As the water cools through the winter, bass continue to be less active and head to cover/structure near deeper water. One of the best places to find active bass during the colder months is along bluff walls and drop-offs.
Bluff walls are steep underwater cliffs and ledges that bass use for ambush points to attack schools of baitfish.
Here are some tips for fishing bluff walls and catching more winter bass:
Location - Use your electronics and maps to find bluff walls that drop into deep water. Focus on bluffs on main lake and river channel ledges and points. The bass will hold tight to the walls and break lines during winter. Irregularities along the bluff like rock points, small stair step ledges, rock slides or wood tangles are excellent holding spots for forage and winter bass.
Lures - Crankbaits and jerkbaits that can reach deeper depths work well for bluff fishing. Use lipless crankbaits, blade baits, spoons and suspending jerkbaits to fish the sides and irregular contours along bluff walls. Slow rolling spinnerbaits can also produce along bluffs. Use natural baitfish patterns like shad and perch.
Presentations - Make long casts parallel to the bluff walls and count the bait down to depth. Use a stop and go retrieve bouncing the lures down the contours. Also make fan casts to hit different spots on the wall. Switch up lures and retrieves until you trigger strikes.
Take a few minutes and watch as bass pro Luke Palmer describes his approach to probing bluff walls for hungry winter bass...
Be thorough and methodical in your approach. Bass will relate to subtle rock piles, depth changes and wood cover along bluff walls. Pay close attention to your electronics and mark productive spots to revisit later.
Fishing bluff walls is a go-to pattern for catching more bass when the water turns cold.
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