how do you guys do it

[brgbassmaster]

i see alot of people post pics of bass they caught from shore in the winter. just wondering how you guys do that. can you catch them shallow as long as there is enough cover like alot of brush or rocks? i am going tuesday im going to start with a small strike king watermelon bitsy bug jig. and my other two rods that im bringing i have a watermelon tube on a eighth ounce jig head. and also a yamamoto watermelon hula grub on a 1/4ounce chompers stand up jig head. theres alot of smallies in this lake so im hoping maybe there will be a few shallow the water is about 48-50 degrees? just wondering if its possible to catch some winter largemouth as long as there is the available cover? just this cabing fever is getting to me cant wait to go home to get the boat.

[Sam]

How do we do it?

Well, there are a lot of positions we can use....opps.  Sorry.  Off the subject.

Now, to answer your question about bank fishing.

Easy question - difficult answer depending on the type of lake or pond you are fishing.

Apply the rules of winter fishing found within the articles on this site or by going to some of the pros' web pages (Woo Daves, Ike, etc.) and read what they say about winter fishing.

Remember, the fish are staging off shore, probably along a drop off or a bank, and are just sitting there, waiting for the water to warm up.

They usually do not move far but they do move.

Baits?  I would try a black and blue or a black and chartruse jig and pig; a pointer; or a slow or dead-sticking Senko along the bottom.

Just read and experiment and have a good time.

[CJ]

It's location for me and the right day.

I normally fish by boat on a large lake.But in the winter I have a special place(when the time is right) that I went to today for about 2 hours.I caught a dozen or so.Biggest at 3 lbs. and that's as big as they get in the small river.I was fishing deep holes(about 6-8 ft.) and channels that had a hard bottom with brush and rocky spots.I was throwing a 6 in. finesse worm on a 1/8 oz. shakeyhead,past the deep spot and slowly dragging it off into the deep.They always hit it on or after the fall.

I think the key is that I may be fishing the deepest,hard bottom spots in that area of the river.Just 2 days ago the edges of the river were froze.The lows Friday morning were 10 degrees,but it got up to 50 today.The bite was light but the fish held on pretty good.

I say just keep it slow and try to find the right winter haunt you can access from the bank.

[RoLo]

I was fishing deep holes(about 6-8 ft.) and channels that had a hard bottom with brush and rocky spots.

I think CJ really summed it all up.

Water is the best insulator against atmospheric conditions, and bass behave as though they know that because they're deepest in winter.

The metabolism of bass is slower in winter than any other season, and bass behave as though they know that too.

During the wintertime, bass show a marked preference for structures with rapid depth change, where they expend fewer calories.

Sand bottoms are continually re-shaped by wave action, but a rock slope takes thousands of years to erode away.

It all dovetails together: Cold Water - Slow Metabolism - Deep Water - Steep Slope - Rock Bottom

Most weeds die to the ground in winter, so if you throw in woody cover you've got the Classic Winter Site

Roger

[Bassn Blvd]

I'm in Florida where it's in the upper 80's to mid 90's about 10 months out of the year.  It feels extremely cold to me when it gets into the 60's and 50's but I manage to find fish as long as it's been a stable temp for at least 2 days.  If the water temp (not air temp) drops more than 3-5* in one day then I find it not very productive until it's been at that temp for 2 or more days.  It was 70* out the other day which was about 10* cooler than couple days before and I was slaying them on top water Rapala about a foot from shore from 6 inches to 3 feet of water.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I was fishing deep holes(about 6-8 ft.) and channels that had a hard bottom with brush and rocky spots.

I think CJ really summed it all up.

Water is the best insulator against atmospheric conditions, and bass behave as though they know that because they're deepest in winter.

The metabolism of bass is slower in winter than any other season, and bass behave as though they know that too.

During the wintertime, bass show a marked preference for structures with rapid depth change, where they expend fewer calories.

Sand bottoms are continually re-shaped by wave action, but a rock slope takes thousands of years to erode away.

It all dovetails together: Cold Water - Slow Metabolism - Deep Water - Steep Slope - Rock Bottom

Most weeds die to the ground in winter, so if you throw in woody cover you've got the Classic Winter Site

Roger

With bank fishing in mind, would the steepest bank be a good shot?

The best places on our lake are the flats.  The have "decent drop off's some on as many as 3 sides but when reading Rolo's and CJ's replies, I am thinking of where the most aggressive gradient is in our lake and it's along a certain bank.  Lots of trash can size rocks that drop from the chunk rock shoreline to 18' within 15-20 ft from the bank.  Not a lot of structure out there to cast at but that's the quickest gradient and 18' is the avg "deep" water for our lake.  (Max is 25, avg is 11)

[CJ]

LBH,that is excactly where I would look.Not from shore so much,not that it wouldn't work.But I have patterned fish on steep chunk rock bluff/banks(especially where bluffs end or slides have formed blunt points),from boat.There are no vegetation in this resevoir during winter.

The same slow finesse techniques work good for me with a jig,tube,and shaky worm.But I am throwing from deep to shallow.Even cold bass have a hard time letting a jig fall,slowly right in front of their face.The big rocks allow for a simple yet very effective presentation.Just lightly pull the jig until it falls off the rock,then pause for a few seconds.I also throw jerkbaits,paralell to the banks in cold water.They seem to work better on Sunny days.

[Guest avid]

How do we do it?

Well, there are a lot of positions we can use....opps.  Sorry.  Off the subject.

Yo, Sam................you been testing the mod's delete key finger lately?

Gotta love it.

[Rob G.]

With water temps 48-50 degrees bass should be able to be caught. Most years when I start fishing the water is about 40 degrees.  I would also try a crankbait with water temps in that range.

[Boett43]

make sure you take atleast one shallow running smaller crankbait and a good jerkbait, my friend caught a 3 pound small mouth from shore on a shallow crankbait fishing of a big log in the water...just take that into your gameplan

[Red]

i fish a small golf course tank...i have been chucking out a jig as far as i can straight out from shore.....there is alot of timber on the bottom(i think its wood)...i just drag the jigs really slow, stop and let it sit for a while...shake it, whatever....but i think the key for me has been slow...i guess it is about 8-12 feet at the extent of my casts...gradually sloping up to the shore...i read somewhere on here that a big profile jig worked slow in winter is good....i am using a 5/16 eakins jig with a baby paca craw trailer....best color so far is missouri craw(brown, black and a strand or two of chart) with a watermelon red trailer

Cliff