need to be measured and several that were just under 15". Great way to end the day. Saw several Bald Eagles and Loons ( not the ones in Bass boats that come in to fish on top of you.)Only saw four boats. Wonder why???

[straw hat]

That is why I love this site. You can pick up so many tips. For instance .... next time out I will add some garlic flavoring to my minnow tank and maybe the crappie will take those better!! lol Just kidding but who knows? Glad you were able to work it out walcrabass. Job well done.

[Walcrabass]

That is why I love this site. You can pick up so many tips. For instance .... next time out I will add some garlic flavoring to my minnow tank and maybe the crappie will take those better!! lol Just kidding but who knows? Glad you were able to work it out walcrabass. Job well done.

[Walcrabass]

All kidding aside. If you had one of those "Pens" that have a Chartreuse marker on one end and a Red on the other like I always carry with me...... Put a stripe on your minnows. Especially if you are slow reeling them hooked through the lips. I have never tried it but it can't be any different than putting a stripe on a crankbait can it???? We might all be laughing but it might be a great idea. Bass Pro sells the pens. I use them on my plastics. If it works let me know.

[straw hat]

Not a bad idea but those markers won't work on a wet minnow though. The ink in them is not water soluble and just beads up on the side of a wet minnow and comes off. We tried it on marking fish as a way of tagging them but it just didn't work out. I noticed that Trantham's bait in Springfield is now carrying "roseys". These are a crappie minnow specially bred to be red in color. I have used them a few times in Louisiana and with real good success. I don't know the price they are asking for them but they used to be about 50% more than regular minnows.

[Walcrabass]

That is funny about the Rosey minnows. I 'll bet that the Garlic Dye and the other Spike-It colors would mark the minnows and fish too. That stuff will just about dye "Air". Don't spill it!!!!!! Just think you could take a Model car paint brush with you to stripe your minnows. If another fisherman came up beside you and ask what you were using you could say, "Minnows, would you like for me to paint you a few? Would you like racing stripes or just a hood emblem?" I have heard of a lot of different types of art but Minnow Painting has got to be really tough.

[straw hat]

Now that is tooooo funny. lol