Getting bass to bite when winter when water temps are approaching the freezing point is rarely easy.
For many years the thought of using any type of soft plastic bait during the winter was not even considered by most cold weather bass anglers!
With advancements in the manufacturing techniques of soft plastics as well as the introduction of finesse presentations like the drop shot, neko and ned rigs that has all changed.
Take a few minutes and watch as Falcon Rod bass pro Luke Palmer demonstrates his favorite finesse fishing techniques to trigger strikes from lethargic winter bass...
Over the years there has been lots of information produced on the influence of colors when you're bass fishing.
Most of that information pertains to how a bass sees colors and the best color palette for lures anglers use to entice and trigger strikes from our sometimes elusive prey.
But here's an interesting perspective from the "Bass Professor" Doug Hannon (R.I.P.) about his thoughts on how the color of his boat and clothes influenced his success at catching big bass from the clear waters of the Sunshine State!
Take a moment and watch what he has to say on the influence of colors above the water's surface on bass catching success...
I know I've always leaned towards natural colors on my vessel and tend to wear colors that blend with the surrounding environment; perhaps with good reason!
Crankbaits are fantastic baits for drawing strikes and catching active bass when feeding on a variety of forage such as shad, herring, perch, shiners and even crawfish. They are also very popular baits among structure fishermen thereby exposing the fish to the most common crankbait sizes for those staging along structural features like ledges, humps, points and deep flat edges.
Though bass sometimes get "conditioned" to certain crankbaits along these popular cranking environs, sometimes simply downsizing your crankbaits will help trigger more bass into striking in these pressured areas.
Take a moment and watch as Bassmaster Elite Pro Chris Zaldain explains his approach to effectively fishing crankbaits in pressured waters...
Even when you are fortunate to live in parts of the country where the water doesn't freeze during the winter, bass fishing when the water is below 40 degrees is usually tough.
That doesn't mean you can't have great days of bassin' during the winter but more often than not the bite is slow and days with 0 to a few bass crossing the gunwale are more the rule than the exception.
Take a moment and watch as 2022 Bassmaster Classic winner Jason Christie details his approach when fishing a new lake and water temps don't even make the 40 degree mark!
Definitely not a great day but one thing's certain; even on the days when the catching is almost nil there's still lessons to be learned to make future trips more productive :)
Football jigs are a popular choice among anglers for catching bass, especially in deeper waters or areas with rocky bottoms, especially where crawfish is a prevalent forage.
Here are some tips on how to choose the right football jig for your next bass fishing trip:
Weight: Choose a football jig that is heavy enough to get to the bottom quickly, but not so heavy that it gets snagged easily. Typically, a 1/2 to 3/4-ounce jig is a good starting point for deep water applications whereas 1/8 to 3/8-ounce jigs are great in the shallows .
Color: The color of the jig should mimic the color of the baitfish in the area you are fishing. Darker colors like black and brown work well in muddy waters, while lighter colors like green pumpkin and watermelon work well in clearer waters.
Skirt: The skirt of the jig should be made of silicone or living rubber, which provides a more natural movement in the water than synthetic materials. You can also choose a skirt with contrasting colors to make the jig stand out more in the water.
Trailer: Choose a soft plastic trailer that matches the color and size of the baitfish in the area. Crawfish, worms, and grubs are popular trailer options for football jigs.
Hook: Make sure the hook on your football jig is sharp and strong enough to handle the size of the bass in the area. Selecting a jig with a wide gap hook will also help improve your hook-up ratio.
Take a moment and watch as Pete from Omnia Fishing discusses his thoughts on things to consider when purchasing football jigs:
