Winter Bass Fishing Tips

Winter Bass Fishing Tips
You’re an accomplished angler; you have caught several fish in the spring and summer months, and now you want to try to fish in the winter. You pick the spot that you know the fish like to hang out in. You cast your line, and you wait. And wait. And eventually, cold and upset, you leave and go home, no Bass for you tonight. Why is this? Big mouth bass commonly have two serious changes in the winter – epilimniom and metabolism.

The epilimniom is the depth at which the bass hover at which is roughly five feet deep in the spring and summer months. The weather becomes cold and suddenly the bass sink to a depth of ten or more feet deep. The bass will typically hover at ten feet and near any structure they can find. The fish need a happy medium of oxygen and warmth and this is provided at the ten foot depth.

The metabolism of largemouth bass also changes. The water becomes cold and the fish become lethargic and slow. This means they will not travel far and wide for food, but actually just go for the small things floating around them. By staying in one space for a long period of time the fish becomes very accustomed to its surroundings. Therefore, a change in fishing methods is needed; you should make sure that your casting movements are slow and lethargic like the big mouth bass – anything quick will alarm the fish and it will not go for the bait. This also means an overall lure change from what you normally use in the spring; use soft plastic lures or jig style smoke – but no neon colors. Winter is dull and gray and the food source is as well. Here is a rundown of what you should do differently in winter:

Early winter bass fishing:
• They are located at a depth of ten feet in the water.
• Use a slow retrieve method.
• Use non-neon soft plastic lures.
• Use a split shot style of jig head style rig.
• Fishing on slightly warmer days can help the rate at which the fish will eat.

Mid to Late Winter:
• Largemouth bass are hovering at ten feet of water, usually near a structure.
• Use a slow retrieve method.
• Use small soft plastic lures in dull colors.
• Use split shot style or jig head style rig.
• Fishing on slightly warmer days will help the rate at which the fish will eat.

Now that you are armed with midwinter fish knowledge, it is important to remember the facts – they are very different from the spring and summer catch you enjoyed so thoroughly. These fish survive near freezing temperatures in a lake all winter. By hovering at that ten foot depth it is much easier to catch the sustenance that they need and it is also imperative to make your lure appear to be idly floating by. Quick reactions will not suffice, the largemouth bass will simply not pursue it – it takes far too much energy. It is important to mirror their slow reactions – if you move quickly they will not likely follow. Armed with these valuable winter bass fishing tips is likely to help you hook a big mouth bass in the elusive winter months.