# How To Catch Bass In Cold Water



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Catching bass when temps are down is one of the most perplexing things we fishermen face each year. Many refuse to brave the elements thinking they cannot catch bass in cold weather. In fact, this can be the best time of the year to get a trophy fish!
One must realize that what constitutes "cold water" varies region to region, for example, fish in Florida are hard to catch in 53 degree water, but 53 in my state of NC that would be perfect for early biting females.
Fish in northern states are more used to cold temps, and don't shut down as quickly as their southern cousins.
Also, remember that spotted and smallmouth are a bit more aggressive than largemouth in cold weather.
First thing to remember is the entire lake is probably not the same temp all over.
Calm water absorbs heat faster than moving water, and sunny banks warm up faster than those in shaded areas.
Also, many believe bass are always deep in cold water.
Not true.
If the water is clear, most of the fish will most likely be deep.
But in off color water, which warms faster, the fish can be shallow even in the coldest weather. Bass are inclined to follow the warmest temps they can find.
Another very good area to find bass in winter is along the edge of shorelines that have grass beds or other vegetation in warm weather. The decaying process of the old grass creates a subtle warming that attracts bass, and they can be caught in these areas.

Some good winter baits are:
Jerk baits like the Pointer or Rattlin Rogue.
Jig and Pigs. ( I have found real pork bait trailers work better than plastics, but that's just my opinion)
Crankbaits with a tight wobble action. (Be sure to make contact with the structure!)
Spinnerbaits and chatter baits. (Worked SLOWLY)
Shaky Head worms.(Remember, choose a worm with little or no salt added, as salt makes the worm sink and it won't stand up as well)
These are just a few tips I've learned over the years for catching bass in cold water, hope it helps!


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Great tips. You have to be real patient and not mind going an hour or two or the whole trip without a fish...to get good. To get real good you just "gotta love it fish or no fish". Then you gain experience in colder and colder water. That pays off later on. Time on the water... I know great fisherman who will go out, not get a single bite and call it a successful day...Im not real patient and since .i mostly fish cranks, Im not a very good cold water fisherman. It is mostly about finding the warmest water, both "in general" and "locally/where you happen to be fishing" I suppose you could cheat and find a warm water discharge.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Thanks. I was in a bass club that fished one tournament a month, including the winter months. We had to adapt to cold water or give it up. After much trial and error, we found ways for winter fish foolery!
We fished one in January at High Rock Lake, water was 42f, air was 21f at blast off. We had just two 15 inch keepers thirty minutes before weigh in, both caught on Pointer jerk baits, and knew that our main challengers had three two pounders on this very slow day. The fish were all caught in 15-20 feet of water.
We were ready to pack it in, but we rolled up on a secondary point with stumps, so I sailed a Carolina rigged speedcraw across it, hoping to find one near the deep end of it. Instead, I moved it a few feet and a fat four pound fish mashed it in two feet of water! We won by seven ounces. No way that fish should have been that shallow, right? But the sun had been shining on that little point most of the day, and she had moved up there.
But the key, as you said, is to slow your presentation down to a crawl.
You're a crank bait guy, try finding stumps or rocks near deep water, and slowly bang those stumps. I have found Bomber's Fat Free Shad, 3/4 oz in red and white, to be very effective under those conditions.


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

I'm gonna hit it real hard as soon as the ice is gone. I'm going to try flat sided, square bill cranks...in bluegill pattern. A shaky head jig with floating finness worm. And a zero gravity jig with a small, light weight chunk. Hopefully I can gain some confidence in these "new to me baits".


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

You are welcome, it was obvious those tips were learned and not read. I went out with fishredhawk one cold day, probably late Nov. We were fishing Oshay west bank, 30-40 feet off shore 13-15 feet of water hust south of Hayden (ie an area that looks just like 99% of the rest of the res)and hes jig and pigging it. Onky thing hes basically just letting it sit on the bottom, sometimes for a couple minutes, maybe longer. Periodically I here him say, oh oh somethings nibbling on it, cmon on take it take it. Yet total patience, zero hint as to setting the hook yet(no need to get overexcuted as this has happened thousands of time before.....in cold water, Im sure he could have gone from patiently waiting, to "set" in microseconds....which is exactly what he did (yes hes got a hint of Roland in him.....on some baits....like this one. Then it happened, 3+ lb lunk lunk (for here at least). He caught a few this way, I managed to snag a larger shad in the side. He earned OGF angler of the year every iota of it, no doubt he has paid his dues X 1000. Since you'll prob see thus, what up hawk, hope you are doing well, and I hope to have the privilege of fishing with you again and learning more. I used to think I was a hardcore fisherman lol.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

The bit about the decaying vegetation rings very true. On my home lake, every March several big 8-11 pound fish are caught, many around two small islands near the golf course. Vegetation is thick there in warm weather, and there is so much decaying stuff it's sometimes hard to fish. I have seen water there 5 degrees warmer than water 100 yards away.


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