Fishing just as the ice is disappearing is always a challenge. I’ve been told for years that the fish don’t bite when the water is that cold. That is simply not true. I’ve caught fish in water that was 33 degrees. Here are 5 tips to help you make the best of those early spring trips.
Ice built up on our rods while we searched for big cold water smallmouth.
1. Slow Down
When water temperatures are in the 30’s and 40’s everything in a bass’ environment is moving at a slower rate, including the bass itself. Cold blooded creatures can’t afford to expend much energy and therefore don’t need to feed as often. Bass will be looking for easy meals and that means you need to be moving your baits as slowly as possible. Suspending jerkbaits and jigs are major players this time of year. When fishing a jerkbait like the Luck-E- Strike RC STX, I always extend the amount of time my bait is stationary. I’ll jerk my rod tip two or three times gently then let the bait pause for 5, 10, or even 30 seconds. The fish will tell you how long to wait, but a general rule would be the colder the water, the longer the pause. As for jigs, cold water calls for a very slow drag and constant bottom contact. The bite is going to be soft, so set the hook if you feel anything out of the ordinary.
2. Seek out Rock and Wood
You’ll hear a lot of anglers say that rock and wood cover holds fish during cold water periods because it retains heat. I’m not sure that’s a proven theory, but whatever the reason, bass do gravitate to rocks and lay down trees just after ice out. I’ve had days where I’ve been able to catch 15-20 quality fish, just by rotating between two boulders all day long. Look for the cover that is partially emergent and exposed to a lot of afternoon sun and fish them slowly with, jigs, soft plastics, and jerkbaits.
3. Access to Deep Water
Early spring comes with a lot of unstable weather. When the fish are loving a warmer period of weather and a cold front comes through, they often retreat to deeper water. Keep this in consideration when choosing areas to fish. Fish are likely to congregate in areas outside of shallow flats where points, humps, or quickly sloping shorelines give them a direct highway of retreat to deeper water. Remember, “deep water” is relative to the body of water you’re fishing. Most places in Maine 15-20 feet is sufficient, but in bodies of water where the depth doesn’t get much lower than 10-15 feet, a change of two or three feet can be enough to make bass feel comfortable. For example, while practicing for a tournament, I found fish scattered across a grassy flat in 3 feet of water. Up until tournament day, the weather had been warming increasingly, but the night before, temperatures plummeted and the fish dropped into a ditch that ran through the middle of the flat. The ditch was only two feet deeper than the surrounding area, but it was enough for the fish to use during the colder weather.
4. Maximize Productive Water
After a long winter we are all eager to get on the water and I usually jump on the first place that is even partially clear of ice. Ice out somewhat limits the lakes we can fish right away, but if at all possible I try to visit shallow, grass filled lakes and ponds over all others. Traditionally, these are the most productive for me. I believe it’s because these lakes often have very high fish populations and they don’t offer a lot of places for the bass to move. They may move a little deeper or shallower on a grassline, but they are still in the same general vicinity and can be found quickly by fishing a jerkbait over and along edges of the grass. Wood and rocks in a lake with cover that is predominately grass will also be a bass magnet!
5. Dress Like You’re Ice Fishing!
Forty degrees may feel like a Florida day to us New Englanders after a winter of being buried in snow, but once you’re on the water things get chilly in a hurry. Always make sure to wear layers, so if you do catch a truly warm day you can shed them as needed. I always start off with an Under Armour Cold Gear base layer. I consider it the most important layer, because you need something that keeps your body heat in, while keeping moisture at bay. I wear both the tops and bottoms and they work great! Next, I put a long sleeved flannel layer on and usually a hooded sweatshirt. Finally, you must have some sort of winter style jacket and pants. It’s particularly important this time of year for this layer to block out the cold winds. As far as my extremities are concerned, I opt for wool socks, and fingerless wool gloves. Wool stays warmer than other materials when it’s wet and that helps after unhooking a few fish. I have to admit the fingerless gloves don’t always keep my hands warm enough, so I am currently eyeing some Under Armour Liner gloves, because they look as though I could still cast well while wearing them. Of course, always bring a knit cap and maybe even some hand warmers. The one mistake when layering up that is hardest to avoid is putting your warm gear on too early! Put it on just before you hit the water, not before the truck ride to the lake! Usually being in the house or truck with your cold weather clothing on is going to cause you to sweat and that means damp cold clothing later in the day!
Despite the 24 inches of ice still covering our lakes, spring fishing is just around the corner! If you’re like me and can’t wait for the water to warm before getting out there, try a few of these tips and you’ll catch more fish!
