Getting DEEP to deep cold water bass

I cant say that I have ever trolled for bass. Nor can I say that I get to fish water deeper than 15 feet that often. Most of the lakes and rivers I fish down here, 10 foot is considered deep and 20 foot is considered VERY deep.

I always wondered if in shallow lakes like the kind I have become accustom to fishing down here in SC go through as extreme of a fall turn-over as the northern lakes I grew up fishing. I tend to think not but dont really have any proof? Any one have any thoughts or experiences to share on that topic?

As far as fishing for cold deep winter bass, I have had my most success slow rolling big single colorado bladed spinnerbaits. I have also some decent luck ripping big jerkbaits.

I remember the first time I ever ripped a jerkbait. I was about 13 years old and had read an article in Bassmaster about ripping husky jerks in the cold winter waters. I got all excited to try it so my friend and I strapped our fishing rods to our bicycles and headed up to the reservoir near my house. After a 45 minute, mostly uphill, ride I stood on a point and started casting the big black and white rusty jerkbait. I slung it out there and did just what the magazine told me to do. I cranked it down a few turns then ripped my rod to the side, 3 times, violently, then paused. I made a couple casts and then in the middle of my third cast I ripped it down then prepared to pause but there was no pause, a bass snatched it and snatched it hard! That was it. I was sold! Now it's 26 years later and I still love to use that technique!

I keep forgetting about those shallow lakes. Lake Ouachita has a good bit of 175-200 foot water in the main river channel. The most mature LMBs and stripers spend most of their time in that area, suspended 5-20 feet down in warm months, 30-60 feet in cold months like in western canyon reservoirs. When they are massed up it takes something trolled right through the middle of them to generate interest. On a warm day they will feed actively enough to chase a spinnerbait or jerkbait, but mostly it takes hitting them with a spoon. Out of a few hundred bass one will take it. Once that one takes a bait a feeding frenzy sometimes sparks. I do watch for those "Indian Summer" days, 2-3 days of good warming. Then I go to dark muddy or clay bottom shallows that retain solar heat longer, where some of those big boys will venture up for a short feeding on most anything they see. But when we have a narrow shelf of thin ice around the shady shorelines they won't be found there. Warmer water is deeper in winter, the coldest water cooled by cold night air and winter winds at the surface. A sonar trip across the lake will uncover huge schools staying deep. They are hard to catch, but worth the effort.

In your shallow lakes the bass really don't have much alternative, able only to find the deepest warmest spots available, probably stump holes, ditches, and next to ledges. But here deep fishing brings up the biggest bass of the year from out over deep water, mostly along the edge of the main channel near wood. We have lots of stumpy humps at various depths which also attract winter schools. I don't mind catching stripers and wipers in winter, the flesh not so strong as in summer. Trolling is the main method, which catches a largemouth occasionally unless the area is mostly largemouth-occupied.

A jerkbait swimming 5 feet down might interest a smallie 20 feet down to come up to get it, but a largemouth that deep or deeper won't waste calories coming that far up for any bait in winter. It has to come right by them during their winter siesta. I don't see LMBs shallow much once the water temp hits 50, but when I do I switch to shallow running lures.

Jim

I figure 99.9% of anglers would rather fish hyper-actively all the time. We're talking a "cold blooded" animal in cold water not far around most our corners. Bass are like snakes when cold. They must find tolerable surroundings. Last night we put in under a half moon or whatever that stage is called. Air temp was 36, water surface 55 (which warms back up to 68 by noon). I dropped my old Chevy thermometer down to 10 feet and it was 60, at 16 feet 65, then hit the thermocline at 18 feet, suddenly dropping to 60, 55 at 24 feet. No turn-over yet, but the thermocline is weakening. That means bass will be able to survive a little below the thermocline the more surface water cools and sinks into it.

When bass get cold their metabolism slows way down very quickly. The colder they get, the less they will chase. That goes for older, too. They are already taking up winter ambush spots out in open water near stands of flooded timber where there's 60-80 deep escape water very near. The most successful lure will swim a fairly straight line right by their faces so all they need to do is inhale the passerby. Deadsticking does work great, but only if the bass are on bottom and can watch it lay there.

Jim