If you want to give this strategy a try, I would recommend fishing the bottom near some of the lake’s deep water. Fish are creatures of habit and their movements are dictated by their surroundings. You can’t use the same strategy you use when the water is warm, no matter what way you look at it. Not only is this effective at triggering a bite, it also allows you to feel your way through the lake. Caught 9 in total … To breakdown a seasonal bass fishing pattern of any kind, you are going to have to start somewhere. Soft plastics are a great choice for cold front bass fishing. In our local Pennsylvania lakes and reservoirs, good offshore fishing typically happens in deeper flats with long outward reaching points. I jig fish because I consider it to be one of the most versatile baits out there appearance wise. Pennsylvania Fishing Report – December 10, 2020 Despite the recent cold snap that has brought fishing to a standstill in some regions, rivers are producing some nice smallmouth bass and walleye action. Wear multiple layers with socks, waterproof boots, and fingerless gloves so you can maintain full movement of your fingers. While electronics can play a major role in offshore fishing. At any point bass can become triggered to start foraging and strike. This can be one of the best times to catch your personal-best bass. During winter and early spring, I use two simple approaches to locate bass: bank fishing and offshore fishing. You can also use hair jigs if you prefer to mimic the appearance of smaller baitfish like shad and minnows in the shallow water. As the water starts to warm up and spring rains push nutrients into the current, bass begin following the nutrient rich current into the main lake in search of shallower water to feed and spawn in. This temperature range is prime fishing in the North so expect to find bass in this temperature range most frequently during late winter in the months of January and February. There’s a method to the madness and we can help unlock it for you. Fulton County Pennsylvania … But when everything falls into place, and you pull that fish … For those using electronics for offshore bass fishing, Crankbait fishing for bass is a great way to cover water, Another way to get this erratic bait action is by. Winter Time Bass Fishing Water Temperatures, How to Catch Bass in the Winter: Where to Look. And if lakes are more your thing, we’ve got you covered. Of course, you can’t know this without fish finders and depth checkers, but you can estimate it even if you don’t have electronics. Look for bluffs, points stretching out into the main lake and areas where there’s a lot of exposed wood, or even trees in the water itself. Recommended Gear for Fly Fishing in Pennsylvania. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Depending on where you live, the water can be anywhere from cold to dangerously frigid. While electronics can play a major role in offshore fishing, the most important thing is to be covering water with your bait. Now let’s say you catch a fish on a spot. You need to drop something right in front of their face, make the bass think it’s almost dead, and move it slowly and erratically, so they think they’ve got an easy meal on their hand. Contact us today to discuss your fishing goals. For anglers looking to improve upon their electronics knowledge, Due North Fishing specializes in educating anglers on using and reading electronics for fishing at Blue Marsh Lake in Reading, Pennsylvania. You need to know what the temperature is to understand how deep you need to fish and what type of presentation you should use. When the water is cold, you don’t want to present a challenge to the bass. Hunting. Expect to slow down and size down your presentation a little, but big bass will still be active during the morning, midday, and evening. Official References for Fly Fishing in Pennsylvania Winter largemouth bass fishing requires you to think like a fish. I jig fish because I consider it to be one of the most versatile baits out there appearance wise. I recommend wearing as many layers as possible in the car on the way to the water and keep the heat on so you can build up some warmth before getting out. Depending on your location, fishing in the winter can be dangerous because of frigid temperatures and dangerously cold water. During the transitioning from winter to the spring prespawn, bass are going to be coming up in the water column throughout the day into these warmer feeding areas. Winter weather and the threat of hypothermia can quickly lead to trouble. Latest. The best tip someone ever told me about finding bass in the winter is to add 10-20 feet of water to where you would normally fish. I look for banks near a deeper water drop off like the image shown. An often overlooked winter bass fishing tip is understanding water temperature and how a five or ten-degree difference can impact your fishing strategies. There are more than 85,000 miles of streams and rivers, along with 4,000 inland lakes and ponds … Bass in this temp will slow down quite a bit, but they’ll still have feeding periods each day, and this is when you need to capitalize by using the right lures and offering a slow but calculated presentation. You don’t need to feel like fishing season ends when the leaves start falling, there are plenty more months of great fishing if you understand how to change your strategy and give the bass what they need. Like many things in life, practice makes perfect. It’s that time of year again. By this point, you’ve received some great cold weather bass fishing tips, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. In fact, many bass fishing anglers do not have access to or even want to catch bass from a boat. There is a great variety of species to target and plenty of room on that … Observing your surroundings takes no electronics and is a great way to familiarize yourself with where you’ll be fishing. Rocky banks are good fishing areas but rocky banks with wood cover create an even better bass fishing environment. Please note that this area along with the visible shoreline is underwater during the spring and summer when Blue Marsh Lake raises its water levels. Good choices are grubs, jig and craw, smaller spinnerbaits and crankbaits, Whirley Bee/Jimmy D, Sliders, tube jigs or Texas rigged, 4" straight worms like the Senko, and 1/16 ounce synthetic craft hair or duck feather jigs when Float-n-Fly fishing. by PA Fish … As a third-generation angler, he as a plethora of knowledge and experience on the water and loves sharing what he knows. Let’s see if we can really drive home your success this winter. ... By Pete Robbins. Whether you prefer trout, largemouth bass, or catfish, the keystone state’s bounty of lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams rewards millions of anglers with big catches every year. This is a really quick and easy way to get the most out of your fishing strategy and begin creating a clear correlation between what you are seeing on your electronics and what you are feeling on the bottom as you fish. The hard metal holds up well in the cold water, and they help offer the … Free shipping on orders over $50 and FREE pick-up at your local store if you buy online! Fayette County Pennsylvania Striper Fishing WORLD OF REPTILES * .00 184 GRANGE ROAD MCCLELLANDTOWN, PA 15458 (724)439-1380 Striped Bass . Even if you live alone, tell a parent, friend, or neighbor that you’re going fishing, and you’ll be back at a certain time. Think to yourself, what triggered that fish to bite? Let’s dive right into our cold water bass fishing tips. I am sure with this post I will jinx it for … Fish a bait consistently in the areas where you have the highest percentage chance of catching something. You need to get much closer to the bass during the winter because they’re not going to chase your lure all over the lake; the best strategy is to vertically jig right in their face, so they have no choice but t21o strike it. One of my favorite choices for winter bass lures is football head jigs. The best largemouth bass fishing of the year in Pennsylvania will occur during the next few weeks as we get into the annual spawning ritual. There are only so many hours in a day, let alone when in a tournament or out with a client on a trip. If the water is murky, the baitfish will run deeper. Understanding the cause and effect of bass habits will lead you to creating a clear and efficient fishing strategy. Sleep in. You need to slow down your presentation when the water temperatures drop. Bass Fishing Time Frames. Common baits for winter and early spring bass fishing include swimbaits, jigs, jerk baits and crank baits. Anglers are catching Smallmouth Bass and Walleye below the dam in New Bethlehem, at Lawsonham, and near the confluence with the Allegheny River. Winter Bass Fishing. Welcome to another edition of Randy and Steve's Outdoor Adventures podcast. If you’d like to practice these techniques in person and learn more advanced methods to catching fish consistently, our fishing program focuses specifically on in depth explanations backed by experience and research. Typically the warmest part of the day is mid-day to early afte… Below is an outline of my approach to consistent, productive days on the water fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass in Pennsylvania lakes and reservoirs. As we all should know, bass follow the baitfish, so this is where you’re likely to find more bass. The leaves have fallen, the air is crisp, and the coffee is hot. Florida is the perfect place to not only explore fishing but escape the cold. Your email address will not be published. I’m not saying go to the deepest part of the water but simply add a little depth, and you can increase your chances of catching more bass. Look for the attributes we’ve discussed and get comfortable using your electronics for simple items like water depth and temperature to help you move offshore with more confidence. These work great when the water is cold because you can slowly drag them along the bottom and coerce the lazy bass into biting. Although Pennsylvania may have been named for its woods, our waters are the real attraction. I want the bank to be facing the sun, collecting warmth throughout the day. For those using electronics for offshore bass fishing, side imaging is very helpful in finding structure and areas that can hold large schools of fish in a feeding area or staging area. You want to have the best bass fish finder on your side whenever possible because it will help you pick up on water depths, temperatures, and obviously – bass. These areas typically have stumps, rocks, tree piles and other structure scattered across the bottom. The most effective bait for me to cover water is with a crank bait. Summer means all of our favorite leisure activities: swimming, lounging outside, sticking our faces in the air conditioner’s cool breeze, eating ice cream, sleeping in, and of course fishing. Once you do that, you’ll have no problem retrieving them because they won’t put up much of a fight. As previously mentioned, you need to change your mindset when it comes to fishing in the winter. This is an important element to becoming a consistently successful weekend angler or a competitive tournament angler. If you have clear water, the baitfish will come closer to shore. This mental imaging becomes like a super power when it comes to finding catchable bass. If the sun will be shining, try to hit the pond for a few hours. Winter Bass Fishing Southwestern PA I was using a 3" keitech soft plastic swimbait with a weighted hook crawling it very slowly across the bottom and occasionally pausing. My consistent success is due to the fact that I’m on the water most days practicing and making observations and adjustments in my fishing style relating to how the fish are biting that day. March 6, 2020. FISHING. In many of our beautiful state parks , you’ll find some of the best haunts for trophy largemouth bass … Lake Erie is an obvious choice as one of the top fishing waters in Pennsylvania. Come down south and enjoy a fishing … Bass are cold blooded animals so the water temperature naturally plays a role in dictating the activity level of the bass. If you’re fishing this water temperature, you’re in for a challenge. This list is based on biologist surveys of fish populations on waters across the state and can lead you to prime fall and winter fishing spots for trout and many other popular fish including Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, panfish, and catfish. Winter fishing techniques require finesse, but they also require a bit of preparation. Blaine Mengel's Backwoods Angler Guide Service specializes in Smallmouth Bass fishing trips on the … Was it the bait or was it the way the bait moved right before the fish hit? This large reservoir … You won’t get as many nibbles as you do during the summer and spring, but chances are you’ll get more interested bass if you follow all the tips outlined in this guide. When bass move up into that higher water column, that’s where you’ll find an actually catchable fish versus down deeper where your electronics will really help you. Your email address will not be published. Fast-moving lures and excessively noisy ones won’t work when the water temperatures drop. Pymatuning Reservoir. While some anglers are ready to hang up their rods until next year, we’re teaching you how to fish in winter for bass so you can capitalize while other anglers are sipping hot cocoa. There’s still plenty of fishing to enjoy! We end up with bottom feeders and slower moving lures like jigs, spoons, and blades. Lake Erie. During the winter and early spring, my first focus of the day is on fishing broken, chunky, rocky banks onshore. Winter Fly Fishing what do I do This winter has started off pretty mild for most in the region and there are plenty of fly fishing options right now. As you're making your fishing plans for the week or weekend, make absolutely certain to check the forecast first. The whole goal of offshore bass fishing is to find where bass are and hone in on a reliable strategy that leads to catching more. Color is also an important factor in the winter. Awesome, but now what? Bass … During winter there is no reason for hitting your favorite stream at the crack of dawn; unless a cold front is moving in. I’d suggest fishing a drop shot rig because you can fish them slow and determine exactly how far you want your lure to swim off the ground. It will take some time for you to learn, and that can get frustrating but don’t give up. Take some pictures and leave? For you to have success fishing during this time, you need to throw your lure right in their face and present it slow enough for them to get it. A 4-6 weight rod about 9 feet long will be perfect for all of the trout fishing except if you’re targeting steelhead. Cumberland County Pennsylvania Striper Fishing. While that’s the case 99% of the time, some expert bass anglers actually recommend fishing early in the morning for smallmouth bass. Personally, I think metal baits like spoons and blades are the best choices for winter bass fishing. Lake Erie is one of the premier fisheries in the U.S. Pick up a bait and rod that you’re comfortable with and go fish. Make a plan of where you want to fish and be sure to let someone know where you are going and what part of the lake you will be fishing. The Best Shotgun Loads for 5 Late-Season Birds ... An Angler’s Winter … Anglers are catching catfish at night … If going alone, use extra caution, but ultimately, … The alternative is bank fishing. I begin my days by fishing rocky, sun beaten banks before moving offshore to target schooling bass on the move. The photo on the left is a great example of an offshore prespawn bass fishing location. I highly recommend using spoons and blades on days when the sun is shining. Now let’s say you catch a fish on a spot. In many areas of the country, the sun shines bright in the winter, and when light reflects off the blades, it creates a powerful presentation that can work as a double-edged sword. Fishing the winters of Pennsylvania is not for the faint hearted. Another way to get this erratic bait action is by allowing the bait to bounce off the bottom of the lake. These lures imitate crawfish. When bass are looking for new areas and they find forage, whether it's crayfish, sunnies or baitfish, they’re opportunistic creatures and aren’t going to pass up a meal. Meet the 10 Highest-Earners in Professional Bass Fishing. Transitioning from Winter Bass Fishing Patterns to the Spring Prespawn in Pennsylvania Reservoirs, Winter and Spring Bass Fishing in Pennsylvania, Rocky, Sun Beaten Banks at Blue Marsh Lake, Jigs mimic the appearance of different food sources. The most important tip is to make sure someone knows where you are. You must be committed, determined, and relentless. So, for example, if you tend to fish 30 feet away from the shoreline during the summer, you’ll want to add 20 feet to that in the winter because bass prefer deeper waters when the temperature is cold. Organized by region, here … Remember to choose a slower, bottom trolling lure and present it in a way that makes it impossible for the bass to refuse. Overfishing, Conservation, Sustainability, and Farmed Fish. In our experience, where there’s one bass, there’s usually more. You need to make sure you have enough layers to keep yourself warm and plenty of backup gear in case you fall in or get wet. 1. Here we have prime fishing temperatures where bass are highly active, but you would only likely experience these types of temperatures in the winter in the Southern states, so this doesn’t help everyone North of the Mason-Dickson. Again, the idea here is to present as little of a threat as possible, and bright neon colors look intimidating, so the bass will leave it alone. Discover our fishing strategy to consistent, productive days on the water fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass in Pennsylvania during the transition from winter bass fishing to the spring prespawn. One of the most important strategies for winter bass fishing has nothing to do with fishing. Let’s be clear, giants … Water clarity is also a huge factor in the winter. From there, adjust your strategy to what is occurring, and keep fishing. I find it more enjoyable to fish from the shore during the winter because it’s a little easier to stay warm, and if I’m fishing alone, it just makes me feel more comfortable. From the Yough, we head north to Pymatuning Reservoir. Take some pictures and leave? Then, do it again until you achieve your desired result. Go out and practice with a rod and bait you are comfortable throwing. It’ll take some practice and preparation, but it’s well worth it. The water is cold, their metabolism is slow, and they’re not feeding much, so they will never chase a fast-moving topwater spinnerbait halfway across the pond; it won’t work. You don’t want to generate too much attention because the bass might feel overwhelmed, but you want to aggravate them enough to get them to strike. Instead, you want to make it look like they’ll get an easy meal, and imitating a dying fish is the best way to do that. On both sides and the main lake with deep water on both sides the! Are cold blooded animals so the water temperature and how a five or difference! 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