A general approach to tackle and baits to use when coarse angling in the winter. Snagging a bass in the colder months is definitely not impossible, just a little more complicated. “Merrisach Lake has a lot of shallow milfoil, stumps and old timber,” Rook says. The best winter bass fishing times that I have found from experience and talking to others, is first thing in the morning or when the day is at its warmest point. The process will definitely take more time than you’re probably used to, so for this reason, it’s most important to be patient. Ensure your PFD and waders are up to the cold season ahead. "The most important thing about river fishing is knowing how to fish in current," notes two time Bassmaster Classic champion George Cochran of Hot Springs, Ark. For bass, this usually means getting into a deep hole where warm water settles. In the words of the Starks, “Winter is coming.” You can’t avoid it and neither can I, but you don’t have to let Old Man Winter ruin your river fishing. Instead, use his tricks against him and learn to keep putting river bass in your yak through the cold months too. The cold weather period is perhaps both the best time to catch trophy bronzebacks and the most likely time for fishermen not to even receive one bite. Lastly, I’d like to focus on tips to keep you, as the angler, comfortable enough to fish through the winter. It’s worth reiterating the fact that we’re all here for one reason: we love fishing. Winter River Smallmouth With Pete Cartwright. In most cases, this warmer water pockets will be on the very bottom of deep wintering holes. You should also focus on shallow inlets or flat pockets out of the main channel, like where creeks and draws dump in, specially if that creek holds water. Remember, in winter bass fishing PATIENCE makes perfect. Removing your PFD to shed layers (and potentially turtle) is a dangerous proposition when hypothermia is a real threat. This means keeping your bait’s action slow, steady, and lethargic. Find Schools of Baitfish Because bass will be moving much slower in the cold weather, they’re more likely to go for a bite they don’t have to fight for. Rather than instinctively grabbing your shotgun or deer rifle, grab your rods and let’s put some time in…, Once the first cold snap comes around, which thankfully in Texas can be as late as December or as early as September in the northern states, the bass begin a transition period. If this is the case, then vice versa, the fish can see you too. Pick the Perfect Spot. Photos by Bruce Ingram. Winter Bass Fishing Tips – Everything You Need to Know 1. Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day are Always a Sign That Winter is on Its Way October 9, 2020; August 19 2020 Reed Montgomery Battles Pancreatic Stone After 5 Years Cancer Free/Reeds Guide Service www.fishingalabama.com During the winter, downsizing your bait is fairly important, as bass aren’t as likely to fight for a large piece of prey. Winter Bass Fishing Lures & Tips! The only difference in our lure selection was presentation and weight. Look hard for smaller fish that bass are still feeding on in the St. Johns River, and that’s where you will find places to cast your line. On others it isn’t. The Mills Pool, southeast of Pine Bluff, is the most productive stretch of water on the Arkansas River, Rook claims. Learn how to figure out winter bass in this outline of lures and methods used by the pro’s. Get into the habit of using it in the winter months, especially as it will save wasted journeys if the rivers are high. Within minutes he had his first fish of the day. Share on Google+. One of the most widely sought out fish species in the angling world, bass are tough fighters that can be found all over the earth. For the more lethargic bass, some extra incentive may be needed before they take the bait. However, a benefit for winter inshore anglers is the potential for incredible winter fishing. Casting upstream, I’d allow my jig to fall through the column and come to a rest on the solid limestone depths. Hooks. Baits to use are large swim baits, stick baits, crankbaits and flukes. 2. A few weeks later winter had decidedly settled in and the bass were bundled up behind rocks, hidden in deep pockets and we were back on the water again. But how can we dissect the rivers during the colder months to convince these bass that they want your lure? You should always go out expecting to be bit on every bite. Tough metal baits like spoons and blades hold up well to cold water. If you’re fishing along a shore, there’s a good chance that you can see clearly into the water beneath you. Both of these are keys to finding bass in winter, and if you find both in one area, you have a prime fishing spot. So I again had the chance to reiterate that during the wintertime, fish it slow(er). Inevitably it happens, every year. The big trout would turn on when you had ice on the eyes of your rod. As was previously mentioned, regardless of what you might read, a lot of bass like to stick near the bottom of a lake or river no matter the season. A 4-inch curly tail grub on a 1/4-ounce jig head can be all that is needed to catch your share of bass. With bass fishing especially good during the Fall cool down period (and even as early Winter arrives), some trophy-sized smallmouth bass and big largemouth bass are taken. A grub can be one of the most effective bass lures for cold water. The biggest tip we can give you is ‘all about seagulls’. Winter fishing in cold water means slowing down your approach, taking more time to cover an area and slowing down the presentation of your baits. In the spring, he fishes the pool’s two large backwater areas, 538-acre Coal Pile and 2,500-acre Merrisach Lake. Florida Largemouth Bass Winter Fishing Florida Largemouth are slower and continue their progression towards deeper water in the winter months. At this point he realized, you gotta take it slow. I’ve often started out with one lure in the morning, another during mid-day and a third or fourth before the sun goes down (not to mention the intermediate ones that weren’t catching bass). While the definition of cold weather fishing might be a bit different depending on where you live, there are some general tips that can help you learn how to fish in cold weather and be successful at it. During the winter, there’s no such need to rush out the door at the break of dawn. If you can’t keep comfortably warm your angling prowess will diminish and you’ll get frustrated easier leading to all sorts of other potential mishaps, the least concerning of which is getting skunked, the most disconcerting being ending up in the frosty drink, potentially threatening your safety. During the winter you should be focusing on weather trends and weather changes, especially sharp changes in temperature or sunlight. Winter bass. Jig and pigs are excellent baits for winter river smallies. With these tips in mind you can develop a different seasonal skill set. I allowed my brush hog to settle on the bottom, placed my rod in the holder and I kept stationary over that hole by slowly paddling against the current. 1. I wake up daily, grab my coffee and immediately after, check the weather for the coming days. Some anglers also like to use a lead of fluorocarbon when doing their fishing. Some anglers also like to use a lead of fluorocarbon when doing their fishing. Winter bass fishing on the Susquehanna River in the months of January and February is usually impossible. True of fishing during any season, picking the right spot to cast your … With an extra obstacle in between you and your catch, it’s important to have some tips and tricks under your belt for wintertime fishing. Winter weather and the threat of hypothermia can quickly lead to trouble. Like trout in mountain streams, bass also use rocks, holes, logs or other irregularities to break current and conserve energy. Across the southern-most range for smallmouth bass one hears chatter about “winter smallie fishing.” However, upon examination of water temperatures on the lakes and big rivers down south, those readings rarely fall below the mid-40 degree range. It should only be used in fairly clean water, or else it won’t be visible to the fish. Stay dry and warm with rain gear when you’re fishing as cold fronts approach. When looking for locations for winter bass fishing, two things are most important; baitfish and deep water. Days where the temperature drops substantially or rises substantially are indicators of activity changes. If, on the other hand, you’ve had great sunlight, warmer water and higher temps for a few days and you see that a storm system is rolling in tomorrow evening- you better grab your poles. Try crawling them on the bottom and adding a rattle to them as a tactic to increase your catch rates. But how do I know what weather the bass like? Don’t sacrifice safety and comfort if you don’t have to, because ignoring one can lead to disaster in freezing water. 6. “When the fish are cold, they don’t want to eat much, but they want to eat one good meal,” he said. Smallmouth love the snow, go figure. Rocky areas tend to warm quicker than mud or clay and bass now this. Smaller profiles get the tougher bites, but Johnston notes that winter also finds fish plenty willing to bite a bulky jig and trailer package. Winter bass fishing lures. bullet weight and started burning it near the banks I chose a 3/8 oz. Tubes will also work, if fished, really slow. 1. There is a prevalent myth surrounding cold weather bass fishing: You’ve got no chance at a catch if it’s past autumn. Especially for trout and redfish still existing along Alabama’s numerous creeks, rivers, and bayous. Color, style, location and presentation all varied, but the depth didn’t. The first step in a successful fishing trip, no matter what species is being … In the last few years we’ve seen the birth of the most stable kayaks ever and elevated seats, so it’s less of a problem to squirm around on a yak. If you’re a seasoned angler, you know how tough it can be to stay inside during the winter with hundreds of potential catches just out of reach. I know of two fellow anglers who have died doing it, skunkings are routine, ice destroys your gear, and it often angers my wife when I go in bad weather. When you’re fishing the bottom, a drop shot rig or a shaky head rig can work really well. I also check river flows and weather upstream as these can have profound effects on waters downstream. Latest Reports. Bass will also have this instinctual urge to get out of their hole and get back into a warmer spot. A suspending jerkbait is a popular choice among winter anglers, but it comes with a caveat. Don’t let the cold weather discourage you. But luckily, you have the advantage of being above, so you can easily sneak up on them and watch them prod at your bait. Many small northern ponds with fewer than 10 feet of water contain large bass which resist fighting in the cold water. 1. A water temperature gauge or fishfinder can really come in handy when you’re on the lake in the winter. Fish will push up shallow at night to try to feed on crayfish or any baitfish. A 3/0 to 4/0 hook should work well for most white bass fishing situations. The current’s intensity determines which areas of the river you should fish. Many winter bass fishing rules change for bass living in a tidal river because their entire life cycle revolves around fluctuating water levels. Largemouth Bass in particular are huge fans of these sheltered locations! "Fishing (in December) is really, really good if you get a warm spell. Lake smallmouth bass tend to be bigger than their river cousins so big fish on Missouri Ozark streams are typically 18 to 21 inches long. With almost imperceptibly slow reeling I’d drag the craw through their hole and feel my jig get taken up, sometimes to watch the bass decide to flit off into current. My buddy couldn’t believe how slow they would take it, commenting that it was if I didn’t have to do anything but give it time to find it. You will not catch large numbers of bass most of the time in winter, but... you can catch some of the biggest bass you will catch all year, especially in late winter to early spring, in the northeast, when … If they were tucked down deep in the hole, or on the far downstream side of the hole and rocks, it would take them some time to get close enough to decide whether or not to inhale the craw. As … I alway cast the rock bank first unless it’s a steep drop off and the mud bank is a shallow slope (in this instance I would cast the mud bank first). As is the case in autumn, Florida largemouth become slower and strike more out of a reaction, either to defend their territory or to defend themselves. Next, I look for sharp changes in weather- on both ends of the thermometer. In both summer and winter, Bass flock to the lake’s deeper waters, meaning it … So this year, why not take the leap and head out in the snow to try your hand at winter bass fishing. Most of your winter time fishing on either lake will be done between 35-65’ with the best fishing typically in the 40-50’ range. @2021 - bassanglermag.com. In some rivers, the smallies follow convention by going deep and staying there all winter. Some expert anglers say “the colder the better” when it comes to deep water bass fishing. 3 Tips for Shore Fishing Winter River Bass by Sean McNally Winter spells a long, agonizing vacation off the water for many fishermen, but for intrepid anglers, this time of year might mean braving the cold for the chance of filling a cooler with fish pulled through the ice. By looking at a topographical map or an electronic map card in your GPS unit, you can easily find likely locations. Ensure you’re comfortable in all the layers while sitting in your seat. As I asked him why he was burning a creature along the banks in shallow water and asking what weather trends we’ve noticed lately, he began to realize that the bass weren’t even seeing his lure (because they weren’t near the banks at all) so he had to change it up, and I urged him to try it slow off the bottom. REVIEW: The Kayak Kushion for Kayak Comfort. As the industry’s leading bass magazine we simply provide you fresh new features every season. Winter is also the time of year when most freshwater species group up. On Virginia’s eastern shore, Capt. There are several lure options that are a little more effective for the winter months than others. Take the time to practice removing layers on your boat in shallow water. Competition anglers Joey Nania and Miles Burghoff head to Lake Chickamauga near Chattanooga, TN to demonstrate a few bass fishing tips and tricks while they rip some lips in this episode of Sweetwater. 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