Let's get real...

Winter bass fishing plain sucks.

I get tired of guy saying, "Winter is my favorite time of the year to bass fish. I catch the most fish and biggest in winter!"

I am calling y'all on your lies. When the water gets cold bass fishing is garbage.

I can remember way back when I thought like that. Put your time in and you will figure it out.

Late January February you can catch some donkeys if you know what's up

Oh Fo SHO!

So give poor Dan a tip or two!!

Dan;
My tips -
1. As you cruise the lake looking for fish, note the water temps in each area. (They will change depending on wind and cloud cover. Look for the warmer water.)
2. In general, slow down your presentation. (There will be occasions when schools of fish will get fired up and you dont need a slow presentation.)

Two of about 200.

3. Don't be afraid to fish in shallow water! Like 2 or 3' shallow as they will be there.

Fish warming trends and cast to the dirt. Northwest banks.

Downsize your bait.

Blue gill under a bobber. You’re welcome.

I always go bass fishing and some how find the white bass still get to set the hook thooo

It may or may not be garbage... But, what I do know is when you go out in the winter you don't have to deal with all the other yahoos on jet skis, wake boats or pleasure boats trying to make your life miserable. It's quiet, peaceful bliss. That right there makes wintertime my favorite time to hit the water... Plus the smallmouth seems to come alive and are happy to play... Dan

No problem, hunting is good in the winter, my boat was put to bed in October, will hibernate til Feb.

Went out yesterday and saw 2 other boats
All day.........on Fork!!!!!

Oh, and my best 5 went 23#
Haven’t been able to say that
In a long time!

#winterfishingdoesntsuck

I agree with this, out on Roberts Thursday, caught one bass and few sandbass. Only saw like 10 boats all afternoon, it was really peaceful. One of the more enjoyable days I’ve had on the water in a long time.

It can be great or terrible. More to do wth the amount of pressure our lakes get than anything else. Some of our lakes are dying a slow death due to age, loss of habitat and fishing pressure.

I have caught 11 double digit fish in my life, all but 1 out of public waters. Every one of them was caught between Nov and Feb except 2, so I would say winter fishing isn't "that bad"

I fished Bridgeport for 3.5 hours yesterday 1 bite it s....d.Thats all.

Maybe TPWD needs to restock ALL lakes just not a few.

Go South young man..

No arguments here. Sucks bad.

Stockings are short term fixes. A good example is Fork, almost every year they dump fish in and the lake seems to have the lowest population of decent fish. It doesn't do any good to stock if the lakes don't have habitat and the water isn't very fertile. Age of a lake and lack of habitat are a bad mix.

Funny how some older lakes with good grass can seem to replenish their population of fish and they grow to adult size.

Most of my winter fishing experience has been on Toledo Bend lake. I always struggled to get a bite although I fished slow and near deep water as I had always been told to do. Then I spent a day with a friend of mine on Toledo and it forever changed the way I fish in winter. He took me to a flooded roadbed with timber on both sides and we fished black and blue 1/2oz jigs in 8-12 ft. We had a good day catching 8-10 bass that averaged 3 lbs. He also put his boat in the middle of a creek bed and we fished the shallow edges of the drop offs with same jigs with success. The creek bank edges were 6-8 ft deep with trees. So the biggest lesson for me was to start fishing shallower than I had been and fish structure like road beds and creek bed edges. Years later, I fished a club tournament in Feb with air temps 33-40 deg high for the day. My partner and I fished jigs and worms slow and off points and creek beds with only one bass all morning. I moved us shallow around some grass and we both caught our limits on 1/2oz spinnerbaits. Wore insulated coveralls all day and I was surprised at the shallow bite on spinnerbaits. It was a very windy and cold day and were the only boat with limits of bass to weigh in. They didn't believe us when we told them how we caught them. We were surprised too!

If my line guides are freezing up I know it's going to be a great day.

Fixed it for you

I have trouble figuring it out to. I know a couple of winter holes that usually have a few but they arent big fish. I just cant seem to locate the big ones when it's cold. Its weird because I know what to look for but until they start to move towards the spawn I just cant seem to get a consistent pattern

I use to feel that way about winter fishing. Kept at it, figured some things out, and yes.....don,t be afraid to fish shallow.

I try and spend as much time as possible during winter on power plant lakes. On Monday, Fayette produced around 40 fish by 1:30pm with biggest being 6.52. It was a very fun morning but long drive down there.

I think they should stock bait fish not only way more than they do, but way more than they stock bass.

I took some time off for a few years, but the first thing I noticed was LOTS of new bass fishermen, and many fishing out of numerous $70k boats pounding the bank with everything they have seen on YouTube and read in Bassmaster magazine. Pressure is a huge problem these days. With that said, bass stay shallow year around and eat the same thing they always have. Just not as often this time of year...

I may not catch as many in the winter but the quality of the ones I catch are better then any other time of the year.

I took some time off for a few years, but the first thing I noticed was LOTS of new bass fishermen, and many fishing out of numerous $70k boats pounding the bank with everything they have seen on YouTube and read in Bassmaster magazine. Pressure is a huge problem these days. With that said, bass stay shallow year around and eat the same thing they always have. Just not as often this time of year...

Caught 14 LMB last Sunday in about 5 hours. 1 other boat on the lake.. it was great!

I love winter fishing. no crowds and the fat girls chew.

There is a lack of people around for sure!

Agreed 100%. Besides, I don't pickup a rod up in the winter... Duck hunting is all I care about this time of year

I am so glad to see someone else say this.

I like winter fishing the best because my average tournament finishes in Dec, Jan, Feb are very high compared to the rest of the year. I catch the same amount of fish per trip in each month. Everybody else just seems to suck a little bit more in the winter.

Went out yesterday morning for a little bit. Only one at the ramp at 8am, air temp 31, water temp 49. Caught 5 in 3 hours, smallest was just over 2# and biggest was 4.15#. Was well worth the trip.

I don't like the cold any more but I seem to do better then.

A few years ago, I was working on a magazine article and a biologist explained this: bigger fish have more hormones, which makes them behave differently. The urge to spawn begins way earlier than you would think and the need to feed all year is also higher. That's why you catch bigger fish in winter.

Since the water hit the mid 50’s Ive been wrecking them. Last weekend was the first sign of it slowing down, temps where I was fishing were in the upper 40’s, almost hit 50 by days end. First time water temp dips into the 40’s it tends to get tough.

Usually, we don’t really hit winter until January 15th to Valentine’s Day.

This has been a really interesting thread to me as I have really enjoyed seeing everyone's opinion on fishing this time of year...

Winter, up through March is the best for big girls. If you think you are fishing slow, fish slower. If you find a location where they are congregating to spawn, they will be there next year too. We only fish a couple of lakes. Have fished them for over 20 years. Would say that being on the same water multiple times a week helps as you learn where they are and where they aren't under different conditions. You are only wearing out your equipment when you fish where they aren't. Big lures, bigger fish. And, the fewer folks on the lake the better, Quiet is good. Watch the birds, God's fish finders.

We are 75 now. Getting too old to fish as often as we should. Fair weather fishermen now. No rain, no wind, no temps under 50 and none over 85. Can't take it. Love blue bird sky's and lakes like glass. Week days only now, no weekend fishing. Have fished a number of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years days in the past though. Not as many fish, but quality can be good.

Good luck.

Always seems to be feast or famine for me with famine taking the lions share of the outings. My first PW DD was caught December 8th of last year. I've had some incredible numbers days in the winter when I've found them schooled up. Most of my worst days have also been in the winter though. The only flat out skunk I can remember in the last decade occurred in winter.

You must not live around grass lakes. Winter is my favorite more and more each year. No pressure and tons of fish up shallow. Caught 40+ Saturday in the cold rain in 2ft of water on a non power plant lake. Only boat out there. Guys don't realize just how shallow grass fish get in winter

In shallow muddier lakes, I agree with you 100%. On clearer highland lakes, it's really not that bad. Just adjust depth, tighter actions on lures, fish slower (at times), keep catching.

^^^^^^
This X1000. Muddier lakes like the Lew can royally suck in cold weather.
Find clearer lakes with grass and intercept them at staging areas and funnel points.

I enjoy fishing when it doesn't feel like I'm in a doggone sauna. Texas fishing doesn't really get COLD too often and when it does I can always layer on more clothing. (I get frowns in the summer when I take more clothes off, trust me!) I do tend to catch bigger fish in the winter as well although that trend has not held this year.

BUT that's why they make chocolate AND vanilla ice cream. There's something for everyone.