So you've tied on your lucky crankbait, cast to your favorite spot, and...nothing. Minutes turn to hours, and the only thing tugging on your line is frustration. Sound familiar?
Here's the secret weapon you might be overlooking: adaptability.
Bass, like all creatures, are fickle. Their preferences shift throughout the day, influenced by changing light, water temperature, and even the mood of the moment. Sticking to one bait, no matter how "hot" it is, can leave you stuck in a bite-less rut.
There aren't to many anglers who have spent more time on the water chasing bass than TV bass fishing celebrity Jimmy Houston. Take a few minutes and watch as Jimmy explains his approach to changing baits throughout the day and put more bass in the boat...
When it comes to bass fishing in winter with water temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the "best" time of day isn't as straightforward as warmer months.
Bass become less active in colder water, so the timing becomes more situational than predictable. However, here are some factors to consider to maximize your chances of success:
Sun exposure:
Midday: When the sun is highest, it warms shallow areas slightly and increases visibility, potentially activating lethargic bass for brief periods.
Late afternoon: The warm surface layer from midday might linger for a while, creating pockets of slightly warmer water that could attract bass.
Forage activity patterns:
Dawn and dusk: These times sometimes see increased feeding activity from baitfish that bass prey upon. Targeting areas near baitfish concentrations during these periods can be productive.
Weather conditions:
Sunny vs. cloudy: Warm, sunny days can offer a slight edge over cloudy ones due to the aforementioned surface water warming.
Wind: Moderate winds can stir up the water, potentially bringing oxygen and prey to areas where bass are holding. But strong winds can make fishing difficult.
Overall, when fishing in cold water, remember:
Focus on areas with potential bass hiding spots: Sunken logs, rocks, docks, and weed edges hold heat and offer ambush cover for prey.
Slow down your presentation: Use finesse techniques like Carolina rigs, drop shots, and small jigs with minimal movement.
Experiment with bait color and size: Some colors stand out more in cold, murky water, and smaller baits might be more enticing to sluggish bass.
Bass pro Randy Blaukat has his own thoughts regarding the best time to be on the water for a successful day of winter bassin' as hes duscusses in the following video...
Remember, the best time to fish may vary depending on your specific location, waterbody characteristics, and weather conditions on any given day. Experimenting with different times and adjusting your approach based on the factors mentioned above can help you find success even in the coldest winter months.
When the winter bass bite gets tough, one productive type of cover to target dormant largemouth and spotted bass is in brush piles. Using jigs is an effective technique to entice cold, winter bass that are usually holding tight to cover in deeper water or at least close to it.
The Ideal Brush Pile
Focus your efforts on brush piles located off main lake points, at the mouths of creeks, or along channel swings in major coves or suts. Submerged brush piles located in about 10-25 feet of water are considered prime winter habitat. The best piles have a mix of branches and occasional stumps or logs that bass can tuck into waiting to ambush unsuspecting forage.
Gearing Up Properly
A 7’ heavy power, fast action rod with a high speed reel spooled up with 15 to 25 lb test fluorocarbon line makes it easier to muscle bass out of thick woody cover. Tie on a 1⁄2 oz. or heavier bass jig in black blue, brown, or green pumpkins colors tipped with a chunk-style trailer. The combination of heavier jig and line makes it easier to saty in contact with the jig and also reduces snags in the brush.
Finessing Your Presentation
Position your boat upwind and make long casts past the edges of the brush pile. Let your jig sink to the depth of the cover and work with a slow, dragging retrieve mixing in occasional hops. Watch your line for any ticks indicating a strike. When you make contact with a branch, slowly pull and pop your jig free, letting it fall back to the strike zone. Concentrate on thoroughly working all parts of the brush pile.
Set the Hook!
The light tap of a bite can quickly change to the weight of a solid bass rapidly inhaling the jig. Be ready to set the hook quickly but not too aggressively to ensure a solid hook set and not pull the jigs away from lethargic bass. Use a heavy power, fact action rod to expertly guide the bass away from the snag filled pile.
North Carolina bass pro Brandon Card relies on his jig fishing system for enticing and extracting winter bass from offshore brush piles. Take a few moments and watch as Brandon explains his process to locating and catching sluggish winter bass from his favorite deep water tangles...
Waking or bulging a spinnerbait is a presentation used to retrieve a spinnerbait just below the surface of the water. This retrieve creates a wake or bulge often attracting bass since it mimics fleeing baitfish. This technique is most effective when bass are feeding actively and are close to the surface, particularly in shallow water.
To wake or bulge a spinnerbait, you will need to use a rod with a medium-heavy power and fast action along with a reel with a high gear ratio (> 6:1). You will also need to use an appropriately balanced spinnerbait with a mag willow leaf, Indiana or Colorado blade, as these blades will create the most disturbance at the surface of the water.
Here are the steps on how to wake or bulge a spinnerbait:
Cast your spinnerbait to your target area.
Reel your spinnerbait back at a fairly fast speed.
Pay attention to the action of the spinnerbait. You want the blade to be creating a wake or bulge on the surface of the water.
If the spinnerbait is not creating a wake or bulge, adjust your retrieve speed.
If you are not getting any bites, try changing the size or color of your spinnerbait or using different blades.
The bulging spinnerbait retrieve is one I have used for many years after reading an article by bass fishing celebrity Jimmy Houston on his favorite spinnerbait presentations. Take a few minutes and watch as he gives his thoughts on when, where and why to use the bulging and bubbling retrieves when targeting bass with a spinnerbait...
Crawling a crankbait is a slow, deliberate retrieve that is designed to imitate forage moving in and around cover.
This technique is very effective for fishing submerged brush and grass for bass, as it allows the bait to slowly bump and grind periodocally ticking the cover, making it irresistible to bass that are lying in wait. looking for an easy meal.
Take a few minutes and watch as long time fishing personality Jimmy Houston demonstrates his approach to crawling crankbaits over and around submerged cover...
Here are a few more tips re: crawling a crankbait:
Use a crankbait with a tight wobble and close to neutral bouyancy. This will allow the bait to stay down close to cover, where lurking bass are waiting to ambush unsuspecting prey.
Reel slowly and steadily. The goal is to keep the bait just ticking the tops of grass beds, rock piles and submerged wood.
Pay attention to your line. If you feel the bait get heavy, stop reeling and let it sit for a moment. The bass may be trying to take the bait; pausing the bait typically results in more hooked bass.
Crawling a crankbait can be a very effective way to catch bass, especially around submerged cover. With a little practice, you can master the crawling retrieve and use it to put more fish in the boat!
