Found "em - can't catch 'em

[okieflyfisheman]

My fishin buddy Bob and I hit the lake in search of bream, bass & crappie any day that it is not just freezing. Usually we catch a few around boat ramps and rick rack fishing from the shore. As the weather cooled down so did the bite until we were catching very few. Fishin was still great but the catching rather poor. Anyway we figured that they had moved to deeper water so I went down and bought us a fancy flyfishin boat. (Looks a lot like a bass boat but we only allow barbless flyfishing.) We found the fish, a bunch of 'em, suspended at 10 to 15 feet in about 30 feet of water. We offered a multitude of flies to them, including Bob's beer can cease fly which almost always catches one or two, but had no takers. I fished very very slowly with a full sinking line and went down to as small as a #16 PTN with no luck. Can anybody offer some suggestions as how to entice these lockjawed fish to bite.

[DShock]

Larry,
Here is a Quote from Chip Long- Fisheries Biologist; "Cooler water temperatures slow the metabolism of Largemouth Bass, which causes them to limit movement and eat less." Here is the Link; http://www.vabass.com/Features/2002/November.htm
I would slow your retrieve down and maybe even almost vertical jig your fly, since that is what Ice Fishermen do.
Doug

[Bluegill222]

The only problem with fishfinders is that they fail to tell you two important things: A) what kind of fish they are and B) whether or not they are hungry . I usually move back to smaller water about this time of year. In small ponds and lakes, a single sunny day can create enough difference in the shallower areas to turn the fishing on.

Cold water slows a fishes metabolism (they are cold-blooded after all) so they feed less often and much less aggressively.

Also, it may be that they were biting, only between the depth and the sinking line you weren't able to detect the strikes. It's a common problem with warmwater fish in cold water. They start biting real light and just taste the fly instead of inhaling it like they do when warmer water temps make them more active feeders.

Just a few thoughts

[Rick Z]

Fish that susupended like that, not over a hump or anything, are usally inactive.
Active fish will be near the bottom or near the surface , or along a breakline.
Those susupended in the middle of the water column are just not interested.

Rick

[William Fitzgerald]

Some locals use very light at least 12 foot long mono in their fly rods this time of the year and weighted flies. BILL

[rrhyne56]

To put in my two cents, the shallow water idea is a good one. Less volume of water can heat up faster and the food and fish will move that way. Creeks and their mouths into larger water are a good place to look.

[Clay]

2 pound ice fishing line for a tippet material or 7X or lighter. Take an ice fishing jig and tip it with a wax worm. No agressive casting or you will loose the waxie. If the thoughts of live bait and the waxie don't do it for you, try some scent on the fly. Good luck. Finding the active feeders is the key. You very well might have spooked them. Try not to run the motor right up on top of them. Electric trolling motor to within casting distance, but not right on top of them. Good luck.

Rick