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Chilly Weather Primer

Category: article

 Oct 31st, 2008 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Oct 31st, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Too many casual bass anglers hang up their gear once Halloween is over. It may be due to the need to go and whack a buck or two. There is also the distinct possibility many bass anglers don’t feel cold weather is good for bass fishing. Sure, cold weather can slow things down, but you’ll have less competition and when you do get ’em they can often be fat and sassy.

	Aaron Martens with a young fan (Photo BASS Communications)

BASS Elite Series pro Aaron Martens feels that cold weather bass fishing can be downright good. His approach is very simple. Look for grass out of the cold, start shallow and fast. If all else fails head deep and slow down.

“The first thing I would do when approaching cold weather bass fishing is to find areas that are sheltered from the cold wind,” said Martens. “In some lakes, such as those with grass, reaction baits work well.  I would first try a jerkbait or Rat-L-Trap. I often find that a quick retrieval works great in cold weather.” 

Look for green grass and bait.

“If the lake has grass, look for the healthiest grass you can find,” said Martens. “In lakes with no grass, look for baitfish.  I would first start to look in creeks, starting at the mouth and working my way in to the back. Look for rip rap and timber and try using a jig.”

If your favorite lake isn’t renowned for shallow water and late-season grass, try the deeper haunts.

“In some lakes, the bass will go deep in cold weather,” said Martens. “In deep water, I would try spoons, drop-shot, Carolina rig, and a jig.”

Don’t expect the fast and furious action of the spring, but you can certainly catch a bunch quickly when the snow starts flying.