I remember going through an old bin of fishing items, that was drastically marked down years ago.In it was an item, that had a football shaped body and plastic wings on each side.

I placed this spinning winged item, in front of a black and silver Mann's Augertail, with a slip sinker. It was February 22nd, and the temperature was 38 degrees. I cast it parallel to the shore, in twelve to fifteen feet of water, and let it set there for over 15-minutes and twitched it.

Bam, it was a seven and a half pounder lookin' for a munchy in cold weather water.

I like a black hair jig with a purple Uncle Josh pork rind too, fished s-l-o-w-l-y ...

I started catching bass this year when the water temp hit 50 degrees. They were very slow and lethargic. I caught several on 5 in pumpkin green worms fished deep and slow around drop offs. I caught a few by accident while dunking minnows for crappie but the best day by far with with a black wooley bugger dragged slowly between a light bottom and dark bottom. I caught a number of striped and LM bass in the 20 inch range.

John,

That's a fantastic fish and photo. I'm guessing your camera is on a tri-pod with a timer?

For me, earth colored worms work really well. I have been catching the hell out of bass with those things. Bass seem to bite everytime I am around, I'm not complaining!

I have had good luck with a 1/16 oz red and white skirted spinnerbait (Northland Tackle) with a 1-2" curlytail grub to add a little bulk. When they come in shallow on those first warm days it can be awesome. You can fish it very shallow with a steady retrieve or a lift and fall. I have taken bass up to 6 lbs every year. Of course I'm fishin' for crappies don't ya know cause bass don't open up here till da 23rd of May.