Bass Fishing HomeBass Fishing Forums

Go Back   BassFishin.Com Forums > Serious Conversation Only > Techniques, Strategy & Presentations

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 12-23-10, 05:04 AM   #1
Bass Warrior
BassFishin.Com Member
 
Bass Warrior's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DeRidder, Louisiana
Posts: 17
Question Winter patterns??

I am trying to learn what I should be looking for during winter fishing. I have no clue where bass migrate to when the water temps drop. I have had a little luck fishing 6-9 ft just before a drop-off to 20-30 ft but very little. Any help would be appreciated!
Bass Warrior is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-10, 06:57 AM   #2
danielbasspro
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
danielbasspro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Altamonte Springs Florida
Posts: 252
Default

If the water is clear fish will generally move deeper in the lake, like ledges, drop-offs, and depth changes. Fish drop shots, carolina rigs, and fish slow. Look for some deep grass or points. They'll be there but may not might real good, but things can change for the better in an instant when that sun pops out. Good Luck
__________________
Daniel
danielbasspro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-10, 08:13 AM   #3
keithdog
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
keithdog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: IN
Posts: 8,308
Default

Up here winter fishing is done through the ice so I can't really tell you a lot about fiahing the winter months there. But I do know that in late fall before iceup here, finding deeper weedbeds that are still green and healthy is key. So many weeds turn brown and die off in late fall. So if you can find healthy green weedbeds your well on your way, especialy if they are near woody cover as well. Wood tends to hold heat after being in the warm sun which will help warm the surrounding water. At least thats what I've always been told.
keithdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-10, 09:53 AM   #4
walkeraviator
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
walkeraviator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 1,119
Default

Here in the Kentucky resevoirs they go deep along mainlake channels. Jigs are the way to get largemouth and using the float-n-fly is the way to catch smallies
walkeraviator is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-10, 11:54 AM   #5
HarveysMinnow
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central NC
Posts: 224
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by keithdog View Post
Wood tends to hold heat after being in the warm sun which will help warm the surrounding water. At least thats what I've always been told.
That makes a lot of sense, Keith. Submerged logs or stumps tend to be a dark color, and if the water is relatively clear, they would act almost like a solar collector.

What about in small farm ponds, where the maximum depth may be only 15 to 20 ft and there is essentially no cover? Do the Bass just go to the bottom and try to tough it out all winter?

/
__________________
It's time for less talk and more fishing!
HarveysMinnow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-10, 03:46 PM   #6
Bass Warrior
BassFishin.Com Member
 
Bass Warrior's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DeRidder, Louisiana
Posts: 17
Default

Thanks guys! I have become very dependent on Texas rig worm fishing and at times feel thats the only way I can catch fish. Is there any difference in how you fish this in the deeper water or is Carolina rig the better way to go when you go deeper?
Bass Warrior is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-10, 04:31 PM   #7
walkeraviator
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
walkeraviator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 1,119
Default

tungsten weights are handy when you go deep. more eight without more size. I also like to go smaller finesse worms in teh winter.
walkeraviator is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-10, 10:44 AM   #8
keithdog
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
keithdog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: IN
Posts: 8,308
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by HarveysMinnow View Post
That makes a lot of sense, Keith. Submerged logs or stumps tend to be a dark color, and if the water is relatively clear, they would act almost like a solar collector.

What about in small farm ponds, where the maximum depth may be only 15 to 20 ft and there is essentially no cover? Do the Bass just go to the bottom and try to tough it out all winter?

/
I would imagine that would be their only option really. I would expect the oxygen levels to be fairly even throught a small pond unless it is feed by a feeder creek, in which case the bass might hang near the entrance of the creek.
keithdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-10, 12:10 AM   #9
cassidyta
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
cassidyta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 2,928
Default

I would also look for anything green and try to find them there. The photosynthesis will release oxygen and the weeds will act as an insulation.
__________________
If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.
cassidyta is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-10, 05:29 PM   #10
RayC
BassFishin.Com Member
 
RayC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Staten Island, Ny
Posts: 15
Default

I've had great success with a jigging spoon in the last few months I caught many 6 and 5lb bass on spoons. Here are just a few fish I've caught.




RayC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-10, 06:17 PM   #11
WTL
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
WTL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Huntsville, Al
Posts: 7,466
Default

Damn, Ray.....thats awesome.
__________________
Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.
WTL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-10, 06:52 PM   #12
keithdog
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
keithdog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: IN
Posts: 8,308
Default

Geez Ray, leave a few for the rest of us! Those are beautiful bass!!!
keithdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-10, 07:23 PM   #13
nofearengineer
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
nofearengineer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Southwest IN
Posts: 5,630
Default

Ray...you're killing me!!!

The problem with the Winter pattern for me is I can't seem to reach the water, casting from my couch.

At least I'm warm.
__________________
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.
nofearengineer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-10, 08:18 PM   #14
bamabassman
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
bamabassman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: cedar bluff, alabama
Posts: 15,292
Default

SON!!!!!!! ray..........those are just AWESUM fish man. my winter techinigues? welll..............put on my snuggie and turn up the heat. put in an old john wayne movie and curse old man winter.
__________________
so many lures, so little time.
bamabassman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-10, 10:06 AM   #15
HarveysMinnow
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central NC
Posts: 224
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RayC View Post
I've had great success with a jigging spoon in the last few months I caught many 6 and 5lb bass on spoons. Here are just a few fish I've caught.
Ray, it's impossible to argue with evidence like that! You make a really strong case for jigging spoons.

.
__________________
It's time for less talk and more fishing!
HarveysMinnow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-10, 10:27 AM   #16
Ebbetsguy
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
Ebbetsguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Sacramento, California
Posts: 483
Default

We have hard water as this time of year, and I don't like the cold
My winter pattern: Coffee, Couch and TV
Ebbetsguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-10, 02:38 PM   #17
RayC
BassFishin.Com Member
 
RayC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Staten Island, Ny
Posts: 15
Default

Guys what are u wimpy I was fishing this December in 20 degree and under catching most of these fish. You don't get many but when you do hold on. You will catch some of your biggest fish the spawn and this time of year.
RayC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-10, 05:17 PM   #18
bamabassman
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
bamabassman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: cedar bluff, alabama
Posts: 15,292
Default

all i can say ray is..............YOU DA MAN!! keep it up pal. we love to see these types of pics. i MIGHT get the old RAJUN CAJUN out before winter is over. that is IF the boss will let me, hahaha. the boss is my wife by the way.
__________________
so many lures, so little time.
bamabassman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-10, 09:43 PM   #19
BBD
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
BBD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 212
Default

Yeah Ray is killin em!
BBD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-11, 02:31 PM   #20
carolina-rig-01
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
carolina-rig-01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Webb City, MO
Posts: 6,387
Default

While a lot of the fish go deep in the winter, you don't have to fish deep to catch fish. Obviously deep techniques like dragging a jig around or fishing a jigging spoon are great ways to catch deep fish, but if you aren't comfortably fishing deep water you can still catch a lot of fish shallow (or atleast fairly shallow). If fishing deep doesn't bother you then go for it, it's just one more ace in the hole for you. But there are a lot of guys who don't feel comfortable fishing deep water but try it anyways in the Winter and Summer because they believe that's what they have to do to get bites. There are shallow fish to be caught pretty much year round, and if deep water isn't something you do well then why leave your comfort zone if you don't have to. You can stay shallow and focus on areas like Chunk rock that is close to flats and also close to deep water, or concrete boat ramps (these things hold a lot of fish in colder water because the sun heats them up just like it does chunk rock). Jerkbaits, jigs, and Wiggle Warts are my 3 favorite baits for fishing shallow in cold water. With jerkbaits and jigs, slow is usually the answer in cooler water.

If fishing deep doesn't bother you then you will probably want to look at the same type of ares that hold deep fish in the summer (maybe not the same exact areas, but the same types of areas). Deep points, channel swings, humps, and deep brush piles or rock piles are all great places to find some fish.
__________________
You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.
carolina-rig-01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Disclosure / Disclaimer
Before acting on the content posted, you should know that BassFishin.Com may benefit financially and otherwise from content, advertising, links or otherwise from anything you click on, read, or look at on our website. Click here to read our Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer.


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:33 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2013 BassFishin.Com LLC