You might think that Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass pack it up and head for the lake bottoms to bury themselves in the mud until Spring brings back warmer water temperatures but they really don’t they head for deeper water for sure but a Bass have got to eat and there is a way for catching them on the coldest winter day. Where do bass go in the winter?
Bass don’t hibernate like other fish, they stay in deep H2O in winter, occasionally feeding but because of a loss of metabolism, they have a loss of appetite. Bass will hang around docks, in the deepest part of the H2O around pilings & rocks where small bait fish congregate & also for protection.
This cold time of the year 30 to 60 water temperature, Bass will run slow and deep so look for deep structures on the map Deep channels ledges leading to those channels and try jigging vertically with shiny spoons over humps if you are in a boat.
Where Do Bass Go in the Winter
Bass, unlike other fish and animals, don’t hibernate in the winter. What they do is find protection away from frozen temperatures outside when it lowers to around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the bass will swim deep.
They’ll stay in deep waters during months of winter, occasionally feeding. Bass lose their appetite the colder it gets outside. Sometimes these fish hang around the docks, in the deepest part. They use the pilings for warmth and survival hiding from predators.
Bass during winter have the same diet, but they eat less. Their diet consists of smaller fish like shad and minnows. Depending on the lake, they also eat crawfish and insects, if there are any because most die off during the winter months.
HOLLOWS:
If you’re fishing a body of water that has no structures a flat mud bottom, or is generally shallow oftentimes the bass in Winter will pull offshore and lay in the lowest, deepest spot they can find offshore. If you’re on a small body of water this probably means the middle of the deepest holes.
If you’re on a big body of water this could be the middle of a bay or even the center of the lake, a few miles offshore. The key to this pattern is to understand that the fish are NOT orienting to cover, it’s more about the depth of the water column and the presence of food so don’t be afraid to go look in the middle of nowhere.
ROCKS:
If you have big rocks in your lake, this could be a Wintertime feature for fish. Rocks offer safety to smaller baitfish during the cold water months, attracting bass. If the rock is deep, the bass will lay along the bottom edge where the water is warmest. If the rock is shallow, on sunny days it’ll move right up against the shallowest rocks that stick above water. Either way, this is probably a key place to look for winter bass.
DEEP DOCKS:
Deep docks or other vertical structure is key in Winter. The pilings offer cover, ambush points, and warmth. Bass clings to them until the water warms in Spring. We’ve found that the largest fish hold just off the deepest pilings through the cold months, only moving in to feed or to the sun on the warm afternoons.
While these are not a rule of thumb they’ll give you a great starting point as you search for Winter bass. It’s important to use the right electronics to make a huge difference when searching for open-water bass. While not everyone can afford high-dollar electronics, if you can it will save you some time. When it’s cold time is important.
How do you Catch Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass in the Fall?
You can Catch bass in the Fall if you:
- Understand the fall season transition period
- Identify baitfish & use a similar bait
- Look for grass that’s still green
- Cast baits on top of grass flats
- Find offshore structures/covers
- Find pockets
- Find cutouts on shorelines
- Use the right lure & location for temperature ..…………………………………………………………………….. Read more
Where does Bass go in the Fall?
In the fall, a bass goes to shallower H2O to fatten up for the winter months, where small bait fish like shad are in the Fall transition but with quick access to deep H2O when sudden cold fronts can interrupt this process, sending bass back into deep H2O until the weather warms the shallows again…………………………………………………….. Read more
Where to Catch Winter Largemouth Bass
For starters, cold water significantly reduces bass metabolism, which reduces the speed at which they move and the distance they’re willing to travel. Anglers target fish around areas of “verticality,” that is, steep edges that give them quick access to feeding flats and deep water without moving far.
While most winter bass live in the main stem of the lake, there are always a few bass living in shallow water, but again, usually very close to drop-off adjacent to deeper water.
“The shorter days of winter profoundly impact bass location and their overall activity level”. Bassmaster Elite Series pro-Mark Menendez explains where bass goes during the winter months, the best times of the day to fish them, and why bigger baits often lead to more quality fish.
“A reduced metabolism requires bass to feed when they’re most efficient, which means during daylight hours so that they can see and, in some cases, take advantage of warming water”. The key times to catch bass in the winter are first thing in the morning, midday, and right before dark, with Menendez catching most of his quality fish early and late in the day.
There is a science to metabolism, which also ties to forage size and lure selection for the day.
A bass expends less energy eating a bigger single meal than it does chasing down several smaller meals for the same amount of calories. Try using bigger lures in your favorite categories, such as jigs, crankbaits, or jerk baits, to catch a better class of fish.
Conclusion:
Bass don’t hibernate like other fish, they stay in deep H2O in colder winter months, occasionally feeding but because of a loss of metabolism, they have a loss of appetite. Bass will hang around docks, in the deepest part of the H2O around structures like pilings & rocks where small bait fish congregate & also for protection.
This cold time of the year 30 to 60 water temperature, Bass will run slow and deep so look for deep structures on the map Deep channels ledges leading to those channels and try jigging vertically with shiny spoons over humps if you are in a boat.
Where Do Bass Go in the Spring?
In early spring, bass begin moving from deeper areas where they spent winter toward rapidly warming shallow water where the water warms up faster but because spring is unpredictable, water temperature in the shallows fluctuates from day to day, keeping bass moving back & forth between shallow & deep H2O ….………………………………………………………. Read more
JimGalloway Author/Editor
References:
Wired2Fish-Where Bass Go in the Winter