Wintertime Bass

[kc]

First off Taylorsville would not be my first choice for a winter bass lake. You can catch bass in any lake in the winter but Taylorsville is not a prime winter lake IMHO. Dale Hollow and Cumberland are probably the best in these parts but I have done pretty good on Nolin and Barren as well. Fish relate to deep banks in the winter but are not necessarily deep. Deep water generally has to be a few tail flicks away but often the fish are up in 6' of water or less. One really cool thing about winter bassin is that the fish can really stack up. If you find where they are stacked you can really load up on one spot. I have at times caught dozens of fish from one point which can mix with crappie, whites, and other fish. Such spots can be dictated by temperature. A few degree difference in temperature can really stack the fish and can be as simple as a south facing bank on a sunny day or up a creek arm where the recent runoff is warmer than the main lake. Fish tend to move up during warmer trends in winter and drop down and out as the weather and water cool. I often run a fair amount of the lake checking water conditions and temperature keeping an eye on the graph looking for shad and big numbers of fish in a particular area. Rock banks are key to me in winter and that is probably one reason I don't relate to Taylorsville.

As far as techniques and lures you can catch fish many different ways. I tend to down size my lures and slow my presentations way down but that doesn't mean you have to fish only jigs or plastics. Cranks work in the winter too and suspending jerk baits can really shine. With cranks you have to get them down to the fish and work them slowly which is why suspending jerks work so well as you can pause them right in front of their faces teasing them to hit. Yo-yoing a rattletrap can be good especially if you find a shad die-off. Vertical jigging spoons is another good way to target deeper fish. In winter I always have a light spinning rod rigged with a 1.5" or 2" curly tail or a similar hair jig which can catch about anything that swims.

Once you understand how the fish relate in the winter I think they are easier to find and pattern than other times of the year. But as I age I just find it harder to get motivated to go out on the cold, nasty days!

kc

[bassman_ky]

One of my fishing buddiestold me this, dont know that its true but it makes sense. The surface temp may be 45 or 50 degrees but in twenty foot of water it may be 5 degrees warmer. If that is so the water can be fairly warm enough for fish to be pretty aggresive. But I have no proof to back it up. Just what my buddy said.

[mrfisherman4]

All you need is a jig n big jerkbait and crankbait. Choice of colors will very of course. Hope this helps. HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

[Embrey]

you forgot one thing...a fish to bite it helps!

[Fishin is life]

I personally slow WAY down and go deep....its nothing to be fishing 30-40' this time of year where i may only fish 20' the rest of the year....downsizing doesnt seem to be as important to me but it may help when the bite gets tough....sometimes ill fish the steeper banks but if i can find a bit of cover out that deep it will always seem to hold fish....all depends on what kind of lake youre fishing