What is a good cold water bass lure?  I live in PA and the ponds are just starting to melt. 

Hello traseley, Where in northeast pa are you from ?? you might want to try a strike king bass jig and fish it real slow.. I was born in montrose pa and still have alot of familey in new milford and halstead area. john

One technique that paid off big time last year at the Bassmaster Classic was sort of popping lipless cranks to try to get a reaction strike. I think an interview said that they were all bringing them through heavy cover and then popping them free. Just make sure you use real heavy braid so you're not making $50 fishing trips.

Jigs, drop shots, Carolina rigs. Anything you can fish SLOWLY! Remember, the fish are lethargic and don't (or won't) want to chase anything.

I live in Saylorsburg a small town in the poconos. Any hit I get will only be a reaction strike right? So I would have to drop something right on a fish's nose.

Suspending hardbaits and drop shots for me.

There is a technique that has been growing in popularity in the bass scene the last few years called "dead sticking." Like slipperybob said, suspending hardbaits. Using a crankbait in cold water, you look for bass that are suspended towards the middle or upper part of the water column. You cast out and crank your bait slowly down to your desired depth, then stop. That's right, STOP! Leave the crankbait completely motionless in the water for 30 seconds to a minute (or sometimes even longer) and after this period of time, pull with your rod tip gently to move your crankbait a few inches to maybe a foot or so then reel in the slack and repeat. If there are bass suspended in the water where you are fishing, chances are you will trigger a strike. But it can feel like nothing is on there as the bass are indeed lethargic. Or it might be a hard strike too, you just never know. So be ready! There are many details I have left out as it would take to long to go into depth on here, but I just wanted to bring this technique to your attention in case you hadn't heard of it. I am interested in my fellow member's thoughts about dead sticking. Comments guys?

And to add on to my comment above, many pro anglers have been using big crankbaits in cold water with incredible success. From what I have seen, you catch less fish but better quality fish (giants). Study up on this guys!

And to add on to my comment above, many pro anglers have been using big crankbaits in cold water with incredible success. From what I have seen, you catch less fish but better quality fish (giants). Study up on this guys!

wacky rig a soft plastic worm and insert a finishing nail or roofing nail in its head for weight. now cast it out and let it sit, shake it ,let it sit ,then pop it buy squeezing your hand on the handle .

Hey Rod Tosser, wacky rigging is my "go to" set up for smallmouth. They, smallmouth in particular, seem to love it! Senko's rock!

My most productive cold water Bass bait is the ole Jig and Pig.
Works well for Smallmouth and Largemouth.

In rivers, I have luck casting up-current for smallies with tubes, and then letting the, float downstream, lifting up lightly from time to time to free snags on rocks. Often, freeing a little snag with a little snap of the wrist triggers a bite. I xperiement with exposed-hoof tube jigs, shakey-head jigs and/or big ol football-head jigs depending on the water level and speed of current, sometimes they want it on the bottom not moving at all, sometimes they want it moving at the speed of the current, sometimes they want it moving about half the speed of the current. But tubes almost always work, including tube-craw combos, in green pumpkin and brownish-reddish craw color with red, silver or gold flake. -- Web Guy Greg

This subject is touched on in the March magazine issue. Someone must be psychic! Tom

I too have noticed that river smallmouth bass can be very particular when it comes to their feeding habits. One day they will be hitting top water like crazy and the next you won't catch a thing on top water! They definitely vary their habits depending on the weather the current etc. But the more time you spend on the water fishing them, the more you will learn how to catch em'!