Winter fishing

[Podel1234]

I am 15 and just started fishing over the summer, and this is my first winter/spring of fishing. I am just curious about what baits to use during the winter, moving from winter to spring, and spring fishing. I know there is no specific bait that is only used during certain times. Just wondering what works best during these times. Another question I have is soft bait color. Other that water color, what determines the right  color?

[MN Fisher]

 

14 minutes ago, Podel1234 said:

I am just curious about what baits to use during the winter, moving from winter to spring, and spring fishing. I know there is no specific bait that is only used during certain times. Just wondering what works best during these times. Another question I have is soft bait color. Other that water color, what determines the right  color?

Good place to start - of course a lot depends on where you're located at. What works for me in MN (once the ice is gone) may not work the same for you.

https://www.bassresource.com/seasonal-fishing-articles/

 

[TnRiver46]

I like a 2.5 inch berkley gulp minnow on an 1/8 oz round ball jig head in winter. Toss at the bank and let it pendulum back to the boat while Twitching the rod tip 

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

20 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

 

Good place to start - of course a lot depends on where you're located at. What works for me in MN (once the ice is gone) may not work the same for you.

https://www.bassresource.com/seasonal-fishing-articles/

 

Man I gotta second this.

 

These are not your run of the mill articles and many of them are more like the best of threads. I say start with fishing lures/jerkbaits. Seriously helped me up my game.

[Bluebasser86]

Whatever you choose, fish it slow, then slow it down.

 

I personally do best with baits like a shakyhead, suspending jerkbait, lipless crank, Ned rig, jig, and single Colorado bladed spinnerbait.

 

Don't get too hung up on soft plastic color. Better to have the wrong color in the right place, than the right color in the wrong place. Green pumpkin is always a solid choice, watermelons in clear water, blacks/purples in dark water/conditions. Very generalized there, but a starting point anyways.

[the reel ess]

The best winter advice I can give is, unless you live in Florida, don't get discouraged. I fished with a guide in FL Dec 27-28 and probably caught 100 fish. I came home and zeroed twice. I did finally get one on a jig. When winter fishing, often you're fishing fr just one or two bites. Maybe zero bites. Hang on, it'll warm up at some point.

[Catt]

Don't forget about finding shallow during winter!

 

Shallow water warms faster that deep water.

 

Wood heats up during sunny days as does riprap & concrete around boat launches.

[kayaking_kev]

I like the Ned Rig on clean bottoms and Jerkbaits and Lipless over vegetated bottoms with longer pauses on jerks.

 

Other than water clarity, the color of the forage fish determines the best color, but I usually just use Green Pumpkin or Black & Blue.

[Glenn]

 

[scaleface]

A couple of days into a warm spell Big bass will sometimes move shallow on sunny banks . I target steep banks. Fish in the afternoon . I personally like to throw a crankbait in a crayfish pattern . Parallel cast  the bank and retrieve excruciatingly slow .This is a good way to get a  lunker to bite.

 

 I like Arbogast Mudbugs but they are no longer available . A Wiggle Wart would be a good choice .

[Mr. Aquarium]

Shallow ponds are more affected by the weather. So that’s good and bad. 
the deep ponds are less affected.

 

shallow ponds warm up quicker but also cool faster. so during warming trends that shallow water will raise a few degrees getting the bass active. BUT!!!

 

those deep ponds are more stable. So during the cold weather a deep pond may be better then the shallows do to stable water. But then again. A shallow pond will have bass that will be easier to find. Are they hitting??? Only one way to find out.

 

deep ponds I like to fish more then the shallow ponds. Find some deep structure. Green weeds, rocks, humps, ledges etc.  I fish finesse baits. Hair jigs and blades mostly. 

[WhittyPoo]

I don’t fish that often in the winter. Hate the cold. But when I do I just throw a lipless crank. And if you’re on a budget you can get Cotton Cordells at Walmart for like 3 or 4 bucks. Chrome blue or chrome black.

[Quarry Man]

18 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Whatever you choose, fish it slow, then slow it down.

 

I personally do best with baits like a shakyhead, suspending jerkbait, lipless crank, Ned rig, jig, and single Colorado bladed spinnerbait.

 

Don't get too hung up on soft plastic color. Better to have the wrong color in the right place, than the right color in the wrong place. Green pumpkin is always a solid choice, watermelons in clear water, blacks/purples in dark water/conditions. Very generalized there, but a starting point anyways.

Good point friend, one of my focus points for this season is to focus more on technique than do I have the right worm or color, important stuff, but not as important as fishing where the fish are and how they want it presented.

[Tizi]

Small 2.8, 3.8 Keitech dragged SLOWLY on the bottom.  Another option is a Dark Sleeper in the 2.4 or 3 inch version.