The Big M 01/26/2014

[Quillback]

It's been real slow on the Bella Vista lakes also, had a pretty good shad die-off on Windsor a couple of weeks ago, but that did not get the fish going. I'm blaming it all on these nasty cold fronts that keep marching through. Oh well, it won't be long before the fish go into pre-spawn mode. We'll start catching them then. I just hope we do not have a cold spring like last year.

[Champ188]

I can't digest the idea that the slow bite is due to cold water because (a) the water gets cold every year and ( it's still in the lower 40s and upper 30s. That's not too cold to have a pretty decent bite.

For some reason, there is a sh**load of shad across the region. It reaches at least down to Broken Bow, Okla., because I have a good friend who guides down there and no telling how far in other directions. Tons and tons of shad offshore in 100 feet of water, suspended at 50-60 feet, and I believe that's where our missing basses are. There is no reason for them to eat our junk when the real thing is so readily available. Besides, most of them aren't anywhere around the places we are presenting our junk.

That's just how I see it. Could be dead wrong.

[Quillback]

I think you're right Champ, they're out there somewhere, suspended over deep water. That kind of fishing does not appeal to me so I don't spend much time pinging the deep water.

[powerdive]

Yeah, we tend to forget that life goes on under the surface. The bite hasn't died...our presentations have died.

[Sore Thumbs]

So do you stay around the bait fish or get away?

[Champ188]

So do you stay around the bait fish or get away?

Probably smart to stay ... guys like Babler and Beck are excellent hands at catching suspended fish around bait balls. I'm like QB ... not my cup of tea. Gotta work on my skills in that area.

[dtrs5kprs]

I can't digest the idea that the slow bite is due to cold water because (a) the water gets cold every year and ( it's still in the lower 40s and upper 30s. That's not too cold to have a pretty decent bite.

For some reason, there is a sh**load of shad across the region. It reaches at least down to Broken Bow, Okla., because I have a good friend who guides down there and no telling how far in other directions. Tons and tons of shad offshore in 100 feet of water, suspended at 50-60 feet, and I believe that's where our missing basses are. There is no reason for them to eat our junk when the real thing is so readily available. Besides, most of them aren't anywhere around the places we are presenting our junk.

That's just how I see it. Could be dead wrong.

Perhaps it is a question of timing. Think it is better to have colder weather start up earlier, and if there is a shad kill, have it happen earlier as well. Leaves the little devils hungrier and competing more as the winter runs on.

[mjk86]

Cabelas Real Image HDS jigging spoon in gizzard shad color. Seems like a good choice for the conditions you are describing.