Scale Down for Winter Largemouth
The winter solstice is approaching, and right on cue, frosty conditions have arrived across the Northeast. While some anglers view the colder months as a good time to pivot to fishing for cold water species like trout or pike, many areas won’t get safe ice, leaving brisk, open water available to wading and kayaking fishermen in pursuit of big winter largemouth.
Largemouth bass settle in deep water this time of year, congregating around submerged points, offshore flats and humps (in larger bodies of water), and deep holes adjacent to or between dying grass and weed beds. When they do, they can be caught on a variety of baits that are downsized versions of the same lures we use during the pre- and post-spawn seasons, when the fish are feeding with abandon.
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Paddletails
In near-freezing water, the metabolism of largemouth bass slows down drastically, so smaller, less-frequent meals will satiate them until the prespawn stages of the spring. Replace a 4.8-inch Keitech Fat Swing Impact, which works well in the summer, with a 3-inch Keitech Easy Shiner or 3-inch Z-Man Slim SwimZ on a 1/4- to 3/8-ounce jighead.
From a kayak, these versatile swimbaits can be vertically jigged, suspended in the water column, bounced along bottom, or cast and retrieved over deep, scant vegetation. Wading and shore fishermen can use finesse-style paddletails as search baits because of their ability to cover water and bounce off of hard structure like submerged timber or large rocks.
Additionally, depending on jighead weight and retrieve speed, 2- to 3-inch paddletails can be fished in different levels of the water column. A low and slow retrieve with an occasional flick of the rod tip tends to be most productive, as is hopping it along the bottom with long pauses between each bounce, like a Ned Rig.
Underspins & Bladed Jigs
Where a standard finesse-style paddletail fails is in tannic or stained, silty water. Bog ponds, in particular, are known for having a dark brown hue that can make it difficult to present a lure to sedentary bass unless it’s placed directly on a fish’s nose. With a small, bladed jig, like the 6th Sense Pecos Underspin or Gamakatsu Under Spin Jighead, the flashy, thumping action generated by the Colorado- or Willow-style blade on a steady retrieve works in tandem with the paddletail’s kicking action to entice bass from a greater distance.
Wading and kayaking fishermen can cast and retrieve small underspin lures in the same areas where bladeless paddletails work in clearwater ponds. Swimming the lure just barely over gravel bottom, or allowing it to tick along the tops of dying weeds and grasses, will generate strikes from low-lying largemouth where a bare paddletail of the same size would go unnoticed.
Swimbaits
Believe it or not, downsized versions of large, jointed or soft-plastic swimbaits will catch bass all winter long, from December to early March. Two of my personal favorites are the 3.5-inch LiveTarget Threadfin Shad and the 3.5-inch Vudu Mullet by Egret Baits because of their realistic profiles and features. They excel during or after a multi-day stretch of mild weather and sunshine, when bass are more actively feeding or using the sun’s comfortable warmth to move around and set up in a new area.
Each can be worked slowly, with occasional pauses, to generate strikes from bass staged in ambush areas like submerged points or deep contours that run parallel to shore. The kicking action of a soft-plastic swimbait like the LiveTarget Threadfin Shad is especially productive in lakes and ponds with less cover where schooling baitfish like alewife or shad are main food sources. However, the soft-bodied, mesh-jointed Vudu Mullet—which is actually designed for shallow, marsh-dwelling saltwater gamefish in the south—is most effective when worked like a jerkbait over deep vegetation. Begin with a steady retrieve, then twitch it once or twice and pause, before resuming a steady retrieve and repeating the process. Strikes frequently come on the pause, when the lure is slowly fluttering down through the water column like a cold-stunned or mortally-wounded baitfish.
Jerkbaits
Suspending jerkbaits between 3 and 4 inches long, like the Megabass Vision 110 +1 Jr., Shimano World Minnow 115SP, and Rapala Husky Jerk Minnow are cold-water killers in the Northeast. Their ability to dive to the strike zone, and hang there during long pauses, makes them susceptible to gentle, delicate eats from curious largemouth. The side-to-side slashing movement of suspending jerkbaits closely mimics the motion of struggling or dying baitfish which, along with their appetizing 3- to 4-inch size, enhances their appeal.
Suspending jerkbaits are staples in the arsenals of anglers fishing the ice-out period, when previously-frozen ponds have just begun to thaw. They work extremely well when fished with long pauses between short, snappy twitches of the rod, which produces the desired slashing action while moving the bait only inches forward and thus, keeping it in the strike zone of a wary bass. Cast them over deep weed beds and downed timber where bass may be hunkered down under cover.
A good rule of thumb for fishing a suspending jerkbait is if you think you’re fishing it slowly, slow it down even more. Winter largemouth often strike when the lure is at rest, and some lures, like the Shimano World Minnow, feature an internal spring-balanced foil designed to reflect sunlight even when the lure is completely stationary. Features like this further add to their realistic presentation.
Spoons and Metals
On large bodies of water where baitfish like alewives are abundant, big flutter spoons like the Strike King Sexy Spoon or Nichols Lures Lake Fork Flutter Spoon have become staples among fishing guides and tournament anglers. When bass are fattening up during the pre-spawn, using flutter spoons around tight-schooling alewives or shad can generate ferocious strikes from trophy largemouth bass. However, smaller metals like a 1/2-ounce Krocodile Spoon, a 1/4-ounce Kastmaster, or a 1/2-ounce LiveTarget Flutter Shad Spoon are especially effective for winter largemouth. They can be cast from shore or vertically jigged from a small boat or kayak.
When fishing with spoons from a boat or kayak, electronics can drastically improve your results as they provide insight into whether or not there are schooling forage fish nearby. Anglers can set up just above or adjacent to a school of alewife that are hugging bottom and vertically jig the edges of the school to pick off any lingering bass that are scooping up stragglers. Subtle flicks of the wrist will generate the desired action, and strikes tend come as the lure is fluttering down toward bottom, resembling an injured or dying baitfish and an easy meal that requires minimal energy expenditure.
For shore or wading fishermen, lighter spoons are still capable of casting long distances and covering large swaths of water. Because they cast well and sink relatively slowly, they are useful tools in the quiver of winter largemouth anglers, as they can be fished deep or retrieved just over shallow, submerged grasses and weeds by adjusting the angle of one’s rod tip. Keeping the rod tip pointed up at a 45- to 60-degree angle with a steady retrieve and an occasional twitch will allow the spoon to slowly kick side to side without snagging aquatic vegetation. The tantalizing wobble of the spoon will catch sunlight and because it is a slow-moving and small presentation, bass will often abandon their cover to give a brief chase.
In deeper lakes and reservoirs, jigging spoons from shore around rock ledges and steep drop-offs is an effective technique. Let the lure sink to the bottom, give it a flick, and begin a slow retrieve with the occasional lift or sweep of the rod before letting the jig settle momentarily—then, resume a steady retrieve and repeat the process. This is also an effective technique for smallmouth bass in the winter.
Neds and Craws
While a bulky, skirted football jig and trailer works wonders on aggressive largemouth during late autumn, the subtle wriggle of a 2.5- to 3-inch Rapala Crush City Ned BLT or Strike King Rage Tail Ned Bug is extremely enticing to densely-schooled, low-lying largemouth in the throes of winter. Nowadays, there are even smaller ned-style baits like Z-Man Micro Finesse LarvaZ, which measure under 2 inches and excel when bass seemingly have lockjaw. While there are numerous weedless craw imitations available to bass anglers, these finesse-style soft plastics shine in lakes and ponds with scant vegetation and a mostly gravel or pebble bottom.
Whether fishing from shore or by kayak, the most effective approach to fishing a ned rig in cold, clear water is to cast, let sink, and slowly hop it along the bottom. Ideally, the bait will stand straight up when paused between each bounce, and as it makes contact with the bottom, the soft plastic will slightly shimmy—a movement that winter largemouth find irresistible. In addition, the flat Ned head knocks into rocks and pebbles, creating a just-noticeable clicking sound that will draw the attention of any nearby bass. Long pauses are recommended, as curious fish will often follow the lure and scoop it up when it is at rest. In that sense, it is similar to the strike window of a suspending jerkbait; the hits often come during a long pause and can be barely detectable. Maintain contact with your jig at all times to avoid missing those soft grabs and pick ups.
From a kayak, cast these lures around deep points and offshore humps with some rocky or sandy bottom structure. From shore, fan cast around points or fish deep edges parallel to ledges and drop-offs. Winter largemouth will often stage in these near-shore areas to gain access to shallow water before or after periods of mild weather and/or prolonged sunlight.
Related Content
7 Essential Lures for Winter Bass Fishing
Two Must-Use Rigs for Winter Bass Fishing
Source: https://onthewater.com/scale-down-for-winter-largemouth
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