The Winter Slog

[BubbaBassin’]

As we drudge through the horrible toe nipping, finger freezing winter, I have a question for you Jig fanatics out there. How does your retreive vary throughout the various weather changes. Do you change your “cadence” in the winter? 

[Paul Roberts]

I do. For me, the basics are (and with all lures):

 

-Motion to attract attention.

-Pauses to let them know it's worth chasing.

-Motions, again, that can act as triggers.

 

As you can imagine there are a lot of variations that can be applied to this basic theme. These variations are greatly influenced by environmental conditions and circumstances.

[Mobasser]

In colder water I always move my jig slower. Occasional pause, and slow lift and fall. Less has always worked best in colder water for me

[TnRiver46]

Just draaaaaaaaagggg it as slow as you can. The current and wind and trolling motor and living rubber or big mop will do the rest. They will eat it just like a jerkbait sometimes, sitting completely still and whammy.  Other times they bite it without you realizing it, just have to experiment. Clear deep water smallies in cold water—- take a hair jig or jig head with gulp minnow and toss it out. Let out some slack after it splashes down and close the bail. DONT DO ANYTHING ELSE AT ALL until you get a bite , in which case the fun starts. I don’t know if that counts as jig fishing but it’s a hair jig and they eat it on the pendulum swing 

[Paul Roberts]

7 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

 Occasional pause, and slow lift and fall. Less has always worked best in colder water for me

Ditto. Seems they are less, or un-, willing to chase. So reducing horizontal motion is critical.

5 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

... sitting completely still and whammy 

Letting the bait lie "dead" after some motion, can be a deadly trigger during winter. Sometimes, esp during really cold periods, it's the only trigger.

[Bluebasser86]

I mainly drag them in the winter months. 

[Bankbeater]

I move my jig a lot slower this time of year.  If the bottom is fairly clear then I'll drag it along, but if there is timber or rocks, then I'll hop it slowly and let it sit a little while.   In the winter the bass around here like to hit the bait once and then move off and watch it for a few seconds.  When I feel a bump I'll deadstick the jig and after 5 or 10 seconds I'll see the line start to move off.  I won't feel a thing except for that first bump.