Arizona High Desert Bass "Winter" Fishing

[Ricardo Bgo]

As a newer bass angler, this current year has been a comedy of errors for me. I've had some success with frogs and top water walking lures.  Truly, my confidence bait has always been live worms but have become fascinated with lure presentation and the whole challenge of what makes a successful angler. So that said, I would love to hear some tips/techniques for bass fishing at altitudes of 4-5000 elevation on mostly sunny, slightly breezy days. Average temperatures here in Southern AZ are in the 60's during the "winter" months. I can't find average water temperatures though.

The lake I usually fish out here has some dense reeds and some pretty thick hydrilla mats. There are shad, bluegill, stocked trout, redear sunfish, and crappie. Reading numerous articles has me confused...I've read that bass tend to go deeper during the winter but it's Arizona...it's never winter here!

 

So any help would be appreciated.

[gulfcaptain]

Watch you water temps and adjust where needed.  Winter in warmer areas which stock trout when the water cools turns the bigger fish on to those larger swimbaits.  But at the same time you have fish that will follow the shad around and target the schools of bait.  So watch water temps, learn the patterns of your lakes (trial and error of what works and doesn't), if there is mats of hydrilla, target the "greener" live mats and stay away from the dying ones. Find the schools of bait and what depth they key in on and if you choose to try and target those larger "trout eaters" during winter, well thats a whole different topic and approach.

[Angry John]

Green weeds seem to be good all the time.  good cover and provide oxygen.

[brgbassmaster]

Glide baits all winter. Deps 250s, gancrafts, s wavers, islides, will all catch you bass through out the iwinter in phoenix. make sure and get trout colors, with the trout stocking all winter bass annihilate these baits. Some days you might not get bit and just get followers other days you might catch a 40lb sack. With a 10+lbr

[WRB]

The Southern AZ lake that I have fished was Parker Canyon back in the early 60's. The LMB were, are probably still are.  northern strain LMB in the 3 lb - 5 lb class.

I would stay with darker colored purple/blank/green  jigs and T-rigged soft plastics fish slowly and chartreuse/white spinnerbaits or buzz baits around the weed beds.

Tom

[Ricardo Bgo]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'll keep trying the trial and error. Everything that you guys have commented on are things that I've tried. I guess I just need to keep doing what I've been doing and eventually the trial and error will pay off.