Finesse Fishing Techniques for Winter Bass

Here in North Texas, we are just now getting our first “sustained” “winter-like” temperatures of the season. (If you’re a Texan, you understand the need for quotation marks.) 40 degrees may not seem cold to those of you in the north, but this Texas girl likes her temps 60 degrees and above. While we are still in fall patterns here for bass fishing, winter patterns are not far off, and require a much different set of tools for catching bass. The most important tool? Patience. Bass fishing in the winter is tough, but it can be incredibly rewarding. While you may not get a lot of bites, you can get some really big ones.

As the weather gets cold, bass move into deeper water, which has a more stable temperature and oxygen level. Metabolism slows down so they eat less and move less. Bites will be harder to come by, but bass still have to eat. As we head into winter, here are my top 3 lures I’ll be throwing:

Jerkbait

A tried and true cold-water technique, the most important thing is to slow down the pause in the winter. The colder the water, the longer the pause before the twitch – 15 seconds or longer might be needed in the winter. I prefer a medium/heavy spinning rod setup, but many people use a casting rod. Use what feels most comfortable, but light line is key. I like 10-12 lb fluorocarbon. Twitch it on slack line and watch the line closely.

Ned Rig 

The Ned rig excels in the winter because of its small profile and limited action. Use a Ned rig jig head – I like a 1/10 oz. Let it sink and drag it slowly along the bottom. You can wiggle it along the way or lift it off the bottom, but keep the action slow. I use 6-8 lb fluorocarbon on a medium spinning rod. 

Jig

A great lure all year long, the jig can attract some big bass. In the winter I prefer to downsize to a finesse jig to attract more bites. Use a craw trailer with less action than what you might use during warmer fishing months. Drag it slowly along the bottom and target structure where bass tend to cling to, such as a drop-off to deeper water. 

Most importantly, remember that bass slow way down during the winter. Whatever lure you choose, bass are not looking to expend a lot of energy, and the strike zone is small. Try to target areas where bass are likely to congregate, and it may take multiple casts in the same spot to elicit a bite. Winter is a tough time of the year to fish, but if you have the time and patience, it can yield amazing results.