Bass Fishing - Finding bass under changing conditions (3/3)

Now as it drifts into winter, the water gets colder, and the food chain moves out into deeper more stable water. The shad here in our California canyon lakes move out to the fifty to eighty foot level, and most of the bass follow them, along with most of the other predatory species in the lake. Most of the bass will be caught deep around the shad schools, using Rapala ice jigs, or 1/2 to 3/4 oz. Hopkins spoons.

The best way to fish them is to first find the school of shad on your depth finder, ( they will be under the birds in the middle of the lake ) I use a reel with a line counter on it, and drop the lure down to just below the bottom of the school, where the bass are waiting for the weak and dying shad to flutter down through the school, and can be easily captured. The ice jig and Hopkins spoon both imitate dying shad. I don't fish bass in the deep water anymore as they don't survive very well after being brought up from deep water. There are ALWAYS some fish shallow, so better to spend your time getting better flipping, or fishing jig-n-pigs on steep banks.

In the winter time spend most of your time on the sunny side of the lake, the water is usually a few degrees warmer, and under stable conditions, there are some fish to be caught most days. After a good rain, fish move into small cuts and gullies where the water washes insects and worms into the water. Small fish come to eat them and some bass move from deep water to eat the sunfish. These spots usually are pretty muddy and the fish feel safe because they can't see
you. Under these conditions a black jig with a blue pork trailer is a tough combo to beat, my second choice would be brown and orange. Move in close and and flip the jig right next to the bank and work it back to the eight to ten foot range, ( most of your hits will come in the first four feet, although sometimes a real giant will hang around in the eight to ten foot range so it is wise to fish this depth range ).

You may go several days without getting bit in the six to ten foot water, but when you do, it can be a real TOAD!!! Forget the rest of the lake, after a rain, just run from gully to gully and you can have the day of your life, for wintertime fishing.

In the spring when the water starts coming up, grass and weeds accumulate in these same pockets and cuts and form into thick floating masses where a one oz. jig-n-pig will fall right through the weed mat, and right into the face of bass waiting for a meal to swim into their hiding place. These weed mats provide overhead cover in lakes where there is very little of this premium cover. TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT!!!!!!