Cold Weather Bassin

[Walcrabass]

WOW!!!! I am kind of stumped!!!!! I'm wondering why you would waste your time reading our comments since you can't reply because of not fishing "THIS LAKE". Must be a part of our culture that has a WHOLE LOT of time on your hands.

[Guest csfishinfool]

That "No Tap Bite" in the winter is so common. And you are right when you say the wind keeps you from feeling it. Sometimes I just reel up line as tight as I dare to keep them from spitting it out and set the Hook. That is one of the instances where I believe the Crawdad Oil helps them to hang on. That barely moving on the bottom retrieve is the only way to get them to take sometimes unfortunately but it gets difficult 25 feet deep. Do you ever increase your Jig size when fishing deep or trying to keep contact with the bottom??? I personally like the heaviest Jig they will bite on a given day.

The heaviest jig is the way to go. The problem I have when fishing a heavy jig is that it gets down into the rocks, and you have to pop it loose, resulting in a more erratic action then i like in winter.

[Walcrabass]

csfishnfool,

I can see I have met an accomplished Jig Fisherman. I was just telling a guy that very same thing last night. What really ticks me off is when the wind is blowing and you are using those heavier Jigs. Then it gets drug sideways AND drops into the rocks. A guy can spend a lot of time using the trolling motor getting them back. On another note I see where Netbait has a Mad Paca plastic Bait that closely resembles the Bass Pro Crack Craw. Since Bass Pro does not have theirs in Black with Blue Flake anymore I will be purchasing some of these. They are cheaper anyway. I have also heard that Chomper has one like it but I cannot find it.

[FishinCricket]

WOW!!!! I am kind of stumped!!!!! I'm wondering why you would waste your time reading our comments since you can't reply because of not fishing "THIS LAKE". Must be a part of our culture that has a WHOLE LOT of time on your hands.

Well ain't you a sweetheart?!? No, I was merely responding to your lament that this thread has X views and no comments. I read your post (because i read everything) but just didn't have anything meaningful to add to the discussion. I assume you'd prefer I had rattled off some non-sense about how the jig bit is kinda off, but the power air bite is on?

:grouch:

[FishinCricket]

csfishnfool,

I can see I have met an accomplished Jig Fisherman. I was just telling a guy that very same thing last night. What really ticks me off is when the wind is blowing and you are using those heavier Jigs. Then it gets drug sideways AND drops into the rocks. A guy can spend a lot of time using the trolling motor getting them back. On another note I see where Netbait has a Mad Paca plastic Bait that closely resembles the Bass Pro Crack Craw. Since Bass Pro does not have theirs in Black with Blue Flake anymore I will be purchasing some of these. They are cheaper anyway. I have also heard that Chomper has one like it but I cannot find it.

You wouldn't have that problem if you'd just continue on down river to a spot where the wind can't get to you... My problem with jig fishing for bass is that I can't keep the daggum trout off of it!

(there.. Is that better?)

[Guest csfishinfool]

You wouldn't have that problem if you'd just continue on down river to a spot where the wind can't get to you... My problem with jig fishing for bass is that I can't keep the daggum trout off of it!

(there.. Is that better?)

A lot of the time the wind positions fish, sometimes your wasting your time not fishing in the wind.

[straw hat]

csfishnfool,

I can see I have met an accomplished Jig Fisherman. I was just telling a guy that very same thing last night. What really ticks me off is when the wind is blowing and you are using those heavier Jigs. Then it gets drug sideways AND drops into the rocks. A guy can spend a lot of time using the trolling motor getting them back. On another note I see where Netbait has a Mad Paca plastic Bait that closely resembles the Bass Pro Crack Craw. Since Bass Pro does not have theirs in Black with Blue Flake anymore I will be purchasing some of these. They are cheaper anyway. I have also heard that Chomper has one like it but I cannot find it.

I used to have the same problem hanging up on the rocks with my jigs. I used to fish them on sort of a drop shot rig. I tied the jig on the line up about 6' up from the bottom of he line. Then on the very end of the line I will place two small split shots. It was almost always the split shot that got hung and I could simply pull on the line and the split shots would slide off the end of the line. This method allows you to use a lighter jig (with more subtle action) yet the same total weight (because of the two split shot). When you get hung do NOT pull the rig loose right away. Shake the jig right where it sets. You would be amazed how many times you can get a hit that way. When you set the hook the hung split shots slide off the end, the rig is loose and the fish is on. Even if you don't get a hit you can get the rig off simply by pulling and you don't have troll over and retrieve the jig. Simply put a couple more split shots on and you are in business,

[Walcrabass]

csfishinfool,

You are definitely right about the wind. It helps the bite. Sure is a pain to deal with though.

Straw Hat,

Isn't it amazing how much knowledge we can obtain from those who have been around awhile? I had heard of the "drop shot" method of Jig Fishing years ago but it was in the back of my mind until you re-minded me. I have only done it a couple of times and did not do very well. I probably had the Jig too high above the split shots. Now that it has been brought back to me I will re-try it but probably in the spring/summer. I think that sedentary retrieve is better in the winter and so probably don't need that "extra action" with slow fish. Thanks for the reminder.

[MissedAnother]

Thread looks dead but since I haven't been on in a while I thought I'd put in my two cents. I find that switching to pork trailers when the water temps head toward the low 50's and below helps me out. Seems like they'll hold onto it longer as well as not having to re-rig trailers unless you lose the jig. Maybe it's just me digging on the traditional. I suppose all that really matters is confidence in what you're using.

[straw hat]

I totally agree with you Ron about the jigs although we didn't have spray scents back in my day! . Welcome to the website!!! I look forward to your wisdom in our discussions as well as your fishing reports for the lake. Did you guide for anything other than bass?