OK, I have my thoughts.......but I'm curious what you shorebusters think!

[analfisherman]

Now I know most of you don't have a 'Hard Water' season nor do you folks have waters that drop to 32 degrees.

But some may have 40s.......or there abouts.

So I got a couple of days coming with 55-60 degree outside temps coming.
Now it's like 25 degrees right now and that's today's HIGH.

So the waters aren't going to heat up very fast and 'still waters' have ice still although the banks are clearing up.

So I'm going to hit the river, anticipated water temps around 34-37ish.
But river fish handle cold water better and are more adapt to cooler water.
The river is called 'Rock River' so you know what the bottoms are made of.
Now I'm thinking the fish won't be feeding heavy BUT those moving up should be EATING something?

So I'm thinking a simple Paddle Tail Swim bait T-rigged to avoid rock and able to vary speed.
Shallow running Squarebill again to avoid snags PLUS the knocking on larger boulders just may get some reaction strikes.

Thinking 'maybe trying a hairpin spinner again, no snags and can slow role and VARY speed.
( I am not a big hairpin spinner lover BUT these waters have mucho Pike in them AND Pike are the first to get active AND spawn...followed by Walleye}.
So the hairpin will help prevent 'bite offs' if the Pike are active.

Now I do have a couple of Flicker Shads just encase I decide the Bass aren't cooperating hence...last resort.

Just MAY try a Chatterbait type lure, probably a NuTech crazy jig.
Last thought.....I'm thinking keeping baits small, like3" inch plastics and 1/4oz. spinners and 2-21/4 cranks......maybe 3".
I have a couple other ideas.......but I'll wait for input and I'm only going to take two rods along.

So Pro Staff......THOUGHTS!!!!!!
Good, Bad or a Better idea?

[zippyduck]

A grub works wonders this time of the year in our rivers, so the swimbait should work. And a hula grub or small crayfish rubber on a 1/4 oz. nutech jig catch smallie in the rocks.

[Princeton_Man]

What's your river like Joe? Here on the New River jigs with craw trailers and grubs work year round for smallies.

[analfisherman]

Thanks guys.
The Rock has Smallies and the bottom is actually almost filled with one by one boulders/rock.
I hit it for like a half hour last weekend...air temps mid 40s and still 'some shore ice in places.
Water relly is basically shallow....2-6 feet with average close to five.
I always have a ProJig along and Rage Chunks for trailers as well as Craws....and yes I have 1/4s.
I also have YumBugs....actually just stocked up...favorites are  2 3/4"ers but have some 2"s.

I have some bridge pilings I worked last weekend.....nothing happening BUT this weekend I'm talking whole days, not 1/2 hour.
I got ballheads and also 1/8th NuTech crappies and plenty of grubs....thinking maybe 3'ers.....?

I've caught some in past years EARLY on 2" inline spinners...but few and far betwwen.

So lets start with craws, Prince,Zippy.....and I WILL vary retrieves, as always, but are you guys slow rolling, straight retrieve or retrieve and hesitate type retrieve.

Ball heads can give me grief because they INSIST on trying to swim through the cracks in boulders. 

I have numerous places on this river because I'M WILLING to search......PLUS I have a Smallie Creek that I've never fished it early.
But I know myself all too well, I'll try and Power Fish because the feeling to need to cover water...BUT I also am patient enough to TRULY work each and every stop.
Plus I have NO interest in spending  a lot time switching and RE-TIEing all day.

Meaning....every time I move I don't want to have to try the whole arsenal of choices JUST TO have to repeat it again 40 mins. latter.
Being Spring, water current will play a factor in the whats and hows.

Again, THANKS for your input!

[LgMouthGambler]

What do I think?

I think Id stay inside and drink warm bourbon while watching fishing shows on YouTube. 

[analfisherman]

What do I think?

I think Id stay inside and drink warm bourbon while watching fishing shows on YouTube. 

My AA sponsor..SUGGESTED.. I MAY want to try doing something different this weekend.   

[SFL BassHunter]

I'm with LMG on this one lol. But if you insist on fishing...I got nothing for you lol. Never fished those conditions but if I was going to I would go for smallies and I'd do wit some type of finessejig  or a finesse worm. My only experience with smallies mind you is watching folks catch them on YouTube videos lol


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[analfisherman]

Hey, Florida Anglers............careful......... US SNOWBIRDS CAN STILL FLY...........may want to keep an eye on your bird feeders and bird baths in the backyard.............I just may fly down for a visit!
and a BOURBON OF COURSE .........heck, LMG probably fills the bird bath with Bourbon just encase he needs a break while doing yard work. 

[SpankysRods]

I fish a river that sounds almost identical to the one you will be fishing, and in the same conditions, a lot. The only 2 lures I take with me anymore are a square bill crank and 1/4oz jig. I cover the shallower water with the crank (3-5ft) and fish the deeper holes with the jig

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[analfisherman]

Spanky, first off....WELCOME TO THE SITE! 

Ya, last week I only threw a Square......not even a strike......BUT, it's still on the Rod so I will start with the Square.
Oh I did spend 10 mins. tossing a Caffeine Shad thinking.......cold water....jerk bait.....snags on a hard body.....nada.

Spanky, THANK YOU for a GREAT INPUT and I look forward to learning from you! 

[Princeton_Man]

The New has a lot of rock and shallows as well as a pretty good current most of the time. When water is released from Claytor, it gets down right swift. Boat or bank, I try to target the pockets behind the rocks.

Targeting out in front and downstream and I tend to stay with 1/4 - 3/8oz  and cast out to into the channel. I let the current carry my bait down then retrieve to a point I want to drop the bait. I can take quite a while to cover a 180 degree area.

Fishing the area upstream I use 1/2 - 3/4oz but don't rely as much on the current.

If I find a smallie behind a rock, I go back because there's usually a couple more there.

[analfisherman]

Prince........THANKS......I love the 'hows' and 'whys'!

[SpankysRods]

Prince made some good points. When I come up to some faster moving water I target the pockets like he said but I also like to cast my jig in front and off to the side of the boulder or whatever is blocking the current, then let the current drag my jig along the bottom by the fish. They'll come out and hit it as it rolls by. This is where I'll sometimes use a heavier jig to keep good bottom contact

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[SFL BassHunter]

Hey, Florida Anglers............careful......... US SNOWBIRDS CAN STILL FLY...........may want to keep an eye on your bird feeders and bird baths in the backyard.............I just may fly down for a visit!
and a BOURBON OF COURSE .........heck, LMG probably fills the bird bath with Bourbon just encase he needs a break while doing yard work. 

You should come down. It's nice down here. The heck with all that ice and snow.

[Lipripper]

You should come down. It's nice down here. The heck with all that ice and snow.

Snow what snow. I don't see any snow around here.

[zippyduck]

Find a hole and fish the upper or lower end. Any fish that are feeding will be in those two areas this time of year.
As far as retrieves, try a slow roll at first then drag it down the into the holes.

[analfisherman]

Zippy, THANKS AGAIN!

[Montyb64]

I fish the clinch regularly and this year in the cold a few weeks ago I did have a hit on a small swim bait but I did better with a 1/10 ned rig fished both really slow. I was sneaking the ned rig in behind the shelves where the current was ripping over them.

That being said in the past ive done decent on small square bills and even kastmasters  but that was summer.

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[Va_Hawghunter]

I throw a wake bait around the shallows also, agree with Jim, find where the water gets a little still, toss it past the still water and work it back into it, works well on a shallow river I fish here


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[merc1997]

a 1/8 to 3/16 oz. head tied with hair and trailed with a 101 chunk or something similar is a great winter time stream choice.  it will wear the brownies out.  also, a 1/8 oz. with half of an elaztek senko glued to it will also nail them.

bo

[analfisherman]

Bo, Va, Monty,
THANKS for great input!!!!!

Well I guess........two rods just BECAME THREE?! 

First 'open water' is a LOVE /HATE thing for me..........I spend ALL hard water season anticipating, researching, planning for open water........AND WHEN IT COMES........I WANT TO DO IT ALL the very first OUTING!!!!! 

And everyone knows..."Keep it SIMPLE" just isn't in my vocabulary! 

Thanks again EVERYONE!