Winter lure size?

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

So I was reading a few articles and a lot of them say Go big when it comes to lures in the winter and the theory for this is that the bass want to feed on something worth the calories burned to get it.

OR

Other articles were saying go finesse because their metabolism decreases and the need for food is way less

I wanted to hear yalls thoughts and ideas on this.

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

So I was reading a few articles and a lot of them say Go big when it comes to lures in the winter and the theory for this is that the bass want to feed on something worth the calories burned to get it.

OR

Other articles were saying go finesse because their metabolism decreases and the need for food is way less

I wanted to hear yalls thoughts and ideas on this.

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

So I was reading a few articles and a lot of them say Go big when it comes to lures in the winter and the theory for this is that the bass want to feed on something worth the calories burned to get it.

OR

Other articles were saying go finesse because their metabolism decreases and the need for food is way less

I wanted to hear yalls thoughts and ideas on this.

[SeanW]

There is no golden rules in fishing. Generally speaking smaller will get bit more often then not. However there are winter days when the bigger bulkier baits really shine. Ya just have to try both and always keep that big bulky jig on hand. I usually down size my swimbaits until January.

[SeanW]

There is no golden rules in fishing. Generally speaking smaller will get bit more often then not. However there are winter days when the bigger bulkier baits really shine. Ya just have to try both and always keep that big bulky jig on hand. I usually down size my swimbaits until January.

[SeanW]

There is no golden rules in fishing. Generally speaking smaller will get bit more often then not. However there are winter days when the bigger bulkier baits really shine. Ya just have to try both and always keep that big bulky jig on hand. I usually down size my swimbaits until January.

[Shane J]

For me, it seems smaller is better when the water is 45 degrees or under. That being said, this winter I plan on trying bigger profile jigs for bigger fish, and see how that goes.

[Shane J]

For me, it seems smaller is better when the water is 45 degrees or under. That being said, this winter I plan on trying bigger profile jigs for bigger fish, and see how that goes.

[Shane J]

For me, it seems smaller is better when the water is 45 degrees or under. That being said, this winter I plan on trying bigger profile jigs for bigger fish, and see how that goes.

[WdyCrankbait]

I agree with the go big theory.  I have recently caught bass (Thursday) that were in less then 3 feet of water.  My point is, I was throwing a 1/2oz. 3-1/8" jerkbait, not something small.  (I feel pretty safe in saying the water was about 50 degrees.) I think the bigger lure puts off more vibrations in the water to sturr their interest.

But, having said that, I am not a bass pro, KVD should not fear me, hahah!

[WdyCrankbait]

I agree with the go big theory.  I have recently caught bass (Thursday) that were in less then 3 feet of water.  My point is, I was throwing a 1/2oz. 3-1/8" jerkbait, not something small.  (I feel pretty safe in saying the water was about 50 degrees.) I think the bigger lure puts off more vibrations in the water to sturr their interest.

But, having said that, I am not a bass pro, KVD should not fear me, hahah!

[WdyCrankbait]

I agree with the go big theory.  I have recently caught bass (Thursday) that were in less then 3 feet of water.  My point is, I was throwing a 1/2oz. 3-1/8" jerkbait, not something small.  (I feel pretty safe in saying the water was about 50 degrees.) I think the bigger lure puts off more vibrations in the water to sturr their interest.

But, having said that, I am not a bass pro, KVD should not fear me, hahah!

[DTack]

SeanW said it best, there is no golden rule in fishing.

How many times could we have possibly missed a bite because we were playing by the books?  I say go for it fish hard fish for fish that you know are there and don't be afraid to experiment.  I have gotten on some bites that I would never believe if someone else tried to tell me they did it haha, but hey you gotta go for it sometime. 

[DTack]

SeanW said it best, there is no golden rule in fishing.

How many times could we have possibly missed a bite because we were playing by the books?  I say go for it fish hard fish for fish that you know are there and don't be afraid to experiment.  I have gotten on some bites that I would never believe if someone else tried to tell me they did it haha, but hey you gotta go for it sometime. 

[DTack]

SeanW said it best, there is no golden rule in fishing.

How many times could we have possibly missed a bite because we were playing by the books?  I say go for it fish hard fish for fish that you know are there and don't be afraid to experiment.  I have gotten on some bites that I would never believe if someone else tried to tell me they did it haha, but hey you gotta go for it sometime. 

[Ima Bass Ninja]

There is no golden rules in fishing. Generally speaking smaller will get bit more often then not. However there are winter days when the bigger bulkier baits really shine. Ya just have to try both and always keep that big bulky jig on hand. I usually down size my swimbaits until January.

I agree with this..I will usually throw smaller lures to get some bites and then try something bigger for that "kicker" fish

[Ima Bass Ninja]

There is no golden rules in fishing. Generally speaking smaller will get bit more often then not. However there are winter days when the bigger bulkier baits really shine. Ya just have to try both and always keep that big bulky jig on hand. I usually down size my swimbaits until January.

I agree with this..I will usually throw smaller lures to get some bites and then try something bigger for that "kicker" fish

[Ima Bass Ninja]

There is no golden rules in fishing. Generally speaking smaller will get bit more often then not. However there are winter days when the bigger bulkier baits really shine. Ya just have to try both and always keep that big bulky jig on hand. I usually down size my swimbaits until January.

I agree with this..I will usually throw smaller lures to get some bites and then try something bigger for that "kicker" fish

[BigEbass]

Yeah, there is no golden rule, BUT....

There is truth to the idea that bigger baits draw the fish up...

I was fishing with my neighbor saturday over 40 feet of water near an inlet of the lake - there were bass that had blown up on some shad way out there a few times - couldnt get them to take traditional offerings, got a strike on a small spook only when there was a blow up right closeby and got that bait right near and working to the blow up...got a strike, missed....could not for 20 minutes thereafter call up another bite....

Put on the lunker punker and 3-4 casts later working it very erratic - pulled up a 3.2 lb spot - he had 2/3 bait in his mouth!  10 min later, another GOOD spot hit right at the boat - missed him though as I had turned my head to look at the depth finder at the WRONG TIME.

Anyway...if you talk to the experienced big bait guys, they will tell you that big baits draw fish, but they do not always spell strikes, there is no "golden rule" for sure...but there will be certainly times when their drawing power will have its place I am sure.....

At the same time, I think a small spoon, float n fly, or a hair jig are just likely killer winter tactics as well....just get out there and let those bass tell ya....thats what I did saturday and was rewarded and I plan on keeping the big bait close by and continuing to learn when to key in on that bite....

My more skeptical neighbor was floored when those big spot blew up on that big hunk of wood on top 

[BigEbass]

Yeah, there is no golden rule, BUT....

There is truth to the idea that bigger baits draw the fish up...

I was fishing with my neighbor saturday over 40 feet of water near an inlet of the lake - there were bass that had blown up on some shad way out there a few times - couldnt get them to take traditional offerings, got a strike on a small spook only when there was a blow up right closeby and got that bait right near and working to the blow up...got a strike, missed....could not for 20 minutes thereafter call up another bite....

Put on the lunker punker and 3-4 casts later working it very erratic - pulled up a 3.2 lb spot - he had 2/3 bait in his mouth!  10 min later, another GOOD spot hit right at the boat - missed him though as I had turned my head to look at the depth finder at the WRONG TIME.

Anyway...if you talk to the experienced big bait guys, they will tell you that big baits draw fish, but they do not always spell strikes, there is no "golden rule" for sure...but there will be certainly times when their drawing power will have its place I am sure.....

At the same time, I think a small spoon, float n fly, or a hair jig are just likely killer winter tactics as well....just get out there and let those bass tell ya....thats what I did saturday and was rewarded and I plan on keeping the big bait close by and continuing to learn when to key in on that bite....

My more skeptical neighbor was floored when those big spot blew up on that big hunk of wood on top 

[BigEbass]

Yeah, there is no golden rule, BUT....

There is truth to the idea that bigger baits draw the fish up...

I was fishing with my neighbor saturday over 40 feet of water near an inlet of the lake - there were bass that had blown up on some shad way out there a few times - couldnt get them to take traditional offerings, got a strike on a small spook only when there was a blow up right closeby and got that bait right near and working to the blow up...got a strike, missed....could not for 20 minutes thereafter call up another bite....

Put on the lunker punker and 3-4 casts later working it very erratic - pulled up a 3.2 lb spot - he had 2/3 bait in his mouth!  10 min later, another GOOD spot hit right at the boat - missed him though as I had turned my head to look at the depth finder at the WRONG TIME.

Anyway...if you talk to the experienced big bait guys, they will tell you that big baits draw fish, but they do not always spell strikes, there is no "golden rule" for sure...but there will be certainly times when their drawing power will have its place I am sure.....

At the same time, I think a small spoon, float n fly, or a hair jig are just likely killer winter tactics as well....just get out there and let those bass tell ya....thats what I did saturday and was rewarded and I plan on keeping the big bait close by and continuing to learn when to key in on that bite....

My more skeptical neighbor was floored when those big spot blew up on that big hunk of wood on top 

[senile1]

How you approach winter fishing is different depending on the region. The OP is in Georgia. I am in Northern Missouri. Winter fishing for me involves fishing in lakes with coves frozen over and water temperatures as low as 33 - 35 degrees. The warmer water at the bottom of the water column is about 39 degrees. In the dead of Winter the vast majority of the time I have to locate the fish and drop the bait in close proximity to the fish or I won't get a bite. There are days that are unseasonably warm where I may be able to do something different but generally this is the way it is. Lure size can vary. Sometimes large baits work but many times smaller baits are better. In the southern tier of states the water temperatures will be warmer and this should open up the playbook a little more, so to speak.

[senile1]

How you approach winter fishing is different depending on the region. The OP is in Georgia. I am in Northern Missouri. Winter fishing for me involves fishing in lakes with coves frozen over and water temperatures as low as 33 - 35 degrees. The warmer water at the bottom of the water column is about 39 degrees. In the dead of Winter the vast majority of the time I have to locate the fish and drop the bait in close proximity to the fish or I won't get a bite. There are days that are unseasonably warm where I may be able to do something different but generally this is the way it is. Lure size can vary. Sometimes large baits work but many times smaller baits are better. In the southern tier of states the water temperatures will be warmer and this should open up the playbook a little more, so to speak.

[senile1]

How you approach winter fishing is different depending on the region. The OP is in Georgia. I am in Northern Missouri. Winter fishing for me involves fishing in lakes with coves frozen over and water temperatures as low as 33 - 35 degrees. The warmer water at the bottom of the water column is about 39 degrees. In the dead of Winter the vast majority of the time I have to locate the fish and drop the bait in close proximity to the fish or I won't get a bite. There are days that are unseasonably warm where I may be able to do something different but generally this is the way it is. Lure size can vary. Sometimes large baits work but many times smaller baits are better. In the southern tier of states the water temperatures will be warmer and this should open up the playbook a little more, so to speak.

[SeanW]

How you approach winter fishing is different depending on the region. The OP is in Georgia. I am in Northern Missouri. Winter fishing for me involves fishing in lakes with coves frozen over and water temperatures as low as 33 - 35 degrees. The warmer water at the bottom of the water column is about 39 degrees. In the dead of Winter the vast majority of the time I have to locate the fish and drop the bait in close proximity to the fish or I won't get a bite. There are days that are unseasonably warm where I may be able to do something different but generally this is the way it is. Lure size can vary. Sometimes large baits work but many times smaller baits are better. In the southern tier of states the water temperatures will be warmer and this should open up the playbook a little more, so to speak.

    This is true to a point. However a bass is still a bass no matter where you live.. Here in California our water may get down to the mid 40's. Depending on the species(spots, LM, SM) has more to do with catching then anything other. Spots are much more aggressive and you can catch them a variety of ways. LM on the other hand are a different story, but they can still be caught. The colder water slows the metabolism, but they still need to eat, and an easy meal is usually what they will take in the winter.

   Dead sticking bigger baits can be deadly at this time. There are always fish around or in grass. Dieing and decaying vegetation creates warmth and often a food source. Its a great place to fish a big jig and trailer combo.

Then again Ive caught plenty on steep rocky banks on a one ton jig fished fast in a lift drop manner.

  That said I find that I usually have several rods rigged with smaller finesse stuff, and 2 rods with bigger offerings. My biggest winter fish have all come on swimbaits. Then again Ive caught fish over 8lbs on a 4.5in drop shot worm as well.