Crankbaits are, by far, one of the best types of bass fishing lures to fool these cold-water bass. Even when these lethargic wintertime bass aren’t actively feeding, the tantalizing shimmy of a crankbait is well known to elicit instinctual reaction strikes from otherwise inactive fish.
Are crankbaits good for winter bass?
In the winter and prespawn, a crankbait is his go-to lure for bass fishing when he’s trying to find the most active fish in cold water. Storm Wiggle Wart Crankbait: The crawfish pattern with a smaller profile with that rattle and ghost colors is a staple for coldwater fishing on highland reservoirs.
Can you use crankbaits in winter?
Winter might limit some of your bait options, but one technique that maintains its is cranking. In fact, crankbaits rank pretty high in winter productivity. One reason for this is the fact that most of your winter fishing is done around shad schools, especially when it’s really cold and the baitfish are dying.
What crank bait to use in the winter?
A flat-sided crankbait is one of the best imitators of this lethargic, winter behavior. That’s why you hear of so many big bass being caught on Rapala Shad Raps and SPRO Little Johns this time of year. They both have a very subtle, tight wiggle to them and the bass can’t help but eat ’em.
Are crankbaits good for cold water?
Crews believes crankbaits with yellow and/or red colors on them get more bites in cold water. “I try to fish water with a little bit of stain, but those colors seem to work well for me in clear, cold water, too,” he explained. “Regardless of what color the lure body is, make sure the bait has an orange belly.
What baits are good for bass in the winter?
Five Awesome Winter Bass Baits
- #1 – Jerkbait. The suspending jerkbait is no secret to coldwater bass anglers.
- Jerkbaits as topwaters.
- #2 – Blade bait.
- #3 – Lipless crankbait.
- #4 – Wacky worm.
- #5 – Jig.
- Beat the cold to boat the bass.
What do bass fish like in cold weather?
Some good examples of winter bass bait include a rapala shad rap, a hair jig, and soft plastic baitfish. If you use a hair jig, remember that you don’t need a trailer. A bit of deer hair will work just fine.
What colors do bass like in the winter?
Black/blue is the best color for this lure in off colored water. Considering off colored water is about the only color you’ll find this time of year with all the rain. Black and brown are excellent choices as well. Most anglers tie on this bait during a cold front when the bass have buried themselves in cover.
How deep are bass in cold water?
Deep Water Winter Bass Hotspots
A depth change of 2 feet or 20 feet could be a good wintertime bass hideout depending on the geographic location of the fishery. The water is too cold at the average depth of the flat (about 10 feet deep), so the bass seek out the deepest water they can find for a comfort zone.
How do I choose a crankbait?
To most effectively fish a crankbait, you need it to periodically contact structure. To do that, you should whenever possible opt for a crankbait that runs slightly deeper than the water you are fishing. If you’re fishing a breakline that drops into 5 feet of water, you should choose a crankbait that runs 6 feet deep.
When should you throw crankbaits?
Crankbaits work best in the spring, summer, and fall, except during the few weeks a year fish are spawning. Use medium-diving crankbaits when waters are about 50-60 degrees. As the season moves along and the fish start moving from the banks toward deeper waters, use a shad-colored crankbait.
How fast should I reel in a crankbait?
The correct speed of any crankbait reel is 21 inches of line pick-up per turn of the reel handle. Most of that information is on the internet or on the packaging. If it isn’t, measure what your reel is doing with a ruler. It’s that important.
Is crankbait good for bass?
Crankbaits are some of the most powerful bass lures, because anglers can cover a large amount of water in little time. Often, bass anglers use crankbaits to scout unfamiliar waters quickly and find the areas with the most bass.
Are bass shallow or deep in winter?
Bass, even the big ones, are not always deep in winter. Watch for bait fish, and remember that even crawdads don’t hole up until the water temps dip below 40. You may be surprised at how many fish you find on the bank no matter how cold it is.
Will bass bite topwater in winter?
Topwater baits are also effective in colder water because during the late fall bass spend the majority of their time gorging themselves on shad that are located in the upper half of the water column.
Where do bass hang out in the winter?
Often times the bass in Winter will pull off shore and lay in the lowest, deepest spot they can find off shore. If you’re on a small body of water this probably means the middle of the deepest coves. If you’re on a big body of water this could be the middle of a bay or even the center of the lake, miles offshore.
At what temperature do bass stop biting?
Bass can tolerate high and low temperatures pretty well. Cook said he only pays attention to his boat’s thermometer when it’s very hot — above 85 degrees — or very cold — which to him is anything below 50. But if it’s between 55 degrees and 85 degrees, temperature really doesn’t affect bass behavior all that much.
How often do bass eat in the winter?
Also, as the metabolism of a bass slows down, it will process its food a lot slower. This means that bass do not need to feed as much as they do during the winter. If a bass can get a good size meal it could last the fish a week or two, whereas in the summer a bass typically needs to eat almost every day.
Will bass bite when it’s cold?
Yes, in some cases they have to drive their boats over thin ice to get to open water. But when they do, good things can happen. You’d be amazed at how aggressive the bite can be in these cold temperatures. While the surface temp may be 33 degrees, the water is warmer where the bass winter in deeper water.
What is a largemouth bass favorite color?
red
The cellular composition of the largemouth bass’ eye is tuned to respond to two colors: red and green. Bass can see these colors well, and make decisions with high selectivity based on these colors.
What color plastic worm is best for bass?
The best colors for worms are natural colors: green pumpkin, watermelon, junebug, black and blue. With these colors you will be able to catch bass year round in any body of water that holds bass.
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