Where Do Bass Go In Winter?

As bass fishermen we're always striving to improve. In the spring we're looking for bigger fish, Summer and Fall we're looking for more fish, but in Winter, it seems like we're just praying to get a bite. Winter bass fishing can be tough! So many of the productive areas have shut down and the bass seem to have disappeared all together.

This week we put together some quick tips to help you locate fish more quickly. We filmed this at Clearlake and while it may not apply to every body of water, it will definitely get you in the mindset to target specific locations and patterns rather than grinding through the day on your same old haunts, waiting for the bass to return.

On naturally occurring lakes we've found that there are 3 key patterns that consistently produce our biggest bites. 

1) HOLLOWS: If you're fishing a body of water that is featureless, has a flat mud bottom, or is generally shallow, this is for you. Often times the bass in Winter will pull off shore and lay in the lowest, deepest spot they can find off shore. If you're on a small body of water this probably means the middle of the deepest coves. If you're on a big body of water this could be the middle of a bay or even the center of the lake, miles offshore. The key to this pattern is to understand that the fish are NOT orienting to cover, its more about depth and the presence of food so don't be afraid to go look in the middle of nowhere. 

2) ROCKS: If you have rock in your lake, this is a key Winter time feature. Rock offers safety to smaller baitfish during the cold water months, attracting bass like a magnet. If the rock is deep, the bass will lay along the bottom edge where the water is warmest. If the rock is shallow, on the sunny days they'll move right up against the shallowest rocks that protrude above water. Either way, this is a key place to look for BIG winter bass. 

3) DEEP DOCKS:  Deep docks or other vertical structure is key in Winter. The pilings offer cover, ambush points, and warmth. Bass cling to them until the water warms in Spring. We've found that the largest fish hold just off the deepest pilings through the cold months, only moving in to feed or to sun on the warm afternoons. 

While these are just generalizations, they'll give you a great starting point as you search for Winter bass. Its important to add, the right electronics makes a huge difference when searching for open water bass. While not everyone can afford high-dollar electronics, if you can it will save you a lot of time. Everyone has their favorites but the graph in this video is a Lowrance HDS-10. If you can't afford a quality graph don't worry about it, its just going to take a little longer to find the fish. Stick to it and you'll find them!

If you're curious what baits to throw once you find the fish, check out our Top 5 Baits For Cold Water Bass video. This Winter you should abandon your same old haunts, run some new water, and you might just catch the biggest bass of your life! 

Winter Fishing: Top 5 baits for Cold Water Bass

With winter fast approaching most lakes have turned over and the bass have headed for warmer deep water haunts. "Deep" is a relative term that varies lake to lake but when bass head for the depths a lot of anglers lose confidence.

In this week's video we break down our favorite baits for seeking out those deep water bass. This list may be missing some baits you expect but when the going gets tough, these 5 options are consistent producers.

1) A Football Jig: Tim and I vary a little on our specific choices. I lean toward a 1/2 oz or heavier Dirty Jigs Finesse Football (Give "Go To" or "Super Matt Brown" those colors are deadly). Tim takes it a step further and will occasionally go as light as 3/8 oz with his Dirty Jigs HP Football Jig. Why go with a light weight in deep water, you ask? With the lighter weight comes a smaller hook, allowing you to drop to lighter line and even throw the jig on a spinning rod if conditions require.

2) A Drop Shot: Tried and true, this bait is deadly in deep water! Tim likes to downsize, often using a size 2 Owner Mosquito hook with a small tungsten weight. He insists that the light hook allows his bait to have maximum action in deep water. As for baits, he uses a wide range of options but a 6" Roboworm Margarita Mutilator is a proven winter time color.

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3) Ball Head: The ball head is such a simplistic way to fish and consistently catches quality fish in the cold water months. Much like a darthead, you should thread the worm on so the point of the hook is left exposed. The difference between a ball head and virtually every other head design is that it has almost no action of its own. This is a drawback most of the year but when the water is cold that "dead action" drives the fish crazy. Tim and I both agree, a 5" senko is your best option with this presentation. Day in and day out, it gets a significantly larger bite than smaller worms.

4) A Jigging Spoon: The spoon is a deadly bait throughout the fall but don't lose faith as cooler temps take over and the bass become lethargic. Using a very subtle flip-flop approach, keeping the jig on bottom at all times, is a phenomenal way to get a big bite in winter. Matt prefers the Blade Runner DUH spoon for its ideal weight, size, and color schemes.

5) The Small Swimbait: I prefer the 6" Basstrix or the 4.8 Keitech coupled with 1/2 and 3/4 oz Swimbait Heads. With an exposed lead head its very easy to maintain bottom contact. From rock to gravel, sand to mud, you'll feel every change in contour and the bite will be unmistakable. For this method I maintain constant bottom contact and swim the bait as slowly as I can stand. It presents a sizable but slow moving meal to the bass that is hard to resist.

This Winter, consider not getting your boat winterized. Instead, head for the lake! The bass are still there and they still need to feed. You may be surprised to find that some of your biggest bites of the year come when the water temperature is below 50 degrees.

Early Spring Swimbait Fish

Spring is fast approaching the West Coast. In the Southern portions of the country its already arrived. If you’ve missed all the previous posts don’t miss this one: Its time to target big pre-spawners. As big bass move toward the spawning areas they become very vulnerable. They often follow distinct features like creek channels, breaks, and hollows as they move into the shallows. By locating these areas you can target the bigger fish as they move through. There are a variety of baits that can be used effectively. In this video I’m using the Mattlures Tournament Swimbait to target fish moving up in Clearlake. These baits are available at tacklewarehouse, here is the link: Mattlures Dark Hitch Swimbait

This bass is by no means a giant but its a female that is making her way into the spawning grounds. This is a prime example of what can be done around the country to catch females before they spawn. By presenting a big bait slowly along the bottom I’m able to specifically target the larger than average females. By applying this to funnels (places the fish have to pass by) I’m able to eliminate a lot of wasted time and energy. Take these techniques, apply them to your local waters and then share your results. I look forward to hearing what you produce.