What To Throw In 40-45 Degree Water? 2025

TrapperJ reply :

Got first event this Saturday and that water is cold! Going over my tackle box and have the ole go toos ready.

Jerk bait

Finess jigs

Shad Raps

A Rig

Anything missing anything? Or got something to add to my over abundant tackle bag? Let me know! This is a tuff time of year so any tips advice on what to throw is welcome!

It's cold right now but next days leading up to event have some decent weather

Thurs 53/37

Fri 65/41

Sat Tourney day 67/37

Thanks!

Rangerphil reply :

Hair jigs, squarebills reeled slowly just bumping cover! Water warms the rocks and stumps and the bass will hold tight for the warmth smack the stump and bam 3 pounder! Good luck!

TorqueConverter reply :

I shallow crank in those temps in state ponds. I usually get a spring turnover that muddies up the water to 0 visibility and drives the fish super shallow. In my case I'll throw a big bright squarebill crank and slowly swim it just off the bottom.

What you should be throwing is going to be dependent upon your specific body of water. If I was down in Table Rock I'd be throwing suspending jerkbaits and slow rolling chatterbaits/spinnerbaits.

Chris186 reply :

If it were me, I would definitely have a rattle trap tied on. The rest would depend on the lake I am fishing.

tubedude reply :

I agree with the suspending jerkbait comment. Right around that temp is when the bass will start hitting them, especially if the lake is on a warming trend..the Smithwick Rattlin Rogue is a good bet, fished with long pauses. Finesse worms/jigs on the bottom are a good choice if you can't get a reaction bite and don't forget the drop shot!

TrapperJ reply :

oh yeah cant forget those Rattle Traps!

Man just wouldnt have thought about Sq Bills this early.

Yup got those chatterbaits standing by, i was thinking about spinner baits but figured Chatterbait more over the spinner baits.

The the lake has some good rocks with some color to it. Im sure we wont be the only ones targeting that area.

Comfortably Numb reply :

Water has come up to that temp in Va. Bass were in a bout 15' water still. Rattle trap and Blade bait worked, as well as Carolina rig.

iceintheveins reply :

Deep LC pointer or Dynamic Lures Deep Travado jerkbaits. Strike king red eye shads, swimjigs, and carolina rigged centipedes.

Bankbeater reply :

You might try a tube or a plastic worm. I have luck on those year round.

Fish Murderer 71 reply :

Dead stick a suspending jerk bait in 5-15' cover A-rig in deep cover, 10-12" power worms Black t-rig along the creek/river beds. rattle trap on wind blown points. and square bills for the fallen trees. Senkos on the rip rap. and be prepared to catch nothing. thats my general patterns in COLD waters Bass dont need to eat much when its that cold, they can go up to a week without feeding in those temps... which makes for aggravating day on the water. GOOD LUCK!

ww2farmer reply :

If it were me:

Lipless crank

Jerkbait

finesse jig

Shaky head

Drop shot

flat sided diving crank

In no specific order. 40-45 degree water pretty much describes our lakes for about a month after ice out, and those baits are what usually work for me.

smalljaw67 reply :

I'd use the jerkbait if you have clear water but based on the weather you said was coming is going to mean you are on a warming trend and the middle to last day of a warming trend will get fish active. Based on that I would have a #7 shad rap ready for the 6' to 8' range, a flat side crank like a DT Flat 7 and 3 to cover shallow and mid depth areas along with a jig or finesse rig. If you need to swing for the fence try a chatterbait or a swim bait retrieved slowly around any cover, the best bet would be a hollow body like a money minnow, shadalicious or the Basstrix, this is under utilized and doesn't get a bunch of bites but the ones you get are big and this is the perfect time for them, good luck!!

bassin is addicting reply :

like most have said....and what i will be throwing in a couple weeks...

LC Pointer.....

Living Rubber Jig with an Uncle Josh pork-craw tailer

Hair Jig

Lipless crank

Norman Thin N

Siebert Outdoors reply :

jerkbait or finesse jig.

Brian Needham reply :

Here is what I got ties on for a hopeful weekend trip:

1/4 oz jig

1/2 oz jig

3/4 oz jig

Flutter Spoon

shakey head

senko

3/4 oz big hammer

The Rig

I got more but that is what I am going to key on, I will be looking 12-20 foot mostly

WIGuide reply :

I think you can catch them on a lot of stuff but you just have to realize it has to be fished SLOW! The weather should be helping you out though making them more active. They should be starting to come up out of their deep wintering holes.

TrapperJ reply :

We pre fished today and it was tuuuuuuuuuuff!

we were mostly covering a lot of water to look around and scout areas we got a game plan now going into Saturday. We fished, but not near slow enough I'm sure. It's hard to slow down. U just gotta make yourself do it though.

We threw JB, finesse jig, biffle bug, shakey head, spy bait, cranks, rattle traps.

Hopefully what little bit of warm weather we are getting might get those lock jawed fish to open their mouths little more.

dfris reply :

^{How about a lizard. Its getting time for spawn in a few months, Bass will start to get very aggressive towards a lizard. We have been catching quite a bit of them on lake keowee in 52 deg water on lizards}

frogflogger reply :

40-44 - jerkbait

45> - square bill on protected northern banks

TrapperJ reply :

The last placed we stopped in a cove water temps were right at 45 degrees. Was hoping for some Sun today but its cloudy. Hoping the sun peeks outs this after noon maybe.

Just glad no massive temp drops leading up to Saturday.

Lip 'em! reply :

I fished a tournament this past weekend with water temperatures ranging from 43-47 degrees. We figured the fish would be stacked up on the deeper points and even on ledges so we spent most of our time deep working jigs, cranks, jerkbaits, and the a-rig...we never did really get them figured out. Turns out the winners of the tournament caught their fish on square bills and rattle traps, fishing them fast in 2-4ft of water. We had a pretty good warm front come through during our practice day and air temps got up to 68 degrees. I took away a valuable lesson from this experience: never be afraid to go shallow and fish fairly quickly even with lower water temps if a warm front comes through and the water temps come up a degree or two. After all it's early spring and these fish know the spawn is just right around the corner so they are going to take advantage of every degree they can by turning on the feeding switch.

TrapperJ reply :

wow yeah last thing i would be thinking is shallow and moving fast. Sometimes you just never know.

bassin is addicting reply :

shallow water will heat up faster... off colored water will too...

protected northern banks...get the most sun...

bigbill reply :

The overlooked inline spinner. Lists of flash & bling plus the steady vibration.

TrapperJ reply :

inline spinner u mean like a rooster tail?

.ghoti. reply :

I'd throw a jerkbait, then I'd throw a tube, then I'd throw in the towel.

McAlpine reply :

On 2/27/2014 at 9:42 AM, TrapperJ said:

Got first event this Saturday and that water is cold! Going over my tackle box and have the ole go toos ready.

Jerk bait

Finess jigs

Shad Raps

A Rig

Anything missing anything? Or got something to add to my over abundant tackle bag? Let me know! This is a tuff time of year so any tips advice on what to throw is welcome!

It's cold right now but next days leading up to event have some decent weather

Thurs 53/37

Fri 65/41

Sat Tourney day 67/37

Thanks!

Hair Jig

Shakey Head

Jerkbait

Jigging Spoon

good luck!

Phoenix Guy reply :

If that water gets above 45 degrees, I would have a pre-rapala wiggle wart tied on for sure.

zackzp23 reply :

if the lake is experiencing warming conditions the jerkbait would be hard to beat. if the opposite is happening then your best bet will be a finesse jig.

s freud reply :

Great thread. I bought some jerkbaits for this winter, but it has been iced over here. Killing me.

mprestonSEK reply :

Hair jig, flat sided crankbait (Spro Little John MD)

Fish'N Impossible reply :

On 2/27/2014 at 9:49 PM, ww2farmer said:

If it were me:

Lipless crank

Jerkbait

finesse jig

Shaky head

Drop shot

flat sided diving crank

In no specific order. 40-45 degree water pretty much describes our lakes for about a month after ice out, and those baits are what usually work for me.

Don't know the depth you have in the water your fishihg, but anything over 8ft some sort of jigging spoon.

TrapperJ reply :

First place had about 22.xx and the feedback i got on the 2nd place team had about 20.xx

JB but the 2nd place team didnt have a fish in their boat until after 1pm!

Come on spring!

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What To Throw In 40-45 Degree Water? 2025

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