For the Week Ending Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019

Wednesday, Nov. 27 (from Dave and Ken)...When Dave called and asked me to accompany him to the river this morning, I had just cleared everything off my calendar, so I grabbed a few things and headed to Pungo Ferry. Launched at 8 o'clock and was forced off the water at 11 o'clock because of rain. In those three hours, though, we managed to boat nine keepers, with the biggest running about two or two-and-a-half pounds. The fish were hitting a variety of baits, all of which had to be worked slowly. You also had to be tuned in for the strikes, 'cause they weren't giving you much of a warning they had just bumped your bait. We sat in the truck for a while after getting back to the dock, hoping the rain would let up, so we could go back out, but instead, it appeared to be raining harder. That forced us to throw in the towel, recover the boat, and head for home. Neither one of us relished the idea of getting soaked on a day like this.

Wednesday, Nov. 27 (from Ron)...Got out for a short 4:30 to 5:30 evening trip. Fished upper North Landing and found one dink to avoid the skunk. Got him on a Pop-R after throwing plastics and jerkbaits to no avail.

Honoring the Spirit of Thanksgiving

While surfing the Internet a couple of weeks ago, I came across several items that epitomize the spirit of Thanksgiving. Among them was the following, as related by Sandy Stinson:

"One Thanksgiving, my mother made a last-minute run to the grocery store. There was a pizza parlor next to the store, and she watched as three Marines entered. My mother couldn't stand the idea of anyone eating pizza for Thanksgiving dinner, so she dragged them home. She cooked enough for a small army every night anyway, so three more hearty appetites wouldn't make a dent.

"These three young men spent the day with our family, played board games, watched football, and shared our Thanksgiving dinner. They even helped with the dishes. I think they were the most polite people my parents ever had over."

In the same spirit, I hope all of you will accept the following as my wish for you this year:

Happy Thanksgiving,

From morning 'till night.

Hope whatever you do,

Brings you joy and delight.

Hope family and friends,

And those you hold dear,

Make magical memories,

You'll cherish all year.

When All Else Fails, Try Junk Fishing

Pattern fishing is the practice of identifying those water conditions (e.g., depth, cover, structure, clarity, currents, etc.) that produce successful fishing and repeating them all over that body of water over the course of several hours, days, or on rare occasions, weeks.

When conditions are stable, a successful pattern can last a longer time. When conditions are changing rapidly, a successful pattern may evaporate in hours or even minutes.

Back in early June of 2017, bass pro Todd Faircloth (top left), like many other Elite Series pros fishing a tournament on Lake Dardanelle, was feeling frustrated. The problem: They hadn't been able to establish a pattern of any kind.

Faircloth had entered the event 4th in the Angler of the Year race and was sitting in 97th place after Day 1, with four keepers weighing 5-13. Fortunately, he was able to turn those numbers around on Day 2, catching a 13-5 limit that moved him up into 66th place. He did it with what he referred to as a "junk fishing to the extreme" pattern. In other words, he'd catch one, put that rod down, go do something else, somewhere else.

In Faircloth's own words, "I just went fishing on Day 2...on water I hadn't even practiced in. I caught one on a vibrating jig, and I'm like, OK. I pushed that for awhile but never got another bite. I picked up a squarebill crankbait, threw it on some rocks, caught a keeper, pushed that for awhile but never got another bite. I picked up a flipping bait, pitched some grass and caught a keeper. I did this for an hour-and-a-half but never got another bite on it either."

His Day 2 five keepers came on four different baits. That's some tough fishing, but it beats taking a skunk.

Living Proof That the Impulsivity of Youth Is Alive and Well

When it's March 20 on Lake Lanier in Georgia, with a water temperature averaging about 50 or 52 degrees, anglers usually aren't diving headfirst off their bass boats to retrieve a fish that just broke off close to the boat.

Evidently, though, Lee Sandt of Braselton, GA, didn't get that memo, or, more likely, he's just at that young and invincible stage of life when anything and everything seems possible. And, too, the fish in question here just happened to have his favorite spinnerbait still hanging in its mouth.

According to the avid angler, it was a split-second decision that he doesn't regret.

He described his actions in the water like this: "The fish put its head back out of the water, and I put my right hand in its mouth, then pinned it against my face. I know that because I had a scratch on the side of my face. I didn't let go of the fish until I knew I had a good grip, and I knew I was starting to come up," he added.

In rapid succession, Sandt emerged from the lake with his prize in one hand and his hat in the other. He put both in the boat, then pulled himself back onto the bow.

"When you have a chunker on the line, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get it in the boat," he said.

The angler noted that, since his video hit the social media, he has taken a fair amount of heat from other anglers for having tried to boat-flip a fish this size with 10-lb. test line, but his response is that he just moments earlier had boat-flipped a bigger one. Of course, that earlier incident could have weakened his line somewhat. In any event, the bottom line is that neither fish got away, and that's all that really matters.

To see the video of Sandt's headfirst dive into Lake Lanier, just click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqQ6kq-owZE.

From Bad to Worse and Beyond

It was only the second trip for a 17-year-old in his first real bass boat, and although he had no way of knowing it at the time, it was going to be a trip he would remember for a mighty long while--perhaps for the rest of his life.

He ran up river to a dam to catch some smallies. He had made but a few casts when he hooked what he at first thought was a monster smallie, but he soon realized the fish was much bigger than any smallie. Turned out he had hooked a 50-inch musky.

Having worked the fish to the boat, he suddenly realized he didn't have a net big enough to handle it, and lipping this toothy critter certainly wasn't an option. He also knew that muskies have sharp gill plates, but given the situation, he didn't have any other choice. Taking his rod in one hand, he grabbed the fish by the gill plates with the other and immediately sliced his hand open.

Subsequently, the teenager dropped his rod, then tripped over a tie-off cleat, and took an unexpected tumble overboard, landing on top of the musky. In the process, he managed to hook the 6-inch Bagley tailspin topwater bait hanging from the musky's mouth in his arm. He finally managed to wrestle the fish into the boat, simultaneously ripping the hook from his arm. Thankfully, the current pushed him and the boat to shore.

The young man climbed back in the boat and wrapped an old shirt around his arm. He then removed the hooks from the fish, measured it, and was getting in position to release it when he heard a sharp  C-R-A-A-C-K. He just had stepped on his rod.

While inspecting the damaged rod, a barge passed, and the subsequent wake spun the boat around, causing the youth to drop his rod in the river. His efforts to recover it were futile.

He just sat there for a while, drying out and nursing the pain in his arm. He was more than a little upset about losing the rod, too, because a local bass pro had given it to him. Eventually, though, he regained his composure, pulled out another rod, and went back to fishing.

By the time he got home that evening, he had blood everywhere, so his mom took him to the doctor, who put seven stitches in his arm.

Said the youth, "I may be accident prone, but I don't give up."

For the Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019

Wednesday, Nov. 20 (from Ken)...With more than enough water to launch my boat this morning, I layered up and headed to West Neck. I launched about 9 o'clock and fished until 1. Had planned to stay 'til about 2, but with the breeze, I was starting to feel cool, so decided to call it a day. The best lure today was a jerkbait. Caught one pickerel and four bass (best one a 1-10) with it. Threw a crankbait for a while, with no luck, and also tossed a topwater for a spell. Couldn't believe what I caught with the latter: a turtle. My topwater had just landed right beside a stump and disappeared. I didn't feel anything at first, though, so raised the rod tip, and then saw the turtle move off with my lure in its mouth. He wasn't hooked...was just hanging onto the bend in the hook...so started bouncing him up and down, and he eventually turned it loose. Ran into Dave and Rob on the water, above the West Neck bridge. Didn't bother to check the water temp. Lots of debris in the water at the ramp...mostly pine needles. Not sure when I'll get out again. Have to play it by ear.

Blame It on the Fish Finder

An angler decided to spend the night fishing on a local reservoir. Soon after launching, he was running along about 18 or 20 mph, powered by his tiller 9.9 hp outboard, headed out to open water. There were no other boats to be seen anywhere on the reservoir this particular night.

All was good until he noticed his fish finder wasn't working. He still was looking down at the battery, checking the connections, when he figured he'd better check his bearings. He glanced up just in time to immediately see something strange ahead. More importantly, it was closing fast.

"In only a fraction of a second, I realized what I was looking at--seemingly in slow motion," said the angler. "It was the shoreline. All I could do was take my hand off the tiller, cover my head, and brace for impact.

"I hit the shoreline at nearly full speed and was pitched face down on the floor of the boat. I was fine, but what about the boat? I thankfully had hit a gravel-lined, gently sloping section. Fifty yards to the right, I would have hit a concrete dam head-on. Fifty yards to the left, I would have hit a boulder field on the shoreline. In short, I had landed in the only possible spot in the area to avoid total disaster. (I've always believed that an angel sometimes is riding on our shoulder.)

"The boat seemed to be OK, and after considerable effort, I was able to dislodge it from the gravel and get it back in the water.

"I've never taken my eyes off the water again while driving it ever since that incident," the angler concluded.

Soon after finding this item on the Internet, I read about a fella who broke off a $6 lure that he had buried in some bushes along the shoreline. In his eagerness to get it back, he drove his trolling motor at 100 percent into the same bushes. Unfortunately, the trolling-motor repairs cost him far more than the $6 he had spent for the lure. 

"Taking One for the Team"

Reckon that's one way of looking at what happened to a successful regional tournament angler from the Kansas City area.

Keith (pictured right) and his long-time tournament partner were fishing a tournament early this fall when the partner swung and missed on a bite within the first 10 minutes of the day. His hook and tungsten weight subsequently flew through the air, hitting Keith in the face and mouth.

The Gamakatsu hook buried in his nose, and the tungsten weight smacked him in the mouth, knocking out a tooth. Despite the pain, Keith was back on the water later that same day after a trip to the emergency department to remove the hook. Multiple dental visits were required to repair the tooth damage.

Keith's advice to anglers everywhere is to always wear sunglasses or clear safety glasses when fishing. Both he and his partner carry safety glasses in their boats for times of low light, when it is too dark for sunglasses.

Taken from Best on Tour newsletter.

Bigger Bass Attacks Big Bass in BPS Aquarium

'Twould seem that jealousy runs wild in all manner of living things.

For example, YouTube user Chad was watching a demonstration at a Bass Pro Shops aquarium in which someone above the tank was testing a squarebill crankbait when a 2-pounder ate it. A nearby 12-pound bass then attacked that smaller fish with the crankbait, causing it to become lodged in its mouth. (Follow the action at this link: https://youtu.be/ukcZxwX7mPk.)

A few minutes passed before the 12-pounder eventually was able to dislodge the other bass from its mouth. According to the video description, both fish are fine, and the unnamed crankbait immediately sold out. Who woulda thunk?

Reckon this incident more or less proves that, when it comes to bass fishing, big baits get big bites--just like we've always heard and read. Seeing it happen before your very eyes, though, really drives the point home.

Taken from a Wired2Fish report.

First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions

Is that statement really true? It is for at least one angler's wife who met her husband's fishing friend under rather inauspicious circumstances.

As related by the wife, "My husband had decided him and his friend from work were going fishing. It was just the beginning of spring, and the water and weather still were pretty chilly. They got out to the lake, only to find that the motor wouldn't start," said the wife. "My husband called me to run and get him a spark plug and run it to the lake. Being the wonderful wife that I am, I ran all the way to a marina to get the plug, then drove another 30 minutes to the lake they were fishing at.

"As I got out of the car, my husband walked up to get the plug. Meanwhile, I decided I would get acquainted with his new friend, who, at the time, had one leg on the boat, holding it against the dock. Since the engine wasn't working, he knew they would be in trouble if the boat were to float away.

"He was talking to me when that's exactly what began happening...and he started doing the splits," the wife explained. "He quickly had to decide whether to let go of the boat and let it float away or jump in. His choice was to jump into the ice-cold water and save the boat.

"I still was laughing at him when another fella standing on the dock said, 'It's awfully cold to be swimming today.'

"Needless to say, I never have let my husband's friend live that one down," concluded the wife.

The Catfish of a Lifetime? Guess Again

A sample of big Santee Cooper catfish.

Here's the tale of a fishing guide who had a party of anglers in his boat, heading down the Diversion Canal that joins the two Santee Cooper lakes together (Lakes Marion and Moultrie). Their destination was Black's Fish Camp.

It was nothing unusual to see many people bank fishing for catfish in this deep canal, with its swift-running water, and this particular morning was no exception. A man and some friends indeed were catfishing off the canal bank.

“As we reached the cut that leads to Black’s," said the guide, "I noticed the man had an ocean type heavy surf rod and reel, and the rod was bent double. I told my guide party we needed to stop and watch this man catch a monster catfish.

“As we turned up current, the man’s rod got pulled way down, and the drag screamed. He pumped the rod and gained a few inches of line before the 'fish' and strong current pulled several more feet of line. Five minutes passed, and the fight still was on. The same was true at 10 minutes, but by this time, there were about 10 boats stopped and watching the battle.

“You could tell this 'fish' was making the man tired. After 15 minutes, he was nearly exhausted, but we noticed that the fight seemed to finally be coming to an end. At long last, he raised his rod, and there on the surface, before our very eyes, was…no, not the catfish of a lifetime, but instead, an open lounge chair.

“I was a guide who was supposed to know his stuff, but at this moment, I just felt foolish. I tucked my tail and got out of there as fast as I could go, laughing like crazy all the while.”

This tale reminds me of the time I hooked a giant snapping turtle on the North Landing, and before it all was over, a bunch of boats had gathered in the distance to watch. As was true here, they weren't long in departing once they saw what my "prize" was.

D'Ya Wanna See One Extremely Happy Youngster?

Then take a look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJvlLLukkjo. Can't you just feel this young man's excitement?

Does my heart good to see things like this: a giant bass, a father coaching his son, and then a live release. You couldn't ask for anything better. Don't you know this boy is hooked for life?

For the Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019

Monday, Nov. 11 (from Ken)...I didn't get on the water today (probably will regret it), but I did get out to West Neck for a while this afternoon and talked to a couple of guys who did wet a line and thought I would share the gist of what they told me. From Ray, I learned that he and his partner (think it may have been his son) boated a total of five bass today, along with a bluegill. The magic bait for all the bass seemed to be paddletail soft plastics. From Andy, I learned that he had a pretty productive day between about 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the largest going about 4 or 4.5 pounds. I don't have any firm plans of my own yet at this time but am keeping my eye on Thursday as a possibility.

I'm Da Man! I'll Show Ya How To Git 'Er Done!

That appeared to be the attitude with which an angler was approaching a California Federation 6 event on Otay. In the final analysis, though, reality didn't match up with expectations. Here's what happened...in his own words.

“I was itching to get on this lake, because it was set up to fish like I did back in Alabama. I thought I was gonna be da man. I put on my kick-some-butt gear and was pumped up, ready to go when we got our partner draws. The front-seater decided we were gonna hit some bullrush stands and do some sight fishing. With my being da man, I was gonna flip a jig and throw a lipless crankbait in boat lanes. Skipping ahead…

“I hung a Red-Eyed Shad in a bullrush stand, but it wasn’t very far back—not since I was fishing a 7-foot cranking stick. I didn’t tell the front-seater cause—after all—I am da man. I could get it without any help. I cranked down to it and only needed 2 more inches. Looking at the emergency ladder, I thought, ‘Self, if you just lean on that ladder, you’ll be able to get that sexy shad back.’

“So, I listened to self. I stepped for the ladder, but as soon as my big toe hit it, the ladder collapsed, and my momentum carried me out of the boat. I was facing the water as I headed out but, at some point, was able to turn toward the boat. I went in back first, inhaled some water, and was coughing and snotting in this 65-degree water.

“My partner looked back at me, soaking wet and hanging off the back with my hat and sunglasses still on. One foot was under the boat, my left leg was hung in the ladder, and I was tangled in two rods, with that sexy shad stuck in my left hand and a Texas-rigged sweat beaver stuck in the right. My partner and the guys in a competing boat asked if I was OK.

“Still being da man, I laughingly hollered out, ‘Yeah, if you can get the jig out of my hand and grab this rod, I can pull myself back up.’ At that moment, however, there was an explosion, and I was surrounded by a bright yellow mass, which was the Mustang preserver I had on. It had decided to inflate.

“I fished the majority of the rest of that day in a rainsuit and ended up in 11^th place. I eventually lost my Red-Eyed Shad when I threw one h*** of a backlash in my line. Ya gotta love to go fishin’.”

After the fact, accounts such as this tend to be funny, and we can laugh at them with ease. As they're happening, though, it's a fairly safe bet that most victims probably don't find the situations very amusing at all. One thing is certain: We've all been in similar predicaments and have the T-shirts--and perhaps a few scars--to prove it.

A Lesson Learned After Only 45 Years in the Making

Sounds unbelievable, I know, but it's true. I bought my first boat about 45 years ago, and in all the years since, I never had an occasion to learn what I read for the first time ever just last night.

Now there’s one thing you must consider here. I’m that guy all those authors have in mind for an audience when they publish those books like “Computers for Dummies,” “Electronics for Dummies”…I’m sure you get the picture. Further consider the fact that I’ve simply never been inclined to do anything mechanically. When something breaks, I’m many dollars ahead just to take it to an expert to fix. If I touch anything at all in that realm, I’m inviting disaster.

Suffice it to say that anytime I’ve ever grabbed an outboard’s primer bulb to prime it, I just took hold and started squeezing…sometimes for so long that I thought my hand was going to fall off. As I learned last night, though, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do that…one which should spare a lot of wear and tear on your hand.

For openers, the primer bulb should be in a position where you can orient the direction arrow skyward for priming. This position allows gravity and the weight of the fuel inside the primer bulb to help with the operation of the one-way valves. If the primer bulb is oriented with the flow arrow pointing downward, gravity and the weight of the fuel in the line above the inlet check valve may spoil its operation, and the primer won’t work properly. (FYI: It's OK if the primer bulb rests horizontally after it is primed.)

The difference in results should be amazing, provided there are no other problems with your fuel system. In just a few squeezes, it should be possible to fill the bulb with fuel and have it feel firm…without, as one jokester I read about quipped, “using one of those little blue pills.”

The accompanying short video should help explain everything. Just click on the link provided: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrt38-ulYFc.

Remembering My Old Friend: Dewey Mullins

It was on this date in November 2012, that the Great Fisher of All Men Everywhere called you home. I made a promise then that you never would be forgotten as long as I'm still here, and I felt compelled to renew that pledge today. Continue to rest in peace, my ol' friend, knowing that we always have and always will treasure the legacy you left behind for us.

For the Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019

Thursday, Nov. 7 (from Ken)...Wanted to get my licks in before the rain and colder temps arrive, so got myself together and launched out of West Neck about 8:45 this morning. Headed to Albright's, armed with the same topwater lure I used the last time I was out. The fish were not as aggressive today, but I still managed to put six in the boat by the time I quit at 2 p.m. None of them weighed more than 1-4, but five of the fish were keepers. The water temp when I left West Neck this morning showed 50.7 degrees, and it had warmed to more than 60 when I called it a day. Fished a jerkbait and crankbait for a while today, but didn't elicit the first strike, so just stayed with my topwater once I started throwing it. Besides the six I boated, had three other blowups but without a connection. Talked to Dave and Rob briefly this afternoon before leaving the marina and learned that they had had pretty much the same kind of day as me.

Fishing Legend Jerry McKinnis Passes

Jerry McKinnis, the former co-owner of B.A.S.S., died this past Sunday, Nov. 3, at the age of 82.

Along with Don Logan, he purchased B.A.S.S. from ESPN in 2010, and then sold controlling interest in the organization to Anderson Media in 2017. He also was founder of JM Associates, the producer of award-winning television and Internet shows about angling and the outdoors. For 44 years, he hosted The Fishin’ Hole on ESPN. He further was a member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, the National Freshwater Hall of Fame, and the International Game Fishing Hall of Fame.

McKinnis had been in a hospital for six weeks, dealing with an injury and infection sustained on a fishing trip in Wyoming.

“Jerry was a true friend of the angler,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “He contributed so much to the sport of fishing, extending all the way from his days on The Fishin’ Hole, through his ownership of B.A.S.S.”

McKinnis and his partners hired Akin to lead the 500,000-member fishing organization shortly after they acquired it.

“Jerry was one of the most passionate people I have ever known as it relates to bass fishing,” said Logan. “I don’t think I ever met anyone who spent more time thinking about how to make B.A.S.S. and bass fishing better—for anglers, the fans, members, and the sponsors.

“We came from very different backgrounds and totally different perspectives, but we always were able to reach common ground on any issue or problem we faced. He was not only a business partner but also a friend.”

A Couple of Pros Sound Off About Windy-Day Success

"Anglers need to learn how to use wind to their advantage and not their detriment," said former Bassmaster Classic champion Alton Jones. "Wind is almost like wearing camouflage for fishing.

“Wind can also create visual camouflage to disguise anglers, lures, lines, boats, and associated equipment," he continued. "On calm days, fish can see shadows or outlines silhouetted against a bright sky. When these images fall on a placid surface in clear water, it can easily alarm wise lunkers. Winds rippling across the surface break up the outlines of lures and people in a form of natural camouflage.”

Four-time Bassmaster Classic champion Kevin VanDam echoed those sentiments.

“I, too, like the wind to ripple the surface,” he noted. “When a fish looks up at the surface against the sun, it sees a mirror. I want wind action to break up that outline of the bait. A spinnerbait is a great lure to use on a windy day. I want to create the illusion that the spinnerbait is a real baitfish, so I use colors that blend in. With a spinnerbait, I like a natural shad pattern, as opposed to a pure white or chartreuse.

“Since sound waves travel long distances through water,” continued VanDam, “fish depend heavily upon vibrations to find food and avoid becoming a predator’s dinner. Spinnerbaits with large Colorado blades give off considerable vibrations to compete with the natural noise generated by wave action. The big blades also create significant flash that mimics baitfish, making spinnerbaits a top choice for fooling bass on a windy day.”

“As a general principle,” chimed in Jones, “if the wind is blowing 20 miles per hour or more, a spinnerbait fisherman is going to catch more bass in any season under any other conditions. The harder the wind blows, the better bass bite spinnerbaits. I like to run a spinnerbait as fast as possible along a steep rocky bank. I use a ½- or ¾-ounce willow-leaf spinnerbait because I want speed without lift. I like white and chartreuse, with double No. 4 and No. 3 gold willow-leaf blades. I reel fast and steady. When bass hit, they practically knock the rod out of my hands.

“Rattling crankbaits also can provoke vicious strikes when bass feed upon shad congregating on windward shorelines or driven past wind-swept points,” added Jones. “Fast-burning lipless crankbaits, such as Rat-L-Traps, can also produce excellent results, particularly for tempting schooling fish. Face the boat into the wind if possible and run baits with the current to mimic baitfish drifting with wind-driven water.”

“One of the most important things I learned a long time ago,” concluded VanDam, “is only to worry about the variables I can control. Don’t worry about the ones I can’t control. You can’t fight the weather. Do what the conditions allow you to do, and use those conditions to your advantage.”

There Are Some Benefits to Winter Bass Fishing

Fishing through the winter months can be rewarding for a number of reasons. To start with, those long lines of summer boaters and jet-skiers tying up the launch ramp are gone. Further, the cold temperatures keep all the fair-weather anglers at home. And last but not least, the hunting season has led many anglers to trade their favorite lakes for the woods.

All that’s left is finding the right time to go. While many have to plan their fishing around work schedules, the weather is another consideration. A look at the forecast can narrow down which days likely will be more productive. Keep in mind that, while the best fishing conditions may not be the most comfortable for anglers, some conditions are sure to improve catching odds.

Weather fronts affect the activity level of all freshwater species. In general, fish are more active prior to a front and less active after it passes. Whenever possible, optimize your chances by planning fishing trips just before a passing cold front. If, however, you’re one of those anglers who are limited to fishing on just weekends, regardless of the weather, here are some tips for fishing post-front conditions.

Low barometric pressure always precedes a front. After it passes through, the pressure will be high, bringing winds from the north or northeast and preventing clouds from forming in the sky. This will create picturesque (often referred to as bluebird) days but not always the most productive fishing conditions. The bright sun, however, can be used to anglers’ advantage.

During winter months, the sun’s global position is further south in the sky. This allows it to shine very strongly on northern banks. A northern bank also prevents the cold north wind from hitting the water. Wind protection and bright sun mean the water will warm faster during the day in these areas. For this reason, concentrate your efforts on these northern banks.

During the winter, the best fish-catching times are typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. That’s not to say a couple won’t bite at daybreak and/or dusk—they just will be few and far between. So take this opportunity to sleep in and enjoy a more comfortable experience with the warming day.

It's Time To Try Something Different

Most years, I retire all my topwater lures sometime during the month of November and don't retrieve them again until the first extended warm spell arrives in spring. That leaves me with jerkbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits (and/or spinnerbaits), and, on occasion, some soft plastics to handle any and all fishing pursuits during the typically colder months.

This year, however, I plan to keep topwater baits in the mix, if for no other reason than to find out if I agree with bass pro Dave Wolak’s contention about when it’s too cold for a topwater bite.

“When the water drops below 50 degrees, it’s time to put up the topwaters,” he says. “I’ve done a lot of fall and spring bass fishing over the years, and 52 degrees is the magic number below which the bass become bottom-oriented, as opposed to chasing anything.”

Wolak is quick to point out that, “especially in early winter, after an unusually warm fall, air temperature can trick an angler into prematurely stowing the topwaters. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean the topwater bite isn’t hot. I like to target the topwater bite if the water temperature has been in the low 60s, and then a massive cold front blasts the area, and the air temperature drops into the 30s,” he explains.

Wolak urges anglers to think of snow and sleet storms during the early winter months the same way as rain and thunderstorms during the warmer months of the year.

“The bass don’t know if it’s snowing, sleeting or raining,” he says, “and it really doesn’t matter to them. It’s all about the change in barometric pressure.

“Topwater baits also are effective in colder water because, during the late fall, bass spend the majority of their time gorging themselves on shad that are located in the upper half of the water column,” he continues. “They’re going to blast something on the surface if the temperature is right, and there is a barometric pressure drop.”

Wolak’s (and for that matter, a lot of other anglers’) go-to topwater offering in early winter is usually a buzzbait because it mimics a flickering shad and triggers a reaction strike as it moves past the bass. The secret is in slowing your retrieve until the bait is barely breaking the surface.

Another deadly late-fall topwater is a walk-the-dog stickbait, which maintains its appeal well into the colder months. Any such bait that emulates a shad flicking on the surface can be used all the way into water temperatures in the upper 40s.

Last but not least, don’t overlook using wakebaits—described by some as “the finesse worms of the topwater world”—for your cold-water fishing. They can be worked painstakingly slow, and in cold water, perfectly emulate a shad or baitfish struggling on the surface. Shad dying from the cold often hang there before plummeting to the bottom.

As noted by one writer I came across during my research, “Although the spring and summer always will be the predominant topwater time, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some darn good topwater fishing all winter—assuming your water is still wet.”

When Your Topwater Bait Springs a Leak

That happened to me this past Wednesday. Granted, this ol' lure is all beat up and doesn't look like much. More importantly, though, it's out of production, which means I can't just go out and buy a new one. Unfortunately, I can't even find one for sale on eBay at the moment.

Now, in all candidness, I do own two new replacements for this bait. I even used one of them Wednesday. After all, the bait was catching some nice fish, and I wasn't about to go looking for something different when I had replacements.

That being said, I spent some time today looking at the "sinking" model of my topwater bait (couldn't believe my eyes the first time Wednesday I watched the bait simply disappear slowly below the surface). Once I had emptied all the river water from its cavity--through the same hole in the bottom it had entered--I decided I might be able to fix it.

I got out an epoxy kit and went to work. Now I'll admit my handiwork leaves a lot to be desired (it's anything but professional looking), but given the lure's already deteriorated condition before I started, who's to complain?

I won't know how the repair job holds up until I get back on the water. I don't take anything for granted here--not with the kind of luck I usually have. Instead, I'm going to take a wait-and-see attitude. Keep your fingers crossed for me.