All About Bass Fishing - Guide To Fishing During Mid To Late Winter

The bass are moving from the shallows into deeper water as the shallower water is cooling faster than the deep water. All forms of life in the lake are slowing down as the water cools, preparing for the cold of winter, which in some areas is extreme cold. The food source is becoming less active and fewer in numbers. Shad and other baitfish can no longer use the shallow brush as cover so they tend to gather in large schools in open water for protection. The nutritional value of shad is minimal. Bass feed heavily on shad during warm water when the shad reside in the same general area as the bass. In winter it takes more energy to catch a shad than the bass receives in nutritional value for its effort.

Bass become more dependent on sunfish and crawfish for their primary food source. In general, the bass tend to move down in depth and out away from the shallows to avoid the faster-cooling, shallow water. Bass look for deep holding spots nearby mid-depth feeding areas. They prefer structure with natural migration routes between these areas. Points, islands and creek channels are a great place to locate wintering bass. The colder the water, the less active the bass are likely to be.

3 Most Important Factors About Bass Activity in Mid to Late Winter

Cold water makes the bass very sluggish.
Cold water affects the baitfish and other food sources of the bass.
Bass eat less and will not move far or fast to obtain food.

3 Most Effective Fishing Methods & Lures

Jigging spoons.
Jigs worked slowly in deep water.
Carolina rig or drop shot fishing with artificial worms in deep water.

A Day On The Lake In Mid To Late Winter.

As at any time of year, begin by accumulating local knowledge about the body of water you will be fishing. Contact local bait stores, bass boat dealers and bass club members to find out first hand what is happening at the lake. Check fishing reports and fishing blogs which cover the lake where you plan to fish. The local fish and game department often posts fishing reports.

Recommended Gear And Tackle

Rod Choices (in order of importance).

1. 6’ to 7' medium-heavy action, bait-casting rod for lures from 3/8 ounce up to 1 ounce. Fill reel with 40# to 65# braid or 14# to 17# monofilament or fluorocarbon. (To be used for jigs, spoons, worms and spinnerbaits).
2. 6’ to 6 1/2' medium-action spinning rod. Fill reel with 20# or 30# braid, or 8 # to 10# monofilament or fluorocarbon. (To be used for drop-shot worms or shaky worms).
3. 6’ to 6 1/2' medium-action, bait-casting rod for lures from ¼ ounce up to 3/4 ounce. Fill reel with 30# to 50# braid or 10# to 14# monofilament or fluorocarbon. (To be used for smaller jigs, spoons, worms and spinnerbaits).

Lure Choices (in order of importance).

An assortment of ½ ounce to 1 ounce jigs including weedless jigs.

An assortment of plastic jig trailers, split-tails, double-tails and other crawfish imitating baits.
Jigging spoons ½ ounce to 1 ounce.

An assortment of 4” to 6” worms for drop shot and Texas-style worm fishing.

An assortment of 6” to 10” worms for Carolina-rig worm fishing.

Locating bass in mid to late winter.

Armed with the local information proceed to the area of the lake receiving the best reports. Using the terrain along the shore of the lake, follow points out from shore to the deeper areas on the point. If you are using a depth finder or fish finder look for water on these points 20’ to 25’ deep as a place to start your search. “Deep” is relative to the specific lake you are fishing. In canyon lakes with water depths of 100 feet or more, “deep” might be 40 to 60 feet. In shallow flatland lakes where the deepest might be 30 to 50 feet, “deep” might be 20 to 30 feet. Points with considerably deeper water nearby should be given priority. Follow these points out to as deep as 50’. Try to locate brush, stumps, rock piles and drop offs which would attract bass on this structure. Avoid silted in areas. At various times of the day bass may tend to be on the top of the point, while other times they may move to the sides and drop offs. Generally speaking, the bass will all tend to hold at a common, general depth range. When you catch a bass at a given depth, concentrate your efforts at that depth. If fishing slows down, experiment with slightly deeper or shallower water on the same point. In shallow lakes where there is no deep structure, bass will associate with “edges” of creek channels, weed lines, road beds and other similar variations in the bottom contour.

A spoon is the fastest way to locate bass when fishing deep water. Fish the spoon directly beneath the boat using a lift and drop motion. With a jerking motion (as if you were setting the hook) raise the lure two to four feet off the bottom and then allow it to fall on a slack line back to the bottom. The instant the line stops make the next vertical motion. Repeat this action as you drift around on the point keeping the line directly below your rod tip. When you locate cover, keep the spoon in or near the cover long enough to entice any bass hiding in the cover to the attack the lure.
If you can’t get bit with the spoon, fish a jig or a worm at a slower pace in the same area to attract finicky bass. Start with a 1/2 ounce jig that resembles a crawfish - crawling, hopping and slow swimming it along the bottom. Try to make it imitate a crawfish. Often bass will pick up these lures in a non-aggressive manner, and you simply feel weight when you go to move the lure. Set the hook any time you feel pressure. Experiment with heavier or lighter jigs to find the weight that attracts the most bites. Generally use heavier baits for active bass and lighter baits for less-active bass.

If the bass are not hitting spoons or jigs, fish the same water with one of two specialized worm fishing techniques. Start with a drop shot setup beginning with a ¼ ounce weight. If you are getting bit easily you can experiment with 3/8 ounce weight to speed up the process. If the bass are finicky, drop to a 3/16 ounce weight. Experiment with worm size. Worms designed for drop shot are very soft and make for easier hook setting in deep water. Most colors disappear and become muted grays in deep water. The important element is contrast. Generally speaking, dark colors work better than mid-range colors. Start with a dark-color, 4” drop shot worm. Experiment with size, color and types of worms – including lizards and grubs (fished open-hook style when circumstances allow). Also try using a ½ ounce Carolina-rig worm (6” to 10”) fished Texas-style, choosing color the same way you would for drop shot.

Once a pattern is established in deep water, it can most often be duplicated at similar locations on the lake. Survey the area and try to determine why the bass are here. Find areas with similar depth to the structure where you caught bass. Often areas holding bass can be counted on to hold fish throughout the winter season.

Some bass may remain shallow in winter depending on the lake and local weather conditions, however we recommend that you focus on the larger schools that are holding on structure in deeper water.