Winter is coming! However, make this is no hindrance for bass angling fun. The abundance of bass everywhere and the excitement involved reeling it in make this a well-loved hobby. For others, it can even be a serious sport.
Whether a beginner or experienced angler, many hours of pleasure await the bass fisher; moreover, it is a year-round leisure activity. Even the colder months cannot deter passionate fishers.
Winter bass fishing can have some inherent advantages. For one, there are better odds of catching bigger fish.
As temperatures drop, fish huddle in large groups and deeper water, anticipating winter. As it becomes harshly cold, the fish still must strive to eat. With large groups of fish, the survival of the fittest comes into play. This can result in unusually bigger fish to catch!
Once you have the basic gear, this sport can be a year-long activity. The cold weather may dampen other outdoor sport, but fortunately, bass fishing is not one of them. Here are 5 bass fishing tips for cold weather to help reign in those aggressive creatures, even when it is nippy outside.
5 Cold Weather Bass Fishing Tips
1. Make Your Bait Choices Smaller and Slower
Cold weather will drive the metabolism of fish to a lazy grind. This results in slower bass activity. What this also translates to is reduced appetite and a consequent inclination for smaller bait.
Their sluggish metabolism (and reflexes) will respond much better to tinier baits from a quarter to around three-eighths ounces. A hair jig (like deer hair), a plastic baitfish, or a Rapala shad rap are all good lightweight options. Another guidepost for selection is the slower the bait movement, the better.
With the cold weather inducing less activity, the fish is not in their typical agitated state. Your winter bass baits should imitate that. Slow-moving bait will be most effective. Furthermore, vertically lowering your bait has proved to yield productive results.
2. Know The Best Time of Day During Fall And Winter
Traditional bass wisdom has most folks thinking that around midday to sundown is optimal times to fish. However, experienced bass fishing in winter enthusiasts is quick to point out that the first few hours of daylight (at dawn) is a great time. Many seasoned anglers guarantee a catch this early in the day.
If you are not an early riser, then the more common noontime schedule is perhaps for you. 12 noon until sunset is the widely observed schedule.
In places where lakes freeze over, the midday fishing window is likewise best. You can catch bass through the ice despite commonly held notions. In these icier conditions, the fish will be hungriest from noon until around 3 pm.
For this purpose, a special tent could be very helpful, discussed in a later section below.
3. Depth Can Make All the Difference
Winter or autumn bass fishing should bring you to the deepest area of any lake, river, or fishery. This, however, would be relative to the place. A range anywhere from 10 to 100 feet, depending on the underwater terrain, is possible. As the temperatures plummet, typically below the upper 40s, bass descends to lower depths. They can stay there until early spring.
You can drop a weighted lure until it breaks into slack to estimate depth. Once you have found the deepest spot, chances are you are near the bass’ lair.
Also, make sure to remember a deep spot that yields a catch, being mindful of factors like depth, water visibility, and temperature, in addition to other outdoor conditions. Taking note of landmarks will also help identify the fertile area the next time you visit.
4. Use Gadgets and Specialized Gear to Your Advantage
A fish detector or finder is invaluable all year round but more so in extreme cold. This smart fishing tool can reveal where the bass dwells in winter.
It uses sonar pulses of sound waves. As the pulses hit fish, vegetation, or the lake floor, sonar reflections go back, and calculations of depth and underwater activity are determined.
Fish and depth finders or detectors can range in price from just under $50 to well over $100. Prices are not restrictive, and this should be a priority tool in your arsenal of gadgets.
Another essential gear in this condition could be an ice fishing tent. These special shelters have no floor and typically offer the headroom to stand up. The absence of a floor permits you to lower a lure inside while shaded from the elements.
5. Dress Appropriately and Manage Outcomes and Expectations
Expect a challenge to your patience. This means longer bouts in the cold, and hence dressing warm and well for the weather is a smart thing to do. You will want to be comfortable as you chase down the bass hunkered down for the cold.
The first layer of thermals, top, and bottom, is always a good idea. Throw in a warm thick pair of socks for good measure.
Next, the second layer of clothing, essentially made of fleece (or other similar material), should provide comfort, mobility, and breathability.
Finally, an outer layer of rainproof gear (jacket and pants), as well as fingerless gloves, should round-off the outfit.
A Final Word: To Fish or Not to Fish?
Let’s face it. The cold weather presents many challenges that hinder otherwise normal bass fishing. Therefore, the last thing you should bring to your cold-weather activity is an unreasonable expectation of outcomes. Enjoy the day, accept the yield, be it abundant, meager (or none). There is always a next time!
Even the most seasoned bass fisher learns something new every outing. Whether novice or expert, what you take away from every fishing activity is a better skillset (and a morsel more of knowledge); also, find consolation in the fact that the toughest, wisest anglers out there also get bad days.
There is no better teacher than firsthand experience. The sooner you get out there, the better and closer your odds will be at holding your first bass catch!
