Wintertime Fishing 2024
Missouribassman95 reply :
I didn't get out this year much at all compared to other years, because of football. Well now that football is over I have alot more freedom so I'm thinking of heading out this winter to "catch up" alittle. Anyone here hardcore winter fisherman that could give me some tips? I know I need to slow down, and use much smaller lures but does anyone know of any specific ones that work for you? I'm think of going out after christmas cuz I'll have money to buy more lures that might work.
Thanks,
Jig Man reply :
Never overlook a jigging spoon. Tubes and jigs are also good for me. How long before you get hard water up that way?
Nitrofreak reply :
Spoons are good this time of year I have to agree and so are spinners, but my favorite is always and forever the jig.
The Texas rigged worm is also a good bait to use if you really,really slow it down.
Fat-G reply :
"I know I need to slow down, and use much smaller lures"
Not necessarily true. I caught a fish yesterday burning back my jig on the top to make another cast. Water temp lower-mid 40's, air temp in the upper 30's to low 40's.
Today I was hopping a football jig tipped with a Rage Chunk (hung, not threaded) down rocky banks with timber nearby, and caught 4 little keepers. This was at a pond I seldom fish and overlook. Literally walking distance from my house, I just always thought of them as "not my kind of ponds".
While finesse baits do have their place in the winter, often times a jig with a big, action-packed trailer will get 'em too.
Missouribassman95 reply :
On 12/14/2011 at 5:32 AM, Jig Man said:Never overlook a jigging spoon. Tubes and jigs are also good for me. How long before you get hard water up that way?
Well it never gets cold enough to completely freeze the lake I'm planning to fish at. Maybe little ares, but nothing extreme.
Crestliner2008 reply :
A texas rigged Paca Craw with a 1/8 oz. bullet sinker works well this time of the year. And yes, you have to slow down.
Glenn reply :
Lot's winter fishing articles here: http://www.bassresource.com/seasonal-fishing-articles/ Enjoy!
jeremyt reply :
I always have better luck (fall to spring) throwing a shallow crank. I generally fish rivers more so this time of year.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I do really well on small 4-6 inch finesse worms in natural colors on light shakeyheads. Just drag them slowly along the bottom. Small jerkbaits like a 65 pointer and jigging spoons along channel edges and vertical cover have also done well for me.
BradH reply :
Like others have said, you don't have to go small. I only have a couple places I can fish during the winter unless I drill holes but I do best on jerkbaits, straight tail worms fished any way you like, cranks, spinnerbaits, rattle baits, senkos and jigs. Going slow is thew key most of the time but not always.
As for a specific lure that works for me my all time favorite is a glass perch husky jerk size 10, 12 or 14. I also like chompers 4" straight tail green pumpkin worms, any rapala DT or crankin' rap in helsinki shad or regal shad, any suspending or floating norman in SX shad. Those work on the bodies of water I fish, I'm not sure about where you are but I'd bet they would be a good start.
BUZZKIDD reply :
I like a jig fished painfully slow but I've also caught winter fish slow rolling a small spinnerbait.
Missouribassman95 reply :
Okay thanks for the advice!
StinkyBass reply :
dont forget suspending jerk baits! they are deadly on slow moving bass (match the hatch)
Greed reply :
I mentioned it in another thread recently but I said it once and I'll say it again. Lipless Cranks and Jigs are a deadly duo during the winter time. You can substitute the crank and jig for any search/finesse combo, just as long as you have confidence in them.
see what I did there?
NCFatBoy reply :
Jiggin Spoon, for me, an undressed Hopkins Shorty 5/8oz
StinkyBass reply :
On 12/19/2011 at 12:53 AM, Greed said:...Lipless Cranks...are a deadly...during the winter time. You can substitute the crank...for any search/finesse combo, just as long as you have confidence in them.
how do you fish a lipless crank in the winter? bass move slow in cold water... fast, slow, zigzag retrieve?
(Thanks Missouribassman95 for the good topic)
CAdeltaLipRipper reply :
I too, have not fished that much recently because of football season.id always be too tired to go and have my mind set on football lmao u only have 4 years of hs football right?im excited to get back into my fishing swing. We're gonna be doing alot of drop shotting,which is really effective, and we're gonna throw some jigs. thats our main winter recipe
CAdeltaLipRipper reply :
On 12/22/2011 at 9:55 AM, StinkyBass said:how do you fish a lipless crank in the winter? bass move slow in cold water... fast, slow, zigzag retrieve?
(Thanks Missouribassman95 for the good topic)
It depends what kinda of lake you're fishing. A lot of people think lipless crankbaits are more effective in winter. Shallower lakes you can rip them off of grass and stuff,but with a slower retrieve.you want contact with objects.Ive used them in the delta in the winter,but not in our deep motherload lakes.
gobig reply :
Quotehow do you fish a lipless crank in the winter? bass move slow in cold water... fast, slow, zigzag retrieve?
If a Bass wants to eat your bait you can not reel it fast enough to get it away from him/her. Bass are extremely efficient predators and will move to get a bait even in cold water. It is true that slower is generally better in cold water but it is not always the case. In fact when I can get a reaction bite going in the cold months they are usually better fish then the ones ya get shaking a worm.
The most effective way I have fished a lipless in the winter is yo yoing. Cast out let the bait settle on the bottom, pop it off the bottom, letting it settle again. The strikes will come on the fall. Vary the intensity of how you work the bait to see what they want.
StinkyBass reply :
On 12/22/2011 at 1:43 PM, gobig said:The most effective way I have fished a lipless in the winter is yo yoing. Cast out let the bait settle on the bottom, pop it off the bottom, letting it settle again. The strikes will come on the fall. Vary the intensity of how you work the bait to see what they want.
First...Thanks to "Missouribassman95" for starting a great post
Second... Thanks to "gobig" for the above quoted advice.
Third... the results (see attached pict). Not a huge bass, but a bass at the end of my line on the 23rd of December will always produce a smile!
Fishin45 reply :
anytime the water goes below 50 you should always have a jerk/rip bait tied, drop shot and a big jig once the baitfish have gone super deep and as many have suggested a jigging spoon( not ideal from the bank). obviously slow and small is what everyone has told us works best but i have found that not to be all that true. remember the fish are slow and lethargic and do not want to commit to much exercise this time of year. if they can eat one big bait rather than several small baits they will do it. it takes a lot less energy to eat a big bait than to chase down several small baits. i would suggest a swimbait even up north and in farm ponds as well. they do not need to be 10 inches long and weigh 8 oz's, but the style of the tail does seem to matter. as it gets colder i suggest getting away from the paddle tail baits like the basstrix or money minnow and go with a tail style like you find on the huddlestons or even the rago baits.
i hope this helps a bit oh and look for banks where the channel swings in close, this time of year the fish prefer moving vertically to feed from my experiences.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Jerkbaits are always a good option in cold water. We landed almost 60 fish in less than 2 hours this new years day morning from a pond, all but 3 of them at some type of jerkbaits (1 on a worm, 1 on a tiny ika, 1 on a one knocker.) Almost all of them ate it on the pause and we were waiting 5-10 seconds between very soft twitches.Water was only 37 degrees after a very cold rain last night.
Missouribassman95 reply :
Catch her on a lipless crankbait? I went out yesterday with one and just had a few bites. I think I'm gonna change up my retrieve though.On 12/24/2011 at 1:14 AM, StinkyBass said:First...Thanks to "Missouribassman95" for starting a great post
Second... Thanks to "gobig" for the above quoted advice.
Third... the results (see attached pict). Not a huge bass, but a bass at the end of my line on the 23rd of December will always produce a smile!
Missouribassman95 reply :
Do you think a Zoom Superfluke would work?On 1/2/2012 at 7:21 AM, Bluebasser86 said:Jerkbaits are always a good option in cold water. We landed almost 60 fish in less than 2 hours this new years day morning from a pond, all but 3 of them at some type of jerkbaits (1 on a worm, 1 on a tiny ika, 1 on a one knocker.) Almost all of them ate it on the pause and we were waiting 5-10 seconds between very soft twitches.Water was only 37 degrees after a very cold rain last night.
Missouribassman95 reply :
Okay thank you for the tips.On 1/2/2012 at 2:57 AM, Fishin45 said:anytime the water goes below 50 you should always have a jerk/rip bait tied, drop shot and a big jig once the baitfish have gone super deep and as many have suggested a jigging spoon( not ideal from the bank). obviously slow and small is what everyone has told us works best but i have found that not to be all that true. remember the fish are slow and lethargic and do not want to commit to much exercise this time of year. if they can eat one big bait rather than several small baits they will do it. it takes a lot less energy to eat a big bait than to chase down several small baits. i would suggest a swimbait even up north and in farm ponds as well. they do not need to be 10 inches long and weigh 8 oz's, but the style of the tail does seem to matter. as it gets colder i suggest getting away from the paddle tail baits like the basstrix or money minnow and go with a tail style like you find on the huddlestons or even the rago baits.
i hope this helps a bit oh and look for banks where the channel swings in close, this time of year the fish prefer moving vertically to feed from my experiences.
StinkyBass reply :
On 1/2/2012 at 11:29 AM, Missouribassman95 said:Catch her on a lipless crankbait? I went out yesterday with one and just had a few bites. I think I'm gonna change up my retrieve though.
Yes, i fished everywhere from the bank and found this one hanging on a steep drop off. as "gobig" advised, i "yoyo-ed" and got the only bite on the drop. i did vary the retrieve, the speed and location just to cover the bases. fill me in if you connect!
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 1/2/2012 at 11:30 AM, Missouribassman95 said:Do you think a Zoom Superfluke would work?
Sorry, I guess I should have been more specific. I meant hard jerkbaits, Excalibur Erratic shads and twitch baits, and an Xrap. Would a fluke work, probably but a hard jerkbait would be a much better option.
hookset on 3 reply :
On 1/2/2012 at 11:30 AM, Missouribassman95 said:Do you think a Zoom Superfluke would work?
Look on Bassmaster.com, there is a piece by Bill Dance , where he talks about the effectiveness of a soft jerk in very cold water.
Basically, you let it fall through the water colunm unweighted and then switch it back slowly.
Missouribassman95 reply :
How exactly do you Yo-Yo a Lipless crank? I heard it alot but never cuold figure out how to.On 1/2/2012 at 11:44 AM, StinkyBass said:Yes, i fished everywhere from the bank and found this one hanging on a steep drop off. as "gobig" advised, i "yoyo-ed" and got the only bite on the drop. i did vary the retrieve, the speed and location just to cover the bases. fill me in if you connect!
StinkyBass reply :
On 1/2/2012 at 10:54 PM, Missouribassman95 said:How exactly do you Yo-Yo a Lipless crank? I heard it alot but never cuold figure out how to.
think of your lipless crank as a yo-yo. lift the rod up then let the bait free fall as you retrieve the extra line. repeat and vary speed to find what the bass want. follow this link --> http://www.probass.net/protips/Articles/jb1.php ...this article was good. it explained the yo-yo retrieve well and named some common mistakes fishermen tend to make. it was a good brush up in the basics for me!
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