Making the Winter Transition w/pics

[Scout'nStripers]

It seems like we blew right threw fall and into early winter. The surface temps have dropped into the upper 50's and the lake has gotten cold. I have one rule of thumb for this time of year when it comes to bass fishing. When the creek rolls over the fish roll over with it and become bottom feeders. That's when I make the transition to the bottom baits like jigs, cranks and worms. It's that easy for me. Locating the fish isn't as easy as picking the right bait but when I do locate them I can usually figure out a pattern. Here's a few fish from this morning and yesterday morning.

 

[RamblinWreck]

Now, that's the kind of football I am into - not the little boy's game with the ball.

 

[waderjon]

Nice fish.

 

[Bream Pole]

Thanks nice

 

[GreenPig]

What kind stud fee would I be looking at for your spots to breed my spots?? My spots seem stunted compared to yours. Nice quality fish y'all have.

 

[Scout'nStripers]

Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully I can put 5 good ones together today in the Turkey Bowl tournament out of Little Hall. We see what these big spots do today.

 

[littlejon]

Nice job Jim, good luck today

 

[Scout'nStripers]

Nice job Jim, good luck today

Thanks littlejon. We had a little under 13lbs and finished somewhere in the top 15-20 maybe? I'm just guessing. There were 59 boats this morning. We had a limit very early and had all day to cull 3 fish under 2lbs. We only culled once. We just needed more of these. These were our 2 biggest.

 

[Kdog]

Nice ones! Going to take the boat out tomorrow for the first time after getting it out of the shop. Hope to find some fish looking for moving baits instead of shaky head fish.

 

[Scout'nStripers]

Nice ones! Going to take the boat out tomorrow for the first time after getting it out of the shop. Hope to find some fish looking for moving baits instead of shaky head fish.

If you've got a flex-it spoon or two I would bring them. It sounds like the biggest pattern yesterday were those deep spooning fish. Good luck Kdog!

 

[Kdog]

Appreciate the info. I have a couple in the boat and will try them if I get desperate.

 

[Scout'nStripers]

Appreciate the info. I have a couple in the boat and will try them if I get desperate.

LOL....I hear ya. Sometimes it's a necessary evil.

 

[Tarpfisher]

What did it take to win?

 

[Kdog]

Road around from 6:45- 7:20ish looking for some schooling fish, but did not find any. Started fishing main lake humps, then went to the back of a creek and threw a keitech on an under spin and picked up couple dinks. Switched to a crank bait and picked up a few better fish. Started working wind blown rocks with the crank and landed 3 from the same area on three passes. Worked the same area with the keitech to get one more. Went back out to the main lake hoping for wind, but there was none, so back to another creek where I picked up the last three of the day.

Ended up catching 12 with 3 dink LM. Best 5 would have went 12-13#. Most importantly I did not have to jig deep fish or work a worm in 40' of water. Had a good time and the boat is running perfect after getting it out of the shop.

 

[Scout'nStripers]

Road around from 6:45- 7:20ish looking for some schooling fish, but did not find any. Started fishing main lake humps, then went to the back of a creek and threw a keitech on an under spin and picked up couple dinks. Switched to a crank bait and picked up a few better fish. Started working wind blown rocks with the crank and landed 3 from the same area on three passes. Worked the same area with the keitech to get one more. Went back out to the main lake hoping for wind, but there was none, so back to another creek where I picked up the last three of the day.

Ended up catching 12 with 3 dink LM. Best 5 would have went 12-13#. Most importantly I did not have to jig deep fish or work a worm in 40' of water. Had a good time and the boat is running perfect after getting it out of the shop.

Good report.
Glad to read the crankbait did well. I'll probably concentrate on that more this week. Next tourney is the big money Skeeter 2 day on Lanier. Looking forward to that one.

 

[spurrs and racks]

Thanks littlejon. We had a little under 13lbs and finished somewhere in the top 15-20 maybe? I'm just guessing. There were 59 boats this morning. We had a limit very early and had all day to cull 3 fish under 2lbs. We only culled once. We just needed more of these. These were our 2 biggest.
View attachment 991552

spots! Great catch, some on here call them trash fish.

 

[jocko755]

A big spot fights like a freight train. I would compare them to a huge smallmouth any day. But they are (at least to me) much harder to figure out and catch regularly which makes them my nemesis. Here today - gone tomorrow. Time on the water is the only way to know season after season where they are and where the big ones are. Jim has them figured always! Good job!

 

[TroyBoy30]

i think the blue backs change the behavior on Lanier more than just being a spotted bass. The herring keep them on the move and make them even more of an open water fish.