Fishing in the winter is another level of fun and adventure. But bass fishing? It’s both challenging and exciting.
So do bass bite in cold weather? As these fishes still need to eat even in wintertime, they still bite in cold water temperatures. The ideal temperate range for them to bite is 32°F – 50°F.
Still interested in bass fishing in cold weather? Continue reading this article to know more, including tips and tricks!
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Do Bass Bite in Cold Water?
Although fishes change their behaviors during the winter, they still need food to survive, so they will still bite even if the weather is cold. You may be wondering, will fish bite in 50-degree weather still?
Of course!
When the water is between 50 and 55°F (10 – 13°C), you can begin to find bass in their traditional spawning places.
In addition, it’s been said that it’s generally best to catch bigger bass fishes in 50-degree weather compared to small ones. The reason is that the little fishes will reduce their activity in cold weather, thus needing less food for energy.
But when is it too cold to fish for bass? In 45 to 50 degrees, you can still catch bass under ice. However, it’s expected that these fishes are even more slow and sluggish and you may get even fewer bites.
Tips and Strategies for Bass Fishing in Cold Weather
To help you navigate and deal with factors that affect winter bass fishing, we have discussed some tips and tricks below:
1. Go deep
Due to the cold weather, bass tends to go deeper. However, please note that water depth will depend on where you’re fishing.
The trick here is to find the deepest point relative to where you’re fishing. Also, remember how far the bass goes in that body of water during the summer or springtime.
For instance, if they only stay around 10 feet, you can go to about 30 feet deep during winter bass fishing.
2. Check where the warmest water is
As stated before, bass are usually less active during cold weather. As such, finding the warmest water in the lake when fishing makes a lot of difference.
To do this, look for the calmest part of the lake because this means lower water temperature. Also, it’s recommended that you start catching bass between 2 in the afternoon and sunset because the sun has already warmed up the water thus the bass are already more active and moving.
3. Make sure you use the appropriate baits and lures
Although bass don’t stop biting during the winter, you must use the best baits and lures to catch them. Downsizing your baits is a must in winter fishing.
Using small baits is fairly important because bass’ metabolism during cold weather is reduced. Because of this, they won’t be too excited to consume big pieces of food.
The best kinds of baits to use during this time are curly-tail grubs, soft plastic worms, and creek minnows, to name a few. However, make sure you’re using the appropriate rig to keep your live bait or lure fresh.
4. Move your bait slowly and steadily
It’s fairly important to move your bait slowly and steadily because bass move slower during cold weather. As such, the best way to catch bass during the winter is to mimic their movements.
As these fishes are more lethargic during this time, they’ll also go after slower baits. To do this, you should keep your bait steady near the bottom of the lake.
5. Take into consideration the water’s clarity
To get more bites, consider the water’s clarity. Bass are said to bite more when the water is clear because they can see what they’re eating compared to when fishing in dirty waters.
But please remember that the bass are most likely in the deeper parts when the water is clear. In contrast, when the water is dirty or muddy, they lurk in the shallow parts.
Conclusion
So do bass bite in cold weather? In summary, although a bit challenging, you’ll still catch bass when it’s cold. You just need to understand bass’ movement or patterns during cold weather to catch one.
A few things to remember are: bass tend to go into the deeper parts of the water during the winter, and you have to use smaller baits to get more bites. If you need help catching bass in cold weather, refer to this article.
Happy fishing!
Fishing is an important part of my day-to-day life and a wonderful way for me to bond with friends and family. Whether you fish for recreation, competition, or exercise, I hope you find the guides here helpful. Don’t hesitate to drop me a message if you want further help.