Honey hole bass had lockjaw all winter until this secret bait

[wasabi_VA]

Sounds like a clickbait title for a youtube video, right? Well it’s not. But my honey hole pond that usually gives up nice winter bass has been terrible since cold set in by early December. All my usual baits and all the recommended cold weather baits didn’t help. Ned, dropshot, jigs, deep cranks, deep rolling spinnerbaits...so many skunked trips! Water temps in this 3 acre pond have been in upper 30’s low 40’s.  

 

I guess it was only a secret bait to me as i’ve never tried it for bass. I finally tried a blade bait and the pond then gave up a few bass. FINALLY! I vertical jigged it in the deepest areas (13 to 16’) wherever I could mark fish. Question - should I just be twitching it up 6” or giving a 2’ loft and flutter back? 

 

[papajoe222]

Either could work, give both a try. I'd start with the more subtle presentation first and even give the bait time to sit on the bottom prior to lifting. I've had bass pick them up off the bottom when the water was in the 30's.

No matter how high you lift it up, go just slow enough to feel the vibration and follow it back down with your rod tip.

[galyonj]

10 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

I've had bass pick them up off the bottom when the water was in the 30's.

 

My biggest skirted jig fish did exactly that. I never even knew I had something on until I tried to drag the lure a few more inches; I have no idea how long it'd been sitting there with that thing in its mouth. This was during a cold snap last winter with air temperature in the low 30s.

 

Bass are hard-pressed to turn down what looks an easy snack.