Cold water Bass up north

[Tater]

I've been itchin to get out fishin and bass is about the easiest fish to get to cuz the roads in the mountains are closed. There are a few good bass lakes/ponds close by but I've never had much luck in the cold water. Any tips on lures, where to fish, etc? I'm around south-central Idaho if that helps. Thanks.

[Andy L]

Tater,
I have never fished your area, but I might be able to help. Your fish are probably still in a winter pattern, possible early, early pre spawn. Probably staging on verticle banks near shallow water, like a creek channel swinging to the bank or a shallow point with deep water off to the side. They like to do this so they can move up to feed when needed and back to deep water to suspend when dormant. These place work well cause they dont have to swim far, just up and down mainly.

Depending on your water color and depth of the lake, there are a few ways to do some good. Around here, jerkbaits, such as rogues and pointers work good. Fish them on eight pd line. Real it down about five cranks or so, let it set a little bit, ten to thirty seconds, twitch a couple times, let set, ect.... Slow fishing but can be fantastic.

On deep clear mountain lakes, sometimes its a bit tougher, til you figger em out. Find schools of shad on your fish finder and fish verticle with a spoon or small jig, just under the shad. Tighter the ball of shad is schooled, the more active the fish, normally.

Twin tail grubs, Chompers, fished on a standup jighead with eight pd line fished along these same places on the bottom can be good too. Once again, water clarity makes a big difference on depth.

Good luck and hope it helps.

Andy

[Steverino]

Hey Tater,


I think that Andy hit the nail on the head- fish slower than you normally do when the weather is warmer and the fish's metabolisms are running high as well. I think as fisherman, we all get antsy the first couple of times out in a season from being cooped up and crank lures and baits at warp speed just because it feels good.

I have also found smaller offerings like tube jigs and hair jigs twitched lightly to be productive in cold water. Since I do not know of what stage your fish are in your neck of the woods with respect to weather and the spawning period, I would also be checking out main lake points with suspended cover off of secondary points or channels.