We all know winter can be a very tuff time to catch bass. Not only are the bass less active and less willing to eat, but the cold weather takes a toll on us anglers as well.
So what about those few warm winter days we get each year. These days are certainly much more comfortable and more enjoyable conditions to fish in.
But can you catch bass on these days? And how do you do it?
Don’t worry, you are about to know exactly how to capitalize on these warm winter days.
Yes, a few days of sudden warmth will heat up the shallow quite a bit.
Many bass will use this opportunity to move into shallower water and feed up while the water is still warm.
This sudden jump in water temperature will increase the bass’s metabolism and make them more aggressive.
Now they still aren’t going to be chasing super fast baits or hitting topwater lures.
But warm winter days are a great time to catch cold water bass on faster, shallower lures.
It doesn’t matter if fish are biting if you don’t know how to catch them. You still have to know where and what to fish to get them to bite.
The first thing I’m going do is go to the bank and look how deep can I see if I can see.
However deep I can see into the water I am going to multiply by two. If I can see 2 feet deep, I multiply it by two and get 4 feet.
This is the water depth that I will focus on fishing.
This depth and clarity allows the fish to get close enough to the bank where it’s warmer and they can actively hunt, but they’re not visual to other prey or other predators hunting them from above.
You can find the water depth with a portable fish finder or just by counting how long it takes you lure to sink to the bottom.
I always start with a moving bait to cover water and see just how aggressive the bass are.
Usually, if it has been warm for 2-3 days already, you can get bass to hit faster lures.
If the warm front just began, bass might not be aggressive enough to commit to these lures, and you will have to switch to more finesse techniques.
The slow and wide wobble of the square bill makes it a very easy target for bass.
Silent square bills seem to work better on warm winter days. The water is still rather cold, so the loud rattles and beads are a bit too much.
Red is without a doubt the best color for this situation. Shad colors also work well, but red really is the best option.
Also Read: Best Winter Lure Colors
I like fishing the chatterbait just off the bottom. Especially if there are some rocks to bounce off of.
Everyone knows that the chatterbait is a great pre-spawn lure. Bass behavior and location is very similar on the winter warm fronts.
A red or black chatterbait is my next option if the square bill isn’t getting bit.
During the winter, it doesn’t matter if the weather is warm, cold, snowing, or anything else.
The jerkbait is always one of the best winter time lures. The jerkbait is a big and realistic profile.
And being able to fish erratically and very slowly at the same time is unbeatable in cold water.
The wacky rig is a go-to bait all year round. The weird and enticing action can almost always persuade bass to bite.
The wacky rig can also be fished a bit faster than a drop shot or shaky head.
This helps a lot because warm winter day bass can be very spread out and hard to find.
Being able to fish a bit faster saves you from spending too much time in areas where there aren’t any bass.
If the bass aren’t biting my power lures, I immediately tie on the wacky rig.
The ned rig has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. It is a super simple setup, but catches tons of bass.
I prefer a crawfish bait, but if fish are really finicky, I will use the stick baits. Crawfish are one of bass’s main winter forage.
The hopping and dragging of a ned rig on the bottom is super subtle and gets finicky bass to eat.
Slow rolling a finesse, paddle tail swimbait is a great mix of finesse and speed.
You can fish it much faster than all other finesse baits, but still have the subtle, soft plastic presentation.
There are many ways to rig a paddle tail swimbait, but during warm winter days, the simple round jig head setup is my favorite.
Small ponds are going to be your best option. Winter pond or bank fishing is much simpler than out on a big lake.
Bass are either shallow, like these warm front days, or they are in the middle of the pond.
There are usually only one or two drop offs, so you don’t need to get out super deep to find the right depth.
If you are fishing a big lake, you want to target the shallower branches and creek channels.
The lake itself will not warm up much or at all. The bass just outside of these shallower areas will come up shallow during the warm front.
The bass out deep are not going to swim hundreds of yards for warmer water.
Also Read: Can You Catch Fish on Cold Winter Days?
After weeks or months of cold, slow fishing, a warm winter day can be a great opportunity.
You can use faster, more aggressive lures in much shallower water. And the best part is, you won’t be freezing your tail off while on the water.
So throw on your shorts, head out to your nearest pond, and take full advantage of the rare warmth.
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