Winter bass on warm winter days

[Phil Lilley]

I have to tell you, I've had some of the best bass fishing trips on Table Rock in January and February fishing a grub along pea gravel banks and transision banks. May be I was totally ignorant and got lucky but it seemed to be a given that they would bite on sunny, 50-60 degree days.

I'd use a medium weight spinning outfit with 6 lb line, 1/8th oz lead heads with a dark grub- olive or smoke and work it slow on the bottom.

I took Ron Waterman, a guy who used to have a fishing show out of KDEB (Fox, Springfield), out to do a winter bass show and we caught the tar out of bass (at least I did). Ron couldn't get the hang of it... actually he had a hard time with trout too but that was Ron.

Anybody else have any winter secrets for catching bass on Table Rock?

[Steve Smith]

My winter approach is about the same as in the heat of the summer, except I don't fish at night. Find fish on the graph, and jig structure spoons through them. Sometimes white and sometimes silver. I work mostly bluffs and deep timbered coves and creeks. I've tried jigs and couldn't get the feel for it either.

[MOBass]

I like swimming a grub also. I also have some success fishing a wiggle wart through trees (mostly cedars). It can be a little intimidating to throw a crank bait into a forrest of trees poking out of the water but you'll be suprised at how well the bait comes through. I fish it with a steady retrive with most bites coming after it comes over a limb. I have also fished with some guys that have the spoon thing dialed in. I just can't figure out the areas to make it work on my own. This year I am going to fish the Eakins jig some and see what happens. I finally have some faith in fishing docks with it and want to see if the fish still hang close to some of the deeper docks in the winter.

[SKMO]

Well if we told you they wouldn't be "secrets" would they?

In winter I am not sure if I like the warm days because the fish might bite, or because it's when I can stand to be out there. I can take wind, and cold, but not both at once.

Anyway my favorite winter patterns include:

1) I like Southwest facing 45 degree chunk banks in cuts and coves, and gravel pockets in the afternoons, when they have had a few hours sun exposure and can warm up 2-3 degrees. Dependng on the water temp and color I like stickbaits, grubs, cranks and even spinnerbaits. You can catch bass on cranks and spinnerbaits well at times especially in off-colored water if you run them slow and the water is still in the low 40's at least. Suspending Fat Free shad in Citrus Shad has put some nice fish in my mt boat.

2) Fishing schools of shad in the coves. This all depends on being able to find some shad. Sometimes easier said than done, but there are enough really good days mixed in with the duds to keep my interest up. Favorite presentations include dropshot, tubes, spoons, swimming grub deep through and below the shad balls. Have had some real memorable trips and caught 30+ fish for the boat doing this, usually all Ky's and most often some real pigs. Also lots of trips not-so-memorable where I fished the shad and had nothing to show for it but a frozen arse.

3) Fishing bluff timber and timber on deeper banks. Stickbait, tube, or weeedless grub.

Overall my favorites would have to be the stickbait in the trees, weedless tube in the trees, and dropshot around shad in the coves.

Guys who know when and where to fish a jig and pig or Eakins type jig can do tremendous in the winter I have just never figured it out.

[denjac]

My favorite winter bait for bass is the little george. I fish it just like a jig, making contact with the bottom. If its real tough I vertical fish it in the timber. This is a fish catching bait and is overlooked by most.

[SKMO]

Denjac - I guess the Little George is kind of a variation of a spoon presentation. (Chunk of shiney metal beneath the boat, but with better vibration)

I have used LG's in the past for casting to schooling for fish and my problems were they spun around on the line, and the hook was pretty rough, in my opinion.

Do you replace the original LG hook with a better grade?

I Have used Silver Buddies or similar blade baits as well as LG's for jigging beneath the boat in Winter with limited sucess. Usually hanging up a lot and donating metal to the bottom of the lake.

Any tips?

Assume you are fishing the LG around scouted schools of threadfin?

Thanks - SKMO

[denjac]

The hooks do suck on the LG, but I just hit them with a file and have no problem. I guess I am a minority as I bank fish it in the winter. Smaller shallower bluff banks and ledges. Rock creek is usually good in the winter and the bluff bank right upstream fron Big M I have done well. My theroy on it is the smaller bluff banks and ledges heat up in the sun and the fish move in close to them. At least thats where I catch em. I dont locate bait fish when I fish this way, I just bank fish these spots like we used to remember those days? LOL They dont hang up as much as you would think and when they do they shake off easily.

[olbasser]

I'm one of those die hard jig guys. Don't let the fish tell me to change bait just the kind of trailer or retrieve to use. Lately I've gone to putting a chatter head on the jig. Think it gives me more retrieve options with a jig. Fish the area from Big M to SK and have really improved my cast to catch ratio.

[SKMO]

Denjac - Well I guess you don't mince words as "suck" was certainly on the top of my list for descriptives of Little George hooking systems. Kinda crude catfish hooks with a galvinazation like an old refridgerator shelf.

Olebasser - Just how "Ole" a basser are you??

Please relate your chatterbait experiences. Seriously. It looks to my like this is something for dingy water but would like to hear some of your Table Rock sucess stories in this bait.

SKMO