Winter Baits?

[Basser1]

    I've been fishin' in a pond a ways from my house all year, and done decent all the time(well, mostly) and now am stumped as to what to use in winter conditions. I know their catchable, but how do ya do it?? :-?

[BassFishingMachine]

Small 1 1/2 - 2inch suspending rapalas, fished VERY VERY slowly.

[bilgerat]

Yo-Zuri Pins Minnow- the 2 3/4" version has a weight transfer system which is nothing more than a couple of steel balls that "fling" to the rear of the lure on the cast, which makes for a longer cast. On the retrieve, they rattle. The action on them is great. Best thrown on light tackle, I'd say no more than 6lb test line.

[Basser1]

           Thanks guys!! By small suspending rapalas, do you mean a husky jerk,BassFishingMachine?? Also, what colors?? The water is extremely clear.

[Micro]

I'm catching fish on silver husky jerks.   Today and yesterday I bank fished a quiet shallow cove and saw quite a bity of surface action around some floating weed mats.  I caught some decent bass and some hefty pickerel on silve husky jerks with black backs.  

[Matt Jungblut]

jigs and deep diving minnow lures worked best for me

i will post my pics of fish i got 2 day

[Trick Worm]

I wouldn't exactly say its winter here but I caught 3 today on a strike king spinner bait white with bleeding trails in the skirt. I think the spinner bait is probably my favorite cold weather bait. I keep reading articles saying you can still find shallow bass in the winter.

[wigglewart]

BFM is right on with small suspending rapalas.I use husky jerks and pointers.Let the fish tell you how to retrieve and the size.couple turns of your reel will get the bait down.Pause, then twitch or slowly pull the bait with your rod only. then reel up slack.repeat til lure is back to you.Silver on clearer days and tennessee shad is what I like on overcast days.8 to 10 lb test line.I prefer spinning outfit.Most of the time not a real aggressive bite.The bass will usually eat the lure on the pause.Might feel like a weed is on your bait,set the hook! Could be a big old fatty, has been my experience.Have done well with a #5 shadrap also this time of year.Slow steady retrieve. Good Luck! Hope it helps

[MALTESE FALCON]

I have alot of success with Rapala Husky Jerks in the cold water. Size HJo6 and HJ08 work best for me. Tennessee Shad and Silver Blue are good colors.

Falcon

[Pitchinkid]

I wouldn't exactly say its winter here but I caught 3 today on a strike king spinner bait white with bleeding trails in the skirt. I think the spinner bait is probably my favorite cold weather bait. I keep reading articles saying you can still find shallow bass in the winter.

X2   i love spinnerbaits in winter. or when the water is in the 40's and usually crawl a football jig or yo yo a silver buddy when its below 40

[T-rig]

T-rig with 3-4" creatures/craws fished veeery slowly (and I mean sloooow) on the bottom.

I didn't catch any huge fish last winter but I caught fish.

[senile1]

The water temperatures have dropped into the mid to upper 40s in the stained smaller lakes I fish. For those I am having my best November fishing the following:

Black/Blue 3/8th oz GMAN jig with Black or Black/Blue Yum chunk (Drag it extremely slowly, stopping at times for more than 30 seconds, tiny hops after hitting obstacles. Fishing 10 - 20 ft deep and pitching to brush and docks in the shallows.)

Booyah chartreuse spinnerbait with single number 3 or 4 gold colorado blade (slow rolled or yo-yo'd).

The larger lakes I fish are still in the 50s and I'm having luck with jigs, husky jerks, and LC pointers, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits.

When water temperatures reach the 30s, break out the spoons.

[Basser1]

Thanks guys!! What line  size?? 4, 6, 8 :-?

[EastTexasBassin]

In winter I use jigs and soft plastics almost exclusively.  GYCB FLappin hogs and Kreatures are my first choices.  Fish them extremely slow, with long pauses between movements.

I don't use anything less than 20lb test line.  (ever!)  Lots of submerged timber where I fish.

[T-rig]

Thanks guys!! What line size?? 4, 6, 8 :-?

In winter I use a spinning outfit with 20lb. braid and a 6' 15lb. FC leader.

[senko_77]

Spro McStick fished on 6-8lb flourocarbon with a spinning outfit.  Your gonna catch fish all winter long with this setup