Featured Video: Coldwater Bass on Umbrella Rigs

Come late November, most Northeast bass anglers will fish low and slow, and opt for smaller lures with subtle action. Sean Snover of Reel Northern Bass takes a different approach. When he’s not reaching for an XL glide bait, his next best bite producer is the Alabama Rig, also known as an umbrella rig. While a large, slow-moving glide bait will catch bass all year long, it’s the shimmy of five soft-plastic paddletails that drive smallmouth bass to strike when water temperatures dip into the low 40s and 30s.

Like the small forage fish they chase, bass will school in deep water during the winter months, and anglers who keep their boats (or kayaks) in the water can use their electronics to pinpoint where those bass may be located. When an umbrella rig is dragged in front of them, the opportunistic bass of the group perceive it as several easy meals, which tends to bring fast action where a larger lure like a glide bait will bring fewer bites.

Check out the video above to watch Sean perform a bronzeback beatdown with an A-rig in icy waters.