# Winter bass fishing; good idea?



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

I'm hoping to get some opinions here. I have started a diary of my fishing AFTER the first snow fall of the year. My plan is to keep the diary and pics of any fish caught until the first day of spring.

My reasons for doing this are:
1) challenge, of I can catch bass in the winter, in Ohio, I think catching them in the less ideal times of the rest of the year should become easier for me.

2) to REALLY learn how weather conditions, structure, water size (lake, pond, stream), certain presentations work in less than ideal situations, and the effects on bass.

3) I have ADHD and I cannot let a skunk go, ever. Knowing I would normally not even fish in December or January will help me let skunks go, catching anything is an absolute win, and hopefully learn some "flathead" style patients.

So far my little experiment is a success; but harder times are coming and my opportunities to fish will become father and fewer in between.

Do you think this would be something worth doing or an exercise in futility?

Mr. A


----------



## mo65 (Aug 5, 2011)

I say if you are interested in keeping a winter diary then go for it...no matter what anyone else thinks. Personally, I fish bass all winter. Although it can be tough at times(I'm still not convinced its the fish intolerable to the weather...I think its US!) I have nailed some really nice ones November through February. Soft water permitting that is... Here's one caught this very week last year!


----------



## Wishiniwasfishing (Apr 1, 2012)

all fishing is a good idea.. but just fish slow for winter an you'll get them


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## Cull'in (Nov 21, 2005)

You might be shocked at how good the fishing can be on the right body of water in the winter.
We'll catch them good at Portage Lakes right to ice up in some pretty shallow water, good ones too!


----------



## Fishing Flyer (May 31, 2006)

Its fishing - its always worth it!

I set a goal to get my boat out every month, and I have since March 2012. I fished CC from my boat at least once each month this past Winter. I even broke ice with the boat in February until the sun blew the rest of the ice off. I caught a grand total of no bass, actually nothing for that matter in December, January, or February. Would I do it again? Absolutely! I plan to keep the streak going.


----------



## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Yes keep bass fishing all winter. Ice is the only thing that stops me. Smaller lakes and ponds are a little easier to find the fish. This is the time of year i usually catch some really big bass. I like to fish the lakes and ponds that have clear water. The muddy ones can be tougher. You cant beat a jig or jerkbait this time of year. I still work the jig the same as i do in warm water with great success . A rattle trap can Be really good too. My best advice is to forget what u read and just go fish. There will be days the fish are active and will chase fast moving baits and days they will not, just like any other time of year.


----------



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

I've seen enough to let me know I am in for a winter full of bass fishing. Not that I can fish as much as the warmer parts of the year, but I can still fish for bass.

It all stems from the idea that while cold water/temps may slow their metabolism down and they feed less often, they still have to feed!

I'll start another post after spring and give a reader's divest version of how everything goes. Until then I'll monitor this thread for ideas and advice!

Thanks for all the replies!

Mr. A


----------



## ldrjay (Apr 2, 2009)

We get them on minnows and whatnot thru the ice. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I target them year around. Square bill cranks worked off the bottom. Bouncing them off structure such as rock, bottom, timber, weeds. Gets a pretty good reaction strike. Ice fishing I get them on tip-ups with minnows and jigging blade baits. Just all depends on the weather for me. If it's a mild winter I'll be fishing open water. If it's a long cold winter I'll be targeting them along with crappie on the ice


----------



## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

I got a 4-5 lb largemouth on a lipless in front of the boat launch off Manchester road in turkeyfoot lake on the 20th of November this year. Water temp was 45-46. I was yo-yoing it and she hit it on the fall. Hope this helps. Tight lines friends and if I can figure out how to get a picture on this site off my phone I will gladly post what I caught.


----------



## ranger373v (Oct 26, 2012)

Winter fishing is harsh...but the rewards can be great. I hit up a half frozen pond yesterday. Only made 10 casts, with a top water walker, no fish...but i was just waiting on a friend...thats what he had tied on.


----------



## oarfish (May 12, 2004)

Would be great to see some winter bass pictures once in a while at least.


----------



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

I was lucky enough to start on Dec 1. I'll be posting my winter results after winter. However, I know some guys like to see the goods every now and again. So here it is. An hour spent fishing a local pond, I was pressed for time between responsibilities and the wife complaining that she thought it was my off season from fishing.  she didn't immediately love the idea of me fishing all winter as well. 

This little piglet was caught on a 1/2 oz Strike king spinnerbait, shad colored skirt with gold blades. Water temp was in the 40's, overcast, w a 2 day warming trend, and gin clear water. The vegetation on bottom is so thick you cannot see what's hiding, or where. I decided to hit the north side of the pond where there is a point that juts out from the bank and gradually drops off to the deepest part of the pond and mostly made up of rocks. Took a few casts but it hit and was not playing around. I would cast out and let it flutter all the way down to the bottom. After a few trial and error casts I started working it as slow as I could in a slow motion "walk the dog." It was caught in about 4' of water, right off some branches peeking out of the water. Hit as soon as the lure touched down and started its drunken retrieval.
Enjoy!

Mr. A


----------



## BuckeyeBassMan (Jun 8, 2004)

Caught on 12/1 at alum creek. Rapala deep diving suspending jerkbait. Only bite of the day.

Sent from my XT907 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

BuckeyeBassMan said:


> Caught on 12/1 at alum creek. Rapala deep diving suspending jerkbait. Only bite of the day.
> 
> Sent from my XT907 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


What's with the red "rockbass" eyes? Looks too green to be a Smallie. Lateral line is faint, spotted bass maybe?

nice catch though!

Mr. A


----------



## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

It's a regular LM... for some reason, the LM in that size range take on the orange eyes in cold water. Not all, but many.
The last 2 years i got in alot of winter fishing for Bass... my biggest fish of the year was caught on Dec 7th of last year. this year it looks like it will be tough to find open water, unless in rivers or areas with some kind of moving water.


----------



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Cool. Guess I never thought about the temperature and maturity having an effect on the eye color before. That's actually pretty interesting. I'm going to see what I can find on this. Maybe its a condition nobody know about and they can name it after you!

"Bob, what's up with this bass' eyes, they're red?"

"Oh, that's a 2yo bass, the redness in the eye pigment is called "buckeye" syndrome. Means it can't see any shade of Maze or Blue till the eyes heal."

Mr. A


----------



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Actually, ill probably just refer to it as that from now on anyway! LOL

Mr. A


----------



## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

Ha ha! i'm humbled. I posted a Bass with the same color eyes on the NE section a few years back... i think woody from portage lakes answered my question in the same way i did. so you can call it a Woody Hayes buckeye Bass. Since then ive caught lots of they orange eye fish... only thing they have had in common was they came from 40 degree or less water and around that size or smaller. I also used to catch them farm pond fishing in the cold water, but never had a fourm to ask the question. any of the fish that have orange eyes also have a distinct golden hue to their bodies.


----------



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

buckzye11 said:


> Ha ha! i'm humbled. I posted a Bass with the same color eyes on the NE section a few years back... i think woody from portage lakes answered my question in the same way i did. so you can call it a Woody Hayes buckeye Bass. Since then ive caught lots of they orange eye fish... only thing they have had in common was they came from 40 degree or less water and around that size or smaller. I also used to catch them farm pond fishing in the cold water, but never had a fourm to ask the question. any of the fish that have orange eyes also have a distinct golden hue to their bodies.


I went back through 2 years of bass pictures looking at the eyes of every one. Not one had eyes like that. I like it! I'm still caught up in the faint lateral line too. Combined with the eyes it looks like a drunk LMB and a stoned SMB hooked up after realizing they both had a creepy rock bass cousin the family's didn't talk about! LOL

Mr. A


----------



## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I honestly have no idea why some bass' eyes turn red/orange, but I usually catch a few each year that I notice. A couple of trips in years past, it seemed like everyone we caught had orange eyes. I've never been able to put any pattern with it though... maybe just a genetic trait???

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

It's def not a size or regional issue... When I was in Tennessee last year I caught a bunch of fish over 4lbs and they all had eyes like that... One went 7.2lbs

Water temps were in the mid to upper 40s and low 50s


----------



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

lordofthepunks said:


> It's def not a size or regional issue... When I was in Tennessee last year I caught a bunch of fish over 4lbs and they all had eyes like that... One went 7.2lbs
> 
> Water temps were in the mid to upper 40s and low 50s


Any idea what COULD change the pigment of the eyes? Among other things I wonder about here is if this eye color is a trait of the specific bass, or something that can be triggered by the environment or something like that. Has anyone ever caught a buckeye'd bass in warmer waters?

Mr. A


----------



## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

I'm not sure but cold water has always been the common denominator... You catch a fish in winter that has very little color, chances are it's eyes are going to look like that... They almost look like a bass that recently died...

It's might just be a light absorption issue... No clue... I don't believe it's a genetics thing but I could be wrong


----------



## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

Another thought is that maybe they eyes are just not dialated.. Pupils are smaller because I the sudden light difference from being in deeper, colder water...

Not sure


----------



## FightingMuskies50 (Feb 15, 2012)

I have a decently small(50acre) lake by my house. I know one shore has some deeper water(10+) but it is fairly far off shore. There is a dock that reaches out and has depths about 4-6 but they lower the lake in the winter so its probably no more than 3-4 deep right now. Do you think that is deep enough for the cold water?


----------

