Bass Fishing in 40 50 Degree Water Updated
Bass Fishing in 40 50 Degree Water
Last Updated on April 8, 2022
Every twelvemonth I become the great opportunity to talk to people all over the country about their fishing season. Their season ends in November and while they're all hanging upwards their rods, I'm gear up to start fishing for bass in the winter.
This is fabricated possible because I have a (adequately) expert-level understanding of how bass behave in the cold, how they approach your bait, and how you demand to present it.
My goal is to help extend your bass season so you lot too can grab them during the winter. It doesn't accept to terminate when it gets cold and with the right cognition gained from this guide, y'all'll be ameliorate equipped to grab bass no thing what the temperature is outside.
What You Need for Bass Fishing in Cold Conditions
Beginning off, here are some of the essentials that will get you started with wintertime bass line-fishing:
- Spinning or casting rod based on your preferences
- Cold weather gear such every bit waders, boots, and gloves
- Boring moving fishing lures like jigs, spoons, and bract baits
- Heating source to proceed you warm (I recommend a Mr. Heater)
Annotation: Keep in mind that the all-time water ice fishing gear is great for cold water fishing also. This gear volition aid keep you warm and rubber in the snow and ice even before the water freezes over.
How to Catch Bass in the Winter
Permit'south talk near winter bass fishing. This time of twelvemonth is challenging for bass anglers merely with the correct steps, you can chief information technology. Here are ten important steps to follow when fishing for bass in the wintertime.
ane. Choose The Right Lure Type
The first matter you'll need to remember most is grabbing the correct lure for the season. You can't apply the same strategy y'all use when the water is warm, no affair what way you look at information technology. Winter fishing techniques require finesse, merely they also require a bit of preparation. Fast-moving lures and excessively noisy ones won't piece of work when the water temperatures driblet.
You're going to want to use bottom feeders and slower moving lures similar jigs, spoons, and bract baits.
I'd stay abroad from lipless crankbaits, suspending jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and other fast moving lures during the winter months.
Always go as natural equally possible with the colour and effort to imitate the fish's colour in the water you're fishing.
For a total breakdown on this topic check out my commodity on the all-time winter bass lures.
2. Slow it Down
Y'all demand to slow down your presentation when the water temperatures drop. Winter largemouth bass fishing requires you lot to think like a fish. The water is common cold, their metabolism is ho-hum, and they're not feeding much, then they will never chase a fast-moving topwater spinnerbait halfway beyond the pond; it won't work.
You need to drib something right in front of their face, make the bass call up it's almost dead, and motility it slowly and erratically, so they call back they've got an easy meal on their paw. In one case you do that, you'll have no problem retrieving them because they won't put up much of a fight.
three. Size it Downwardly
In improver to presenting slower, you'll also desire to present a smaller lure. Pocket-sized baitfish are a smashing live choice only if you don't take a ways of keeping them live, become with a pocket-sized football caput jig or spoon with some cherry on it.
The bottom line is, your strategy needs to stay congruent with the weather. If it's common cold and the water temperature is well-nigh freezing, use the smallest jig head you can find with a small Senko or swimbait.
Doing so will present less of a threat to the bass, and they'll think they stumbled upon an easy opportunity for a repast.
4. Get Neutral
Color is besides an important factor in the winter. If you tin can find baitfish in the h2o, see what colour they are, and mimic them. If non, go neutral whenever possible.
In the winter, you'll want to use brown, green, white, grey, and black. Again, the idea here is to present as little of a threat every bit possible, and bright neon colors look intimidating, so the bass will leave information technology alone.
v. Know Where to Look
The best tip someone ever told me about finding bass in the wintertime is to add x-xx feet of water to where you would unremarkably fish. Of grade, you can't know this without fish finders and depth checkers, just you can estimate it even if you lot don't take electronics.
And so, for example, if you tend to fish 30 feet abroad from the shoreline during the summer, you'll want to add 20 feet to that in the winter because bass prefer deeper waters when the temperature is cold. I'm not saying go to the deepest office of the water but simply add a trivial depth, and yous can increase your chances of catching more bass.
H2o clarity is likewise a huge cistron in the wintertime. If the water is murky, the baitfish will run deeper. If you have clear water, the baitfish will come closer to shore.
Pay attending to run-off and snowfall. If you lot recently experienced a heavy snowfall that hasn't melted even so, chances are the water is articulate, so you'll want to head closer to shore.
If yous're dealing with a lot of snowfall melting due to increasing temperatures, the run-off is probably causing the water clarity to subtract, and so y'all'll want to take your line-fishing further away from the shore.
6. Time it Right
As previously mentioned, you need to change your mindset when it comes to fishing in the wintertime. When the water temperatures are warm, we know that the best times to fish for bass is first affair in the morning and right at dusk.
When you're line-fishing in the winter, you'll want to fish the center of the day considering this is when the water will exist the warmest during the day. Once the lord's day has hit the water for a while, the baitfish will start to move around, and this is when yous stand the all-time run a risk of catching more bass.
While that's the example 99% of the fourth dimension, some expert bass anglers actually recommend angling early in the forenoon for smallmouth bass. They suggest getting on the water correct as the lord's day is coming upward, which is interesting because it contradicts annihilation I've e'er learned.
If you want to give this strategy a try, I would recommend line-fishing the lesser most some of the lake's deep water. Bass tend to hide in schools during the winter, and they look for little drop-offs and holes where baitfish and other food might hang out
seven. Don't Forget the Shore
One of the most important wintertime bass fishing tactics to learn revolves around two main points:
i. Shoreline
two. Baitfish
You demand to understand these ii points and why they're critical for winter fishing.
Baitfish tend to hug the shores well-nigh rivers because this is where the well-nigh oxygen is in the water, and the temperature tends to be a flake warmer. Every bit we all should know, bass follow the baitfish, so this is where you're probable to detect more bass.
If you're fishing from the shore, this makes communicable bass piece of cake considering you lot can cast parallel with the shoreline and clean upwardly all twenty-four hour period long. I observe it more than enjoyable to fish from the shore during the winter considering information technology'south a piddling easier to stay warm, and if I'm fishing alone, it just makes me experience more comfy.
8. Master your Agreement of Water Temperature
Less than 40 degree water
If y'all're fishing in less than xl degree water, you're in for a challenge. Right now, the bass are incredibly inactive, and their metabolism is super dull, then they're not feeding much, and they're preserving all their energy by taking on the simplest of meals.
For you lot to have success fishing during this time, you need to throw your lure right in their confront and present it slow enough for them to get it.
40-50 degree h2o
The forty-50 degree temperature range is prime fishing in the Northward and then expect to find bass in this temperature range virtually frequently during tardily wintertime in the months of Jan and Feb.
Bass in this temp will slow downwardly quite a bit, but they'll still have feeding periods each twenty-four hours, and this is when yous need to capitalize by using the correct lures and offering a deadening only calculated presentation.
50+ degree h2o
At fifty+ degrees we have prime fishing temperatures where bass are highly active, simply yous would merely probable experience these types of temperatures in the wintertime in the Southern states, and then this doesn't help everyone North of the Bricklayer-Dickson.
Where you might find temperatures like this is when the seasons are changing from fall to winter and wintertime to jump. Expect to slow down and size downward your presentation a little, only big bass will nonetheless be active during the morning, midday, and evening.
nine. Bring the Right Gear
While this isn't a direct tip perse, I wanted to talk briefly about safety and gear. Depending on your location, fishing in the winter can be dangerous because of frigid temperatures and dangerously cold h2o. Yous need to make sure y'all have enough layers to continue yourself warm and enough of backup gear in case y'all autumn in or get moisture.
I recommend wearing as many layers as possible in the car on the manner to the water and keeping the estrus on and so you can build up some warmth before getting out. Wear multiple layers with socks, ice line-fishing boots, and fingerless gloves so you can maintain full motility of your fingers.
The most important tip is to brand certain someone knows where yous are. Even if you lot alive alone, tell a parent, friend, or neighbor that you're going fishing, and you'll be back at a certain fourth dimension. You never know what tin can happen, and you lot demand to make sure someone is looking out for you.
10. Keep it Simple
You don't need to overcomplicate these winter bass fishing tips, just the most important one to remember is to stay calm and remain patient because winter bass fishing is not easy, simply it'south also non impossible.
It volition take some time for you to acquire, and that can get frustrating but don't surrender.
You lot won't get every bit many nibbles every bit yous exercise during the summertime and spring, but chances are you'll get more interested bass if you follow all the tips outlined in this guide. Have a adept amount of patience and be sure to present every lure slowly just erratically with fourth dimension in between each wiggle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tin can y'all catch bass in the winter?
Yes, you can take hold of bass in the winter. The central is to understand their habits as their metabolism slows down so they feed on smaller, slower moving baitfish.
What exercise bass consume in the wintertime?
In the wintertime bass eat baitfish like shad and minnows. Information technology's the same diet they have all year, they just eat less of it.
Final Thoughts
If yous enjoy fishing for common cold water bass in the wintertime, I'm hoping this step-by-step guide was helpful. Whether you did or you didn't, feel gratis to leave me a comment with what you think. Fishing is a pretty subjective sport and I love hearing what has worked for others.
The bottom line is that winter bass fishing is all near attitude and understanding.
We tin't approach this type of fishing similar we do warm weather line-fishing. It'due south so important that nosotros sympathize how bass habits change and how nosotros need to accommodate rather than recollect nosotros can force them to practice what we desire. It never works that way and never volition.
Remember to tiresome information technology down, size information technology down, and think like the bass. If they're feeling slow and sluggish, you need to replicate that also.
Proficient luck out in that location!
Bass Fishing in 40 50 Degree Water
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