Thanksgiving fishing

[M_Taylor]

Hello fellas, it's that time of year where I visit the in laws and sneak away to fish. Anything happening bass wise? Looks like it's been pretty quiet here for a couple weeks. Last year I landed my PB on a buzzbait Thanksgiving day, was curious if the timing for possible topwater was still good? Thanks. 

[slothman]

You could catch them on top. Spinnerbaits have been doing well. That is what a lot of people I know have been catching them on. 

[MOsmallies]

Definitely give the buzzbait and whopper plopper a try. Spinnerbait, Wiggle Wart, RK Crawler should be good as well. Jerkbait or spook on dock corners and wave breaks can produce some nice Kentucky's. And the A-Rig bite should be turning on. If it's sunny and calm fish a jig behind docks or on creek channel banks. Good luck!

[fishinwrench]

I've been kinda quiet about this, but I am beginning to realize that a lipless crankbait can be a real game changer in cold water.  

Last January - early February I had 2 weeks of fantastic success throwing one.  And right now it seems that the bite on them just keeps getting better and better.  Might just be that I am getting better at using them

I'm actually starting to get a little fanatical about it.....just spent 77.00 on lipless cranks and now I'm experimenting with coming up with the perfect rod/reel/line combo for slinging lipless baits in cold water.   I used to always put them away during the cold water months... but I have woken up recently.  

[Yakalong]

Was out this afternoon and caught a few on  white chatter bait. Nothing huge but good to feel a tug on the line. 

[nomolites]

2 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

I've been kinda quiet about this, but I am beginning to realize that a lipless crankbait can be a real game changer in cold water.  

Last January - early February I had 2 weeks of fantastic success throwing one.  And right now it seems that the bite on them just keeps getting better and better.  Might just be that I am getting better at using them

I'm actually starting to get a little fanatical about it.....just spent 77.00 on lipless cranks and now I'm experimenting with coming up with the perfect rod/reel/line combo for slinging lipless baits in cold water.   I used to always put them away during the cold water months... but I have woken up recently.  

Won an early spring(WT mid forties) tourney with 21.57 some years back throwing a lipless crank on sunny banks on the north shore.  Nobody believed me...they thought I jerked them up and was misdirecting.

 Mike

[96 CHAMP]

6 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

I've been kinda quiet about this, but I am beginning to realize that a lipless crankbait can be a real game changer in cold water.  

Last January - early February I had 2 weeks of fantastic success throwing one.  And right now it seems that the bite on them just keeps getting better and better.  Might just be that I am getting better at using them

I'm actually starting to get a little fanatical about it.....just spent 77.00 on lipless cranks and now I'm experimenting with coming up with the perfect rod/reel/line combo for slinging lipless baits in cold water.   I used to always put them away during the cold water months... but I have woken up recently.  

I was throwing them on a Falcon cc4-17m. 7' rod with a lews tournament pro speed spool with 14#  sunline super. I personally was quite happy in how it felt and handled, I only targeted largemouth 1 afternoon a few weeks back and caught some descent fish, darn whites and hybrids had me wound up. Back to the rod, not a cheap rod but I imagine one could find one cheaper and get good results

[fishinwrench]

I'm actually leaning towards a 7 footer that has just enough tip to cast it good but is otherwise pretty darn stiff.  When I pump the rod with my wrist I really want the bait to pulse hard with as less forward movement as possible (if that makes sense).  Long sweeps aren't where it's at in cold water, it's those short but violent bursts that seem to trigger the most bites.  Plus I'm fishing it with a high rod tip so a slower more flexible rod (like most consider a good crankbait rod) just doesn't get the hooks stuck good right away.

In warmer water when I'm smacking rocks and stumps with it I like a faster 6.3-1 reel, but in the cold I've gone back to the old 5.3-1 round reel, and line just heavy enough to cause a hesitation on the fall rate when I give a pause.   

[conorsixtakc]

On 11/22/2017 at 5:44 PM, nomolites said:

Won an early spring(WT mid forties) tourney with 21.57 some years back throwing a lipless crank on sunny banks on the north shore.  Nobody believed me...they thought I jerked them up and was misdirecting.

 Mike

So next time I come down we’ll leave the jerkbaits on deck and rip some lipless cranks? 👍🏻

[nomolites]

That can certainly be the way to go; just vary retrieves and see what happens.  I can think of a few spots right now where that might be just the ticket....

Mike