How tough are you?

[Trout Addict]

16 hours ago, Deadstream said:

We use them all the time in Michigan. Up to 10" sucker minnows for Pike,Muskie. 4-5 " for Walleye down to pinheads (1 1/2 " )  for Crappie and Perch.  Fresh caught Smelt for BIG Brown and Lake Trout.  

Thanks, I figured minnows would work. So do you use a larger jig head to get them down or do you use a lindy rig setup? My problem in sub zero weather is finding live bait. The closest pet store or fishing retailer is 90 miles away ( other than Walmart ). Ordering live bait online is a little risky also in sub zero weather.

[dtrs5kprs]

On 12/29/2017 at 7:28 AM, Champ188 said:

Count me in the 20-degree threshold group with Sore Thumbs and bluebasser. I do love me some winter fishing. 

That's about right.

[bluebasser86]

10 hours ago, merc1997 said:

i want everyone to take notice of what else is going on in those pictures.  did anyone notice that in everyone, they are fishing a SHADED bank.  most folks do not fish an area that provides a shade layer for the bass to stay in for better ambush advantage.  the spring is about the only time that fishing a sunny bank is of advantage.

a very good rule of thumb that i have followed over the years is to fish with the sun in my face.  in doing that, you will most often be fishing underneath an edge that creates a shade layer of some kind.

awesome bass guys!!

bo

 

 

We fished a very similar bank in the same area with the sunlight hitting it, not a bite. Every bite we had was in shade despite it being painfully cold out. The sunlight was very intense also, so I imagine it was bright enough that it might have been difficult for them to see in the shallows on the sunny banks. 

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, bluebasser86 said:

We fished a very similar bank in the same area with the sunlight hitting it, not a bite. Every bite we had was in shade despite it being painfully cold out. The sunlight was very intense also, so I imagine it was bright enough that it might have been difficult for them to see in the shallows on the sunny banks. 

strictly to do with advantage feeding.  glad you paid attention and it paid off for you.

bo

[Gavin]

With age it gets tougher. Buddy had to haul his travel trailer down for his 68 yr old dad this weekend. Should be camping on a gravel tonight, but had some plumbing issues to fix before getting out of town.

[Champ188]

You will always find me either in the shade or the wind. Times when the wind is blowing in on the shady side are the best of both worlds.

[Old plug]

Good advice there Champ especially for winter fishing on LOZ. I hope all those coming too LOZ will pay 

12 hours ago, Champ188 said:

You will always find me either in the shade or the wind. Times when the wind is blowing in on the shady side are the best of both worlds.

close attention too that

[Old plug]

12 hours ago, Champ188 said:

You will always find me either in the shade or the wind. Times when the wind is blowing in on the shady side are the best of both worlds.

Good advice Champ especially for those coming to LOZ in the winter. 

[Trout Addict]

On 1/3/2018 at 8:41 PM, Deadstream said:

We use them all the time in Michigan. Up to 10" sucker minnows for Pike,Muskie. 4-5 " for Walleye down to pinheads (1 1/2 " )  for Crappie and Perch.  Fresh caught Smelt for BIG Brown and Lake Trout.  

Thanks for the tip on minnows. I can't say I caught anymore fish with them,, but the take was explosive compared to the wax worms. Pretty chilly 11 degrees, but It was great to wet a line.

[vernon]

I don't know if any of you remember it or not but the late, great Burt Mustin said that the key to catching fish in the cold was, "You gotta keep your worms warm!"

If you never saw him tell that little story on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (back when late night TV was worth staying up for) you missed a great storyteller telling a great story.

I tried to find it on youtube but no luck.

Good stuff.