My First Winter Bass!!

[ilinimud]

Well it was 38 degrees here in Southern Illinois today, and i had the itch to go fishing. I have decided i want to catch some Bass this winter instead of putting everything up. I have been buying a lot of "cold water" lures and reading a lot of cold water tecniques online. I put them to the test today with a jig and pig for bass, and a curly tail grub for crappie. After coming up empty with all the jig, and so call winter tecniques, i decided to try it my own way. So i tied on my loudest, and favorite lipless crank, the Spro Aruka Shad in the RedCraw color. I tried yo-yoing it off the bottom like i usually do with no luck. So i thought maybe their is atleast one aggressive fish close so i sped up the presentation and reeled steady with a few quick rips to make the bait really rattle. Then a nice fat bass corked it right when i wasnt excpecting it! It was great. I wanted to post up some pics, but forgot to before i came to work. I will when i get home, but it was cold so its kinda blurry. It was the only fish i caught, but i was only there for about 2 hours. I was really suprised i didnt catch any crappie, and my belly was sad. LOL

Sorry for the long post, but i was pretty excited about it, and it was a good confidence booster.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Nice job - way to try different things until you nailed one

Each winter I am surprised what I catch those LM on. Last year I have a great day (about 6 bass) all on a small husky jerk that I twitched hard and fast in the cold water. They woudl chase it down!

 

[jkbirocz]

Nice Job, there is always atleast one hungry fish around, keep at it =D>

 

[mr.fish]

Congrats on your first cold water bass. The jig and pig seems to only work the best in the most extreme conditions. Just because the bait can be worked and jigged in a specific area where the fish concentrate. Now that the water temps are almost freezing, I wouldn't even consider a crankbait, or even soft plastics in my tackle lineup. Like Jake said, there is always a hungry fish somewhere.

 

[Jim]

good job man! =D>

 

[ilinimud]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Mr. Fish, you said you can target a specific area with the jig and pig. Does that mean you dont move it through the water? I mean, you try to keep it in the same spot, then try a different exact spot. Also, my jig didnt have rattles, and i hear those work best. If anyone has some cold water advice to give me, you can fire away, im all ears!

Oh yeah, here are the pics.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I have the most success with the jig and pig working it very slowly through the area. If the water is very cold (under 50*) it never hurts to work teh same spot over and over if you think there might be a bass there.

The bass tend not to travel very far (like only a few feet) to eat so you really have to "hit them in the nose" with the J&P. Last week we caught 8 bass out of a very small area on the lake - the water was likely just a few degrees warmer there and the bass were all stacked up. We just kept casting the the same spot all day

 

[slim357]

Nice fish. This year im gonna try throwin more blade baits (sliver buddy) as I know they will work in my river in the winter. When I fish a jig in the winter ill have one thats about the normal size i throw most of the year (3/8oz) then ill have another rigged up thats either 1/4oz or smaller. If im on a spot I know there should be fish ill work it with the heavier jig for a while (trying to hit it from every angle I can) if it doesnt get any bites ill down size and try again, and if that doesnt work ill move on to the next fishy lookin spot.

 

[mr.fish]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Mr. Fish, you said you can target a specific area with the jig and pig. Does that mean you dont move it through the water? I mean, you try to keep it in the same spot, then try a different exact spot. Also, my jig didnt have rattles, and i hear those work best. If anyone has some cold water advice to give me, you can fire away, im all ears!

Oh yeah, here are the pics.

Its very simple. Fish don't just vanish in the winter, they just move to more stable areas to hold for the colder months. And with that, they can be very easy to pick off once you can figure out where those spots are. Once you find your hole, you will be catching bass all winter long in that same spot. Usually with a bait as a jig&pig, if the fish are there, they will immediately strike at it. If I feel a fish strike, and miss it, I will usually cast within the same area, and instead of working the jig through the area, I'll keep it in place and continue to slowly shake it. If your using a longer trailer, it impossible for a bass not to hit it, hungry or not. And yes, I have had more success on jigs with rattles, just because its probably bringing more attention to the bait. Not sure where your fishing. Most of my winter bass fishing is at my local river, and thats a completely different ball game than pond or lake fishing. I have no choice, but to wait till the river is prime with temp, current flows, location, etc. If your fishing a pond, or smaller body of water, the fish should be that much easier to catch, just because they really have no place to hide. Stick with the jigs, and they'll def. produce. It takes alot of time to figure out, but once you do, its very rewarding. Not to mention this time off year, you will have the water all to yourself.

 

[ilinimud]

Thanks a lot guys, i really appreciate the advice. I have really started fishing a lot more, and getting a lot better at it. I love it!!, but my wife hates it. LOL

 

[Captain Ahab]

Thanks a lot guys, i really appreciate the advice. I have really started fishing a lot more, and getting a lot better at it. I love it!!, but my wife hates it. LOL

Do what I do - point out all the other things you could do far worse then fishing. Bars, Fights, Other Women. . . . .

it does not work - but at least you have a come back line :mrgreen: