# Early year Large Mouth



## striperswiper (Oct 14, 2008)

was thinking bout trying some bass fishing when the water hits bout 40 dont normally start that early was wondering what kind of baits to use in the colder water


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## London calling (Dec 12, 2008)

I've caught them on rouges ( suspending jerk bait ) when the temp is @ 50. Clown finish has been the top producer for me.


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## sisezz73 (Mar 9, 2007)

Jigs,big and slow. Or you can go for the reaction strike and try something faster. Black and blue jigs for cold murky water. Good luck


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## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

striperswiper said:


> was thinking bout trying some bass fishing when the water hits bout 40 dont normally start that early was wondering what kind of baits to use in the colder water



I see that you're from Jackson County Ohio. 
Try fishing the suspending jerk-bait presentation at Lake Alma. It's perfect for the jin clear water there.
If that don't pull in any action, and the water is at least into the upper 40s or above, put the boat back on the trailer and head over to Lake Rupert with a lipless crankbait. I use either the tried and true Rapala, or the Strike King Red Eyed Shad series of lipless crankbaits.
Also, you won't go wrong with a slow dragged/slow hopped JignPig either.

Good Luck!


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

In that cold of water a wacky rigged worm worked extremely slow works. You have to find the fish (still deep or first ledge). 

Look for bait fish on your graph and work the bait slightly below them. If that doesn't work, drop it to the bottom and let it sit for long periods of time. 

That is where I'd start anyways. There is always the chance though that some are shallow (there are always shallow bass!!). 

When you get to 50 degrees a lipless crank worked over grass works extremely well for locating fish! When located, you can use the above method to pull more out.


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Can't beat a jig/pig for early year bassin around cover or in ponds. Have done well with deep crankbaits that suspend in open water. Jerkbait also can be good. A couple warm days even with cold water can get them really active. All the above advice will work. You just have to get out and fish any time you can. The best part is the big ones bite when its cold out.


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## goodday (Dec 24, 2004)

vibe-e s can work well after ice out to.


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## goodday (Dec 24, 2004)

vibe-e s can work well after ice out to.


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## smallieguy (Apr 7, 2004)

I usually catch my biggest fish of the year as soon as the ice comes off.
I'm talking 34-36 degree water. Lipless crankbaits (rattlebaits) as presviously
mentioned can work wonders when they are not hitting anything else.
A good fast actioned 7 to 7 1/2 ft medium heavy to heavy actioned 
bait casting rod with 17-20lb line works best. Look for a deep flat with 
weeds and or wood cover and use a yoyo type retrieve. Be looking for
any difference in the baits action at all. That will be the bite. Sure some
days they hit like a train but not always. As the water warms into the 
40;s be looking at all available shallower cover. You've gotten some great advise from the other guys already the best thing I can add is just get out
there and get after em.
Good luck.


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## 1badmthrfisher (Apr 4, 2005)

Jig, jig, and jig. Three fav's


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## BASmead (Jan 11, 2008)

Ive done well on a husky jerk, downsized spinnerbaits, and even buzzbaits in shallow stuff within a couple days of ice-out in the past. Some of my biggest fish have come in that time of year as well. Not usually numbers days, but definitely some brutes. Last year, the day of ice out i managed 2 solid 4 lbers and a 25" pike all in super shallow water on a bubblegum pink superfluke, pretty much deadsticked. Not a fast action day, but it shook off the cabin fever very nicely. Pre-spawn can be killer.


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## V-MAX200 (Oct 16, 2007)

1 blade baits
2 jig and pork fished slow
3 #5 and #7 shad raps.
4 suspending jerk baits fished with long pauses.

fish around drop offs and rocks. on sunny days the rocks will hold heat. Dont be afraid to check out the shallows early in the season as well.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

youve gotten alot of good advice from the guys on here..........i personally like to fish around rip rap (rock) in shallow water (1-4 ft) with Bill Norman crankbaits .............crank them slowly and bang them off of the rocks and stop them for a second or two right after they hit off of the rock..........they will some times crush the bait and other times you just kinda feel a mushy heavy feeling ........set the hook and hang on i always get my biggest bass of the year in March and April !!! 

Rattle Traps also work well and Husky Jerks !!!


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

Jigs...served slow.


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## Procraft180 (Apr 10, 2008)

I know this is gonna sound retard but I usually use a black lizard with green tail really slow along rocks. Or i'll use a white/red double willow blade spinnerbait if that fails I go home.


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## BassCrazy (Oct 11, 2007)

tcba1987 said:


> youve gotten alot of good advice from the guys on here..........i personally like to fish around rip rap (rock) in shallow water (1-4 ft) with Bill Norman crankbaits .............crank them slowly and bang them off of the rocks and stop them for a second or two right after they hit off of the rock..........they will some times crush the bait and other times you just kinda feel a mushy heavy feeling ........set the hook and hang on i always get my biggest bass of the year in March and April !!!
> 
> Rattle Traps also work well and Husky Jerks !!!


Good Point! Don't get tunnel vision toward the jig/pig combo. That's the most popular choice in cold water and it's a blast to fish for sure, but you'll have days when the water's 40 degrees & you can't buy a jig bite, but if you get on a channel bank ledge w/a bright crankbait crawled through the rocks, you can hammer some huge bass.


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## Patriot1 (Sep 24, 2008)

slow roll a spinnerbait, suspending jerkbait, or a jig are my first choice


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

The biggest females spawn first. They should be just off the flats of the main channel waiting for the water to warm up. If you position your boat in about 8 feet of water just off the 2-4ft deep flats its optimum that time of year. Cast deep first and if they're not there then see if any of them are up on the flat already. As the water warms up the fish move from flat to just off the flat regularly. 

I like to use the biggest spinnerbait I can find. I got hooked on Choo Choo 1oz spinnerbaits in Guntersville. I know it seems huge for around here. Just think though the only minnows that are around in the early spring are almost a year old by now and are big. After the shad spawn downsize the spinnerbait. 

If the spinner doesn't work i'd try to drag a drop shot lizard. Experiment with your setting but I usually position the plastic only a foot or less above the weight that early. Remember lizards work there best in spring since they're egg eaters and the bass will be guarding their prospective nest. Sometimes they hit it out of just anger IMO. It really will catch you off guard sometimes how hard they hit the lizard. It seems they keep it in their mouths and try to kill it giving you a longer time to set the hook.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

heres one that you probably wont hear again. no matter how clear the water is use a 5 in. white senko. rig it weightless and cast to dead vegetation. when it hits bottom count to ten and flick the rod tip softly then count to ten again. reel back after that if you still don't get nothin. this works really well in any temp. water.

lipless cranks can do wonders over grass and so can suspending jerkbaits sometimes they work better if you just reel them back.
:B


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

pig n jig, senkos, swimbaits(slow retrieve), worm, suspended jerk baits, anyone of them will produce a toad, also dont rule out tubes, ive always had alot of luck using tubes for the early spring bite...


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