Cold weather doesn’t need to put a damper on your fishing! Bundle up, get your thermos full of hot coffee, and head out on the water with these winter fishing tips from Bass Louie!
10 Winter Fishing Tips
- Fish in warm weather – Got a warm day on the forecast? Pack up your tackle box and head out on the water. Bass are super sensitive to temperature, and a few degrees can make a big difference to how active they are.
- Slow down – Bass are sluggish in cold weather. They’re not likely to chase your bait. So go for slower, deeper casts and present your bait over several minutes.
- Switch up your lures – Cold-weather lures like jigs and spinnerbaits are designed to work better in winter months.
- Head for smaller lakes – The smaller the lake, the easier it is for it to warm a few degrees on a warmer day, making bass more eager to feed.
- Shoot for sunny days – Many expert anglers swear that bass bite better on bright, sunny days.
- Look for the warmest water you can find – A surface temperature meter can help you find it.
- Try steep slopes – Bass are lazy in the winter. So they like to hang out near a steep slope so they can stay deep underwater and go straight up to feed. Cast in next to a damn, bridge piling, or on a steep bank and you just might get a bite.
- Wear a life jacket – Falling overboard is never fun, but in freezing temperatures, it can be more deadly than ever. It only takes minutes for the effects of hypothermia to set it. A life jacket can give you valuable extra minutes to swim to safety or get back on your boat. Plus, it’ll keep you warmer on the surface.
- Look for river bays – Fish tend to hide in river bays during cold-weather months, because bays are warmer than fast-moving water.
- Feel for gentle bites – In winter, bass are lethargic, and their bites are more gentle. During the cold months, you’ll need to use a more sensitive line and really pay attention to it, or else you might miss the bite of a lifetime.