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Trim man

what are good baits for cold water?

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I just started fishing in reservoirs, and both times I have been out the water has been around 50 degrees. All the baits that worked for me in ponds aren't working in the reservoirs. I am looking for any suggestions on baits and colorers.

Thanks,

Trim man

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Try draggin small football head jigs with a doubletail grub as a trailer,but what was killer this winter and is great in spring (especially bed fishing), was huddlebugs by Huddleston Deluxe. They're super realistic painted soft plastic craws. If you thread them backwards on a ball head jig the jig is hidden, they have a great spiral action on the fall, and are really easy to work.

Norcalbassin

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suspending jerkbaits, ever so slowly, use a sweeping action sweep the rod and then reel up the slack and repeat, you will get hit when it stops. I also like to split shot salt-less senkos, i put the split shot about 18 inchs up, rattle traps will also pull some good fish in cold water. My biggest cold water fish was 5 lbs 13 ounces on a rapala in blue and orange, water temp was 36 degrees and it felt like I was reeling in a wet sock. No fight to the fish whatsoever

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suspending jerkbaits, ever so slowly, use a sweeping action sweep the rod and then reel up the slack and repeat, you will get hit when it stops.

I will second that, One Sock. Think that anytime between late winter and before the spawn this is one of the best choices. Works for me. As far as color, don't know that it matters that much. Good luck recently with purple back/chartreuse throat and glitter.

In addition to the sweep I will make a couple of twitches, but let the bait sit still a lot. This will often produce a three pounder or so.

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When water temp reach 55 and under in the fall, winter and spring there is only two rods you need in your boat, one with a silverbuddy and the other with a silverbuddy, trust me you will have more luck on that bait in cold water than any other....... once located, fish are normally schooled and the action is non stop....... you can also work them shallow to deep, I often use my finder to locate bait fish suspended and then fish thru them with a buddy and do very well in Reservoirs, in shallow lakes start in the deepest holes right in the bottom of the hole and work up from there.

Good Luck

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SilverBuddy is a simple Blade bait or vibrating bait fished by hopping it up off the bottom, my favorite weights are 5/8oz and the 1/4oz in the gold or brass color. Nothing fancy at all but VERY productive in cold water.

Same as a Zonar. Do-It makes a mold for them.

Personally, I like a small jig or a 7" ribbon tail worm T-Rigged when the water is in the 40's and once it hits the 50's a slow rollin' KaRu Lures Special can't be beat.

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well, it's an odd thing up here... when the water cools down we usually adjust by tossing smaller baits and fishing slower (drop shotting works well).. BUT when fishing smallies in the fall, we usually step up bait sizes as they gorge themselves on big minnows/goby's (4lb smallie in the summer can become a 6lb smallie in the fall)

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Trim mam I've got to second the dropshot and blade bait thing, those two are great, but everything that has been said works. You just need to look at how deep fish are holding and what type and size of bait they are feeding on in each reservoir you fish because every one is different.

Norcalbassin

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I like using lipless cranks in the 50's.

I recently used Strike King's Red eye shad and

this lure is awesome!!! It has a pronounced

vibration that you feel very well..better than

other lipless cranks. My partner fished plastics

during our recent Monday tournament and had

no takers...I managed to catch a few on the

"Red Eye" ....it's all about making them react

when the water is cool

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I'm from the land of reservoirs, So Cal....

What I like to do is pretty much any presentation that can be fished SLOOOOOOW! When I say so slow, I mean moving a yard in like a minute.

Since the fish are usually deeper and cover is not very thick, look for points with rocks or some brush. Try fishing a 3/4 oz jig in black and blue with a white 4" curly tail trailer. That is my key bait and gets bit. Slow, short hops work well, as does a slow drag on the bottom.

If you don't know what the cover is like, try a carolina rig with a 1 oz bullet sinker and a lizard thats green w/ chartreuse tail. Bass don't want to chase a bait much, so the tail helps them see it. Give the bait a 3 foot leader from the swivel and sinker. This way the bait will suspend above the bottom and mthodically float down....

This has worked great for me in the middle of the winter! Of course it doesn't get very cold here, but the water does dip into the 40's often...

good luck!

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