Go To Bait for Cold Water

[smoothlures]

What is your go to lure or bait when you are bank fishing late winter/early spring and the bream aren't all over the shallows yet? I'm thinking worms on or near the bottom.

[tnpondmanager]

Yes - red wigglers fished on the bottom, typically in deep water.

[deathb4disco]

Maggots.

Cold water, warm water, deep water, shallow water, no water -- it doesn't matter.

Fished properly, they are better than dynamite.

[Bob/MN]

We are still in the hard water season with 28 to 36 inches of ice on the lakes
The gills are biting well on a 1/32 once KISS bug tipped with a spike.
The crappies bite well on a Pinman jig tipped with a minnow or two spikes.
The Gill bite is very lite on a spring bobber is a must.

[oldcoot]

When waters are cold here in Texas and I'm fishing for perch (Gills) I like maggots on small size 14 hooks and in early
spring mini spoons (3/4" sz.) such as Dare Devils, Lucky Sevens, ect. Works for me.

[jcozzz]

size 12 fly tungsten bead head tipped with wax worm early spring 2013 central illinois

[Vainnnn]

I went out and caught 10 big bluegills a few days back and I was just using a 1/16 oz jighead with a black/chartreuse tube

[Smoltz]

The only bad thing about spikes/maggots is in warmer weather they get to lively n cocoon up on ya. Where waxies don't. Cold as in winter maggots. Early spring through early summer waxies.

[deathb4disco]

The only bad thing about spikes/maggots is in warmer weather they get to lively n cocoon up on ya.

Not if you refrigerate them.

Given enough time, though, everything will form a pupa. They're still good bait. The pupa form of a maggot is called a caster. In England, you can buy a gallon of casters at almost any bait shop. Fish love 'em.

[Smoltz]

Your right. I do refrigerate them at home. I get my baits from jadabait. But it when they get warm out on the lake. But I could throw them in little cooler pack with ice.
When you use them during warm weather, have you been able to keep them for a while going from warm to cold over n over again?
The cost of spike to waxies is nearly ten dollars more. I can get 2,00 spikes for what I lay for 1000 waxies. And you guys are correct. Way more durable on the hook.