# Need Winter fishing help!



## Jsweber82 (Jan 1, 2014)

Hey everyone, I need some tips and advice for cold weather bass fishing. I live in north Georgia and air temps have been in the 32-38 degree range(not sure water temp) when I get on the water at sunrise. 

I don't have much winter fishing experience but understand bass are in deeper water this time of year. I've been targeting boat docks or any "cover" I can find away from the banks but not really having much luck. As for bait I've been using soft plastics(grubs & worms) and deep diving cranks trying to get everything I use to the bottom. In two trips I've only caught one largemouth and it was about a pound. What am I doing wrong? What bait would you guys recommend and what spots should I look for this time of year?


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## hawghunters (Jan 1, 2014)

I would suggest a jig for starters. The bass caught in the winter are generally larger. You're fishing for a few bites a day. Not to say you can't light it up in the winter, it's just tough. Docks are great places as long as they are deep. Other things to look for are bluffs, and points. Other baits to try would be shakey heads and drop shots if the water is pretty clear.


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## fish devil (Jan 1, 2014)

:twisted: We're still catching them here in South Jersey. Jerkbaits with long pauses in between will catch some for you. Jigs, lipless cranks and the dropshot rig can also produce fish. Don't expect to catch a bunch bass. 

Our WATER temps are in the upper 30's to low 40's.


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## jonboatboy (Mar 7, 2014)

My lake is muddy and last weekend the water temp was 47. Barren is 15000 sq acre and with all the rain its been up 15 ft from winter pool so they have our dam wide open droppin it a hair under a foot a day. I caught a 14.5in largemouth and it was white as a ghost. Im going out both days this weekend so ill post a pic or two if I get one in the boat. I been throwin cranks jigs lipless cranks an spinners over shallow cover in the sun and on a gravel bank. Fish the rock that has the sun on it. Their trying to stay warm like we do.


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## Captain Ahab (Mar 7, 2014)

Winter LM fishing is a game of timing more then anything. They will bite but that bite usually has a "window" at least in my area. I suggest you look for areas of darker bottom like a mud flat and fish the edges of that - same goes for submerged weedbeds and structure of any sort. The bass will likely be in transition areas where they can get the effect of sun warmed water without being so much in the open not necessarily in the deepest water.

I tend to also catch more on less in the cold water - small baits fished slowly - 3-4" jerk baits, like an X-rap, and sinking crank baits like a Countdown (Rapala CD 3 or 4) can be deadly. I also love the float and fly technique suspending soft plastics (3" or 4" Fin-S minnow on a 1/16 oz jib head) on a light jig head under a weighted bobber - Adjust your line so the lure it is just off the bottom. Fish is SLOOOOOW - I often will just let the wind slowly push the bobber and jig combo across and area without imparting any additional action. I might give it a twitch and then just wait for the float to slowly sink - that is a bass! 

I like the weighted torpedo float (or bobber) the bigger the better because it casts well and the shape imparts a natural jigging movement to the lure.

The key for LM with this rig is a the hook size - you need a fairly large hook like a 1/0 with the jig which can be hard to find. Usually this is a crappie rig but for cold water LM it is deadly.

Get some of these:







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## New River Rat (Mar 15, 2014)

Your climate is further south than me, so they should have moved up due to the photoperiod. Fish are hardwired to use this longer period of daylight this time of year. Also, maybe later in the day as the water temps bump up a degree or two.


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