[earthworm77]

Cold windy Fall day......45 degree air temps, 55 degree water temps and falling. Scattered sun, Wind 15 to 20 mph out of the West. You are fishing a 1000 acre kettle hole lake. It essentiall is a hole that slopes down to the middle which is 45 ft deep. Mean depth is 12ft. The main bottom substrate is sand and rock. There are weeds thrown in at certain parts of the lake. There are docks and several small shallow coves that are the only shoreline features that occur in this otherwise round lake. One marina on the whole lake. There is one large island and several small islands clustered together. This lake does have several points. Resident fish largemouth, smallmouth, yellow perch, black crappie, Musky, bluegill.
Forage species crawfish, alewife, assorted shore minnows.
Stocked fish Rainbow trout, grass carp

where do you start, what do you do.

 

[wnybassman]

I would find a shoreline that runs somewhat east and west, so the wind will move me along the same contour without using the trolling motor too much for positioning. A driftsock would be thrown out for speed control. I would drag 3/8 ounce tubes on the bottom from the weedline (if available) out to about 20 feet or so and look for the rockier areas and concentrate on them. Shallow weeds in the same area would be a plus.

If that fails, I would look for a underwater hump or two. If the lake has both a large and smaller islands, chances are it has a rocky underwater hump or two as well. If found, I would use the same tube presentation as above.

If that fails, I would go to wind blown shorelines on both the main shore and the islands and throw crankbaits (with orange bellies) and rip chartruesse on chartruesse spinnerbaits in the shallower waters.

...are you getting the hint I am chasing smallies

Last but not least, I would then zig zag around in the rockier areas ( that I previously found dragging the tube) and go out even deeper looking for clouds of bait on the graph. If found, I would try to hold on them and bounce a jigging spoon at the appropriate depths.

 

[MarkNJBass]

Here's my take on it

I would go to the first available point and start throwing a spinnerbait and see if anyone wants to chase. I would look for the rock you mentioned and find where those 20 mph winds were crashing the shoreline...perhaps around those islands. If they didn't want to chase a blade I would maybe try a jerkbait (rogue or whatever you like...suspending) because they may perfer something suspending. If that proved fruitless I would try flipping some of those coves/docks with a jig & pig. if they didn't want any of those 3 baits this time of year I would try a crankbait/rat-l-trap and see if that worked. If not....well...there must be a warm place nearby for a brewski and a burger....good luck...Mark

 

[JOHN G]

after reading the first response: I would be on Noel's boat! LOL......

 

[HugeFish4]

I would throw Senkos. LOL!

 

[Mark G]

How is the crawfish population in this lake?

I would start by targeting the weedbeds, botu outer edges and in tight. I'd throw spinnerbaits along the outer weedline to see if there are any active fish. If so, pitch some jigs into the interior to try to find more fish.

I'd also look for weedbeds that come as close to shore as possible and pitch jigs/tubes up tight to the shoreline.

Then I'd call Noel and see how he was doing.

Mark

 

[yar]

being a shallow water fisherman and the wind moving as fast as it is. i would first hit the island on the back side away from the wind. seeing that the lake main structure is rock and docks, i would hit the docks first. i would use jigs, tubes and grubs i would try to finness them if i could. if not then try for the reaction bite with spinnerbaits and small crankbaits.

if i had no luck there, then i would pull out a little deeper and find what is left of the weed beds off the points of the islands. hopfully there would be some rock mixed in , that would be a plus.throwing tubes in the 1/4 to 1/2 oz size and some bigger crank and jerk baits too.

from there i would hit some of the small coves. alot of times when the main lake is cold the coves will be a little warmer, hidden from alot of the wind . and there may still be some weeds left. i would use the same tackle i did at the docks and also jerkbaits too. if nothing happening then i would try to find humps like wnybassman.

 

[bass 64]

First thing I would do is fish the "sheltered" sides of the islands with a small jig to cater to the large and smalljaws. Then fish the deeper water around the islands with a texas rigged tube or a fat ika with no more than a 1/8 oz sinker. Leave the dock alone because everyone else all ready ate them up.LOL I'd also fish outside the small coves if they created small points with a suspending jerkbait or spinnerbait. And finally if the wind was just to damn much, find the closest thing to a shallow rocky flat I can find and drift throwing spinnerbaits all around me or senkos ahead of the drift.

 

[HookUp]

This time of the year ...

Low and sloooooow.

Find the deepest hole in the middle of the lake and hit it hard.

 

[Lpbassman]

I would hit the protected side of the island(s) and toss a medium running crank bait in a crawfish or alewife color. If that did not produce, I would toss a jig & pig. If that did not work, I'd sneak on board with Earthy to see what he was doing. LOL

Then again---never under estimate the power of a slider worm!!

 

[earthworm77]

Earthy would probably be playing ice hockey somewhere. I'll post my spin later though.

 

[Jighead61]

I would start by looking for any remaining (green) weeds and throw spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and lipless crankbaits. If the search baits fail to produce, I would slow down and fish with a tube and jig-n-pig in weed holes and outside weed edges.

In the event the weeds don't produce, I would move to the points and humps and begin dragging a tube, followed by jigging a spoon, and finally I would unleash the all mighty and deadly bladebait !!!

If none of these tactics produce, I'll go to the marina and have a drink because there are no fish in the lake (lol) !!!


Ronnie

 

[earthworm77]

Although this weather would certainly have me thinking, I too would head right into the wind and try to get some bites on a spinnerbait. Bass Stalker, I had a buzzbait in mind when I wrote the post so you kind of validated what I was thinking. If I couldn't manage a fish on a spinnerbait I would try a Rogue for a little while and concentrate on areas with 12 to 15 ft of depth. If things didn't work out, I'd try to find some deep baitfish and spoon or use a hair jig to try to catch some smallies. If that didn't work, I would salvage the day with a drop shot rig in about 15 to 20 feet of water, I know I can catch fish anywhere with it so it would be my last resort. Southern Comfort in my flask to keep me warm!

 

[JOHN G]

Earthworms quote:

"If that didn't work, I would salvage the day with a drop shot rig in about 15 to 20 feet of water, I know I can catch fish anywhere with it so it would be my last resort. Southern Comfort in my flask to keep me warm"


that is pretty heady talk there buddy! anywhere? sounds like throwing the gauntlet!

and of course, no drinking while operating a motor! LOL........

 

[Hooked Solid]

I'd go with John G.........

And grab a ride on Noel's boat and take notes,not something I do well or at all ...><>...HS

 

[earthworm77]

I think I could eke a fish or two out, just about anywhere drop shotting.......didn't say limit/monster or even bass

 

[yar]

would be playing ice hockey somewhere

and i would be coming from ice hockey game. you know how the mens leagues are here craig. we get the worst ice times.LOL. wouldn't be the first time that i had to do it. most of the times it's in the early spring TX.

 

[earthworm77]

Ray, could you pm me your #, I have to ask you a question.