Patoka Lake Cold Water Bass

Spinnerbait. Yup...I know...a lot of you Anglers think it's too popular. Well, if you see me fish one, you would think different. I throw only 1 type of 3/8 Ounce Spinnerbait. Strike King 3 Bladed Spinnerbait. I ALWAYS use Indiana blades. They call em' Indiana blades for a reason. The rest of my arsenal includes 1/4 Ounce for those stickups and wood cover, 1/2 Ounce just about anywhere else. In cold water I use a trailer, usually a worm, but large Tubes work well also. The reason for this is because I want more action on the fall when the bait hits the water. I can't tell you how many times I've got hit on the fall. The retrieve is slow. In cold water I use a 5:4 ratio reel. During a Cold Weather Tournament, I ALWAYS pull at least 2 keepers using this technique. The important thing, is to know how long it takes your spinnerbait to get down to where the Bass are holding in the water column. If you go below or above where they are holding when fish are lethargic, you will miss a lot of good bass. If you are having trouble keeping this bait where they are, switch to a lipless crankbait. In February thru April I use the color combo's: Shad - White - White/Chartreuse - Black/Blue with red wire - Fire Tiger with purple worm trailer in the mornings, switch to red worm as the water temp. rises. Remember, Bass start moving once the water temp. is around 45 degrees. Sometimes, the best action is no action, which is why the Spinnerbait is so successful on the fall.

Yesterday I talked about Spinnerbaits and Crankbaits. Shad, Chrome, White, Chartreuse, Black/Blue Combos.....all good colors this time of year. Today though, I'd like to talk about the Jig. When you see the water Temps down below 45 degrees, getting up on some structure with a Jig and using a Curly Fry as a trailer - Pumpkin Seed Color mixed in with Crawfish Colored Jig, it can be deadly. Fish this little guy VERY Slow and on the bottom. You have to give the Bass time to hit it. Again, with water Temps that low, the best action can be NO action. I like 1/4 ouncers again, around Timber and wood, 1/2 ounces when you find your structure. Some Honey Holes that come to mind here at Patoka, are some Submerged Bridges, Rip Rap, Road Beds, and where the River is flowing under the lake. Those underwater Rivers and Creeks are going to be bringing in food and warmer water to the Bass soon and they know it. Try to hit as many channels like that as you can, specially where those channels come close to points out from the banks. Those conditions give the bass everything they need, food, oxygen, warmer water, and they don't have to travel far once the spawn starts.

Sounds like good info....when are going to talk about cold weather and jerkbaits????:o

Shhh......that's my goto bait. However, Rapala is what I use and I hit the stickups hard with that sucker. I use a shad color with red feather tail. It ALWAYS fools that sly Bass that thinks it knows everything that has been thrown at it.

Ok, tomorrow I will be on the lake. Tonight I added some weighted strips to my Rapala X-Raps to get them down around 10-12 feet. I'm not taking my bigger 7" Jerkbaits, but rather my 4". I use the 7" in warmer waters closer to June. Got 2 poles rigged up for these guys, one with 8 lbs. Monofilament Line and the other with 12 lbs.

Went to Bass Pro Shops last Sunday and purchased some Berkley PowerBait Crazy Legs. I'm using this tomorrow on a Carolina Rig with a Pflueger Spinning Reel, but I am also going to try them as a trailer on some Jigs. The Carolina Rig is an excellent tool to find out what depth the Bass are at around those Rivers and Creeks I was talking about. I will be casting across them to feel for rocks and ditches inside there.

So there you have it. My tournament rigs. The only thing different when the temp. outside starts hitting 75 degrees, I switch out the crankbait pole to a Buzzbait. Late Spring & Fall.
1 pole - Spinnerbaits (5:4 Ratio Reel)
1 pole - Jigs (6:1 Ratio Reel)
1 pole - Cranks (7:1 Ratio Reel)
2 pole - Jerkbaits (7:1 Ratio Reel)
1 pole - Carolina Rig (5:1 Ratio Reel)

1 pole - Finesse Fishing (5:4 Ratio Open Face Reel) Small 2-3" Rapala's and Small Plastic Worms/Tubes.

Update:
I've been sent a couple private messages asking what Curly Fries are that I use as trailers on my jigs. They look like Centipedes, so anything you call em' that looks like that is what I was referring to. I use 4 inch Fries.

The two reels above shown as 5:4 are actually 5.4:1. It was a typo.

Waiting on my fishing buddy. Should be heading out here in the next Half hour. Takes me about 45 minutes to get up there after gassing up the boat, truck, and getting my smokes, Mountain Dew/Slim Jims. Last minute preparation on the computer using my Garmin Hot Spots Map and jotting down some GPS Coords for them hard to find River Points. I will update you guys tonight. Look for some pictures by simply clicking on my "Arauthator" name.

[QUOTE=Arauthator;405686]Waiting on my fishing buddy. Should be heading out here in the next Half hour. Takes me about 45 minutes to get up there after gassing up the boat, truck, and getting my smokes, Mountain Dew/Slim Jims. Last minute preparation on the computer using my Garmin Hot Spots Map and jotting down some GPS Coords for them hard to find River Points. I will update you guys tonight. Look for some pictures by simply clicking on my "Arauthator" name.[/QUOTE]
Very deteiled, keep it coming pal:-)

[QUOTE=Arauthator;405686]Waiting on my fishing buddy. Should be heading out here in the next Half hour. Takes me about 45 minutes to get up there after gassing up the boat, truck, and getting my smokes, Mountain Dew/Slim Jims. Last minute preparation on the computer using my Garmin Hot Spots Map and jotting down some GPS Coords for them hard to find River Points. I will update you guys tonight. Look for some pictures by simply clicking on my "Arauthator" name.[/QUOTE]
Nice and detailed!....keep it coming:-)

I don't mean to be rude Chris, but are you not the individual that posted the picture on lake-link.com with your supposed 22 inch bass that weighed 10 pounds? While I know others find the information you are posting useful, I would take most of it with a grain of salt, seeing as how that bass is no where near 10 pounds. Just my 2 cents.

[QUOTE=SteveM4A1;405767]I don't mean to be rude Chris, but are you not the individual that posted the picture on lake-link.com with your supposed 22 inch bass that weighed 10 pounds? While I know others find the information you are posting useful, I would take most of it with a grain of salt, seeing as how that bass is no where near 10 pounds. Just my 2 cents.[/QUOTE]
LOL, i wondered whose that was. i laughed my ass off when i saw that

Without seeing the picture let's remember they don't always look their actual size once the picture is taken. And let's remember how many doubters are on this board. I for one try to take people at their word unless I am there in person to see otherwise. But there are always people who look to prove others wrong no matter what as well.