1/31,2/1

[Fish24/7]

If theres one major thing I've  learned about winter  fishing is you better be there when they eat if you want to catch something. What I mean is their feeding window can be very short lived and the best time to be on the water now is early and late.  The last few times I've been fishing this has proven to be exactly right for the way I'm fishing.

I will be there for hours without a bite then when the sun gets low around 4:30-dusk. you better have your lure in the water!  Same thing with the morning bite. 6:15-8:30 ish, and it's done. This happens every winter. During the middle of the day the shallow fish just don't get active where I'm at fishing from shore. 

Since Monday was such a beautiful day I bank fished for whatever I could catch using ultra light gear  from 2-6pm. Didn't go to the walleye spot this time just a place where I can catch bass year round. Never had a stinking bite until ,yep,4:39 when this fish bit a 3" prototype swimbait  on the fall in about 12fow on a gravel flat. The only bite I got therr but it was a nice one! I was there at the right time when this fish wanted to eat. She had probably seen my lure fifty times or more before it was supper time, or she moved up from the deep  to feed  idk for sure. Camera angle is kinda bad but I'm guessing it was 19". 3 3/4lb. She was longer than my elbow to past my middle finger tip. Anyway ...the tail is almost touching the ground there.

2/1  Different spot on the lake. Morning bite was on for  numbers of small bass. Haven't done much winter bass fishing having caught the walleye fever in January 😄so .. Yesterday morning I fished from 6:30-10. They were already biting when I got there. Caught 13 largemouth from the bank ,all short, on a 3 1/2" jerkbajt and a 3" prototype swimbait . The bite was over by 7:30. Couldn't even get a strike after then and I tried at least five different baits and walked a  lot of shoreline. Once again timing was critical to get bites. Had to be there when they turned on because after that it sucked .

These bass were on a transition bank from ledge rock to  red clay/gravel . Saw 2 crawdads walking along the bottom. Black and brown with orange pincers.  . 

Now I guess the weather is gonna get nasty around here next few days. Soon as everything melts I'm gonna try for walleye one more time to see if they are still hanging around. 

[Cameron Gillespie]

That’s a beautiful smallmouth. I’d like to figure out the winter walleye fishing. I don’t get started until the summer. 

[Dutch]

Pretty fish.  Thanks for the craw description.  I’ve been wondering what they look like now.  I think I will make up a few for next week.  I hope they look the same on the Rock.

[Bill Jr.]

24/7 That is a chunk!  Looks very healthy. Would love to get down there soon but generally not until mid March. 

[rps]

12 hours ago, Cameron Gillespie said:

That’s a beautiful smallmouth. I’d like to figure out the winter walleye fishing. I don’t get started until the summer. 

By now the walleye are up river - Long Creek, Kings, James, below Powersite, below Beaver Dam, above Theodosia. Fish at night with a large jerk bait near where a flat drops to a hole.

[snagged in outlet 3]

10 hours ago, rps said:

By now the walleye are up river - Long Creek, Kings, James, below Powersite, below Beaver Dam, above Theodosia. Fish at night with a large jerk bait near where a flat drops to a hole.

Last summer/fall I started catching river walleye while smallie fishing.   So I thought I’ll get out super early to really target them.   Mostly struck out until later in the day.  Usually around lunchtime.  When they want a crank bait they really hammer it.  

[Fish24/7]

15 hours ago, Bill Jr. said:

24/7 That is a chunk!  Looks very healthy. Would love to get down there soon but generally not until mid March. 

It was a challenge with 2lb test no doubt ! When she got close to the bank she kept trying to rub her face into the bottom but thankfully with a 7' rod I could reach out and turn her head the other way. I thought it was a 4-5lb striper at first because when it bit it took a lot of drag on a big run.