When we talk about ice-out bass fishing in the Northeast, we're talking cold water, and believe me, it’s specialty fishing. In short, you must really want to do it, or there's no point in reading any further. Now, for those of you still with me, we're going to review what to wear, where to find these fish, and review five lures and setups that will help get you bit during this cold-water period.

Dress for the Conditions

First and foremost, remember the acronym C.O.L.D. Wear Clean clothes, don't Overheat, dress in Layers, and try to stay Dry. You can always remove layers if you get too hot, but insufficient clothing makes it hard to stay warm. Nothing ends an ice-out trip faster than wet clothes or cold hands and feet.

I prefer finger-tip wool gloves that allow me to feel my line while covering 90% of exposed skin, and they still provide warmth if moist or wet from casting. Other required items include waterproof boots, a cap with a bill, a wool cap to wear over it, and polarized glasses.

Where to Start Fishing in Early Spring

I've had success, starting my search in the northwest corners on most ponds, lakes or reservoirs. This area of water usually warms the fastest after ice out, and if you can find good hard cover (rock or wood), it's a big-time bonus.

Oftentimes the bass will be relating to deep water structural elements (rock piles, ledges, humps or the ends of secondary points) nearest spawning flats they intend to use in the next 60-90 days.

I’ve found that by using my side-imagining unit I can quickly identify these areas and see if any fish are present. Remember, these fish have had a lid over them for the past 4-6 months and once the water opens, they're going to feed in anticipation of the annul spawn that's just around the corner.

Ideal Depth and Migration Routes

As far as the ideal depth is concerned, it's a relative thing depending on how deep your lakes are and where you're fishing. Usually starting offshore, in 15- to 20-foot, adjacent to spawning flats is reliable.

Once I identify where the fish are holding, I scout around that general area looking for the migration routes out of the deeper water onto the spawning flat. It might be a slight rock vein or old roadbed, perhaps a ridge that climbs up onto the flat or maybe a ditch or cut that comes out of the deeper water up onto the flat or one of last year's submerged weed beds.

Not to oversimplify it, but I've always treated this cold to warm-water migration much the same as when I go anywhere; I usually have a target destination, and I arrive there by traveling known routes along the path of least resistance. Think of the points, ledges, ditches, cuts or weed beds as sidewalks, not unlike if you or I were going to a store or restaurant. We don't park our car hop out and then wander around the parking lot; instead, don't we usually select a route, walk straight to the building, open the door, and go inside?

Well, it's generally the same thing for the bass; they're looking to feed up before they spawn, so, rather than meandering all over the water column spending needless energy, they too will take an easily identifiable path to get to the prime areas. In this situation, it's food and warmer water they seek.

Once you've located these migration routes, then it's just a matter of monitoring them as the water continues to warm, and the fish begin to use them more. Once the fish get up onto the flats, horizontal baits will produce the most fish, with the quality fish usually coming on vertical baits that fall and stay right in front of fish's face.

Best 5 Lures for Early Spring Bass Fishing

1. Blade Bait (Deep-Water)

For those deep-water fish, it's hard to beat a blade bait like a Steelshad (3/8 or 1/2 oz). For this presentation I like to use 7'3" medium power, moderate fast action rod, paired with a 7.2:1 reel spooled with 12- to 15-pound fluorocarbon.

It's a good vertical presentation that allows you to cover water quickly and generate a bite that you can duplicate in similar areas of the lake. I start the presentation with a long cast toward the fish holding area and work it back to the boat hopping it along the bottom with short 12- to 18-inch pops of the rod tip. On the lift, you'll feel a violent vibration, just stop the lift and hold for a second, and on the fall just follow the lure back down on a semi-tight line with your rod tip.

Most hits occur on the drop, so be a line watcher, but sometimes they strike just as you lift the blade up off the bottom. If that doesn't generate a strike, then try changing the length of your hop, either go shorter or possibly a tad longer.Rod & Reel: 7'3" Assegai (Blade Runner) medium moderate fast rod, Al-Ti Elite baitcaster 7.2:1 

Line: 12–15 lb fluorocarbon

2. Gulp Minnow on Mooneye Jig

Another great deep-water presentation is rigging some Berkley gulp minnow on a VMC Mooneye Jig, position your boat directly over the fish and keep the bait about a foot above where you mark them on the graph. I know this sounds goofy, but do not work the bait. Instead, rely on the natural motion of the boat on the waves to give it the slightest amount of movement.

Until I tried this technique, I didn't believe it, but this do-nothing method will get you bit. For this presentation I use a 7'2" medium power fast action rod paired with a size 2000 spinning reel spooled with 8-pound Destron Braid and about a 36” section of 8-pound fluorocarbon leader. I start with a 3/8 oz. jig head and might drop down to 1/4 oz.

Rod & Reel: Royale Legend Pro 7'2" medium power fast action rod, Royale Legend Pro size 2000 spinning reel

Line: 8 lb Destron Braid with 36” 8 lb fluorocarbon leader

3. Suspending Jerkbait (8–10 ft Zone)

As the fish start moving into that 8-to 10-foot zone, it's a good bet the Jerkbait will do most of the heavy lifting on any given day. Remember those weed beds we talked about earlier, this is where the suspending jerkbait rules. Baitfish are still in and around those weed beds, and the suspending jerkbait gets right in their face and just sits there daring them to bite it, and most often they will.

Again, we're talking about cold water, so you'll need to keep your movements slow and subtle. I start with a long cast, give it about six or seven cranks to get the bait down, then give it a slight twitch and let it sit for an eight to twelve count. Reel up any slack line, give the bait one or two light twitches, and again let it set. If this doesn't generate a strike, then I'll increase the pause from the 12 count to maybe 15 or 20.

However, if I find I'm generating follows but no strikes, then I usually drop down in lure size, and that seems to work. There are a ton of jerkbaits to choose from, and I happen to like the Bill Lewis Scope Stik (100 or 120), so that's what I use.

However, having said that the most important thing is depth control and the lure's ability to stay where it is in the water column once you stop the retrieve. For this presentation I use 6'8" medium power fast action rod paired with a 7.2.1 reel spooled with 10- or 12-pound fluorocarbon.Rod & Reel: Royale Legend Pro 6'8" medium fast action rod, Mg-Ti Elite baitcaster 7.2:1 

Line: 10–12 lb fluorocarbon

4. Boot Tail Swimbait (Shallow Water <6 ft)

As the fish start to occupy areas shallower than 6 feet, I've enjoyed good success with a boot tail swimbait in the 2.8 – 3.5 sizes. There are a bunch out there to choose from, but I prefer the Big Bite Baits Suicide Shad. I've found keeping it simple works best for me, so I use three basic colors — White, Shad or Black.

I rig these swimbaits on 1/8 or 3/16 oz. jig head (size 2 hook) and fish them on a slow, steady retrieve. For this presentation I use 7' medium rod paired with a size 2000 or 3000 spinning reel spooled with 6 lb. Destron Braid and a 36" section of 8 lb. fluorocarbon leader.Rod & Reel: 7' Assegai (Core Spinning) Medium rod, Skeet Reese size 3000 spinning reel

Line: 6 lb Destron Braid, 36" 8 lb fluorocarbon leader

5. Swim Jig (Dual-Purpose)

Another nice dual-purpose bait this time of year is the swim jig. I like Buckeye Lures Brush Panda 3/8 oz. in three colors, white, green pumpkin and black/blue. For the trailer I use a Zoom Twin Tail grub (Fat Albert) matching the jig colors.

This is a great search bait for scouring the flats and if you see following fish, simply let the lure fall to the bottom, and the fish will usually nose down on it. As they go to it, just give it a short twitch and they'll hit it, and if not, just start a normal retrieve and they'll usually grab it.

The other nice thing about the swim jig is if you come across a weed bed you can pitch or flip it in there and work the cover the same as you would with a standard jig & pig.  For this presentation I use a 7'2" medium power fast action rod paired with a 8.0:1 reel spooled with 20-lb. Destron Braid with a 48" section of 17 lb. fluorocarbon leader.Rod & Reel: 7'2" Royale Legend Pro medium power fast action rod, Royale Legend Pro 8.0:1 baitcaster

Line: 20 lb Destron Braid, 48" 17 lb fluorocarbon leader

I think if you dress accordingly and give these lures and setups a try, then you'll likely be surprised at just how many bites you can generate when chasing ice-out bass.
In closing, remember cold-water conditions are no joke and require a clear head. Take a cell phone with you and let someone know where you're going and how long you'll be out and be sure to let them know when you're safely off the water.

Learn more about spring fishing articles

Best Northern Pike Fishing Lures for Early Spring

How to Catch Perch in the Spring: Yellow Perch Fishing Techniques

Three Best Pre-Spawn Bass Fishing Baits For Late Winter and Early Spring

About the Author

Captain Burnie Haney is owner/operator of New York Fishing Adventures, Army veteran and retired Sergeant Major with a 38-year military career. A tournament bass angler since 1992, he has won five Angler of the Year titles, set the NYTBF five-fish weight record, and qualified for two National Championships. Burnie holds two International Game Fish Association (IGFA) New York State line class records (walleye and smallmouth bass) and the IGFA All Tackle Length World Record for Chain Pickerel. He is a lifetime member of B.A.S.S. and member of the New York State Outdoor Writers' Association. Haney was inducted into the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame in 2017. Today, Burnie focuses on multi-species seasonal fishing adventures.