Fishing In The Winter.

[Bpett2552]

Hey guys,

Winter is rapidly approaching where I live and I've never fished during the winter. What type of structure should I be fishing and what type of lures should I be using to catch bass during the dead of winter?

[WRB]

Are you a boat angler?

What type of lake or river do you usually fish at?

Bass are warm water fish and will seek the warmest water availble that provides a food source.

Bass being a cold blooded animal thier body temperature is the same as the water they are in, this means their metabolism slows down, but doesn't stop the still must eat to survive.

You lures should be selected the same as any other seasonal period; look and act like something the bass is feeding on. Terrestrial critters are few and far between during the cold water period. Baitfish are schooled up and located in the mid water column or around any aquatic cover that maybe be available. Crawdads go deeper and hide in rocks, stumps, clay when the aquatic cover isn't available.

You need to located where the bass are at and that is usually where the prey source is located.

Select lures that bass don't have to chase a distance to strike, close and slower at the same depth the are located works.

Tom

[fish devil]

Traps, jigs. Jerk baits as it gets colder(45 degree) water temps. Blade baits, hair jigs when water temps are in the 30's.

[sprint61]

Points and channel banks with jigs.

[Bluebasser86]

Deep water near where you caught them last in the fall. Channel swing banks, bluff walls, anywhere they can move vertically quickly. Banks that get a lot of the afternoon sun (northern side of the lake), tend to be a degree or two warmer. 

 

Jigs, jerkbaits, jigging spoons, and shakyheads are usually good options during the winter. 

[Josh Smith]

I am also going year round this year, as much as I can, anyway. Last year the rivers froze here in Northern Indiana and I had to stop.

I plan to use jigs, spoons and jerks. Anything that can be made to imitate dying baitfish.

My biggest challenge will be slowing down. It's essential to do so, but man, it's hard. I've never understood why a bass will strike a deadsticked jerkbait, for example. I wasn't raised like that.

Swap notes as the winter progresses?

Josh

[murphy13]

In Ohio nothing catches bass like tube jigs and single tail grubs.... They smash these until the freeze.

[Mainebass1984]

I have good luck fishing a blade bait near steep drop offs with a gravel, ledge, boulder or hardened clay bottom. It is difficult to out fish a blade bait in cold water. You will get more bites then other baits. Smallmouth absolutely love this bait. If there are schools of baitfish near by you will catch fish. I fish until everything freezes thick enough so my boat cant break through the ice anymore. Once the ice is safe enough to walk on I ice fish for bass with lures.

[salmotrutta]

I mostly use rat l traps ripped off the bottom or the other extreme a Kietech Swing impact slowly swam off the bottom. Most times between 12 to 20 FOW. near a dropoff.

[atown angler]

If you're in Easton try venturing over to the Delaware river.