Slow Down in Cold Weather

When fishing in cold weather you need to be properly dressed for the winter. It is no fun freezing and shivering when you're fishing.  Next, you want to fish slower. The metabolism of a bass slows down in cold water. They still need to eat, but not as much. Therefore, you need to slow down--then slow down some more. Keep the bait in the strike zone longer in the winter. Use multiple repeated casts to the same area. Use lures that you can fish slower, such as Carolina-rigged worms or Texas-rigged worms. Make it as easy as
possible for the bass to get your lure.

 Be Sneaky

Most bass are caught in water less than eight feet deep. But if you are in a boat and going noisily, speeding in the area with your big, shiny noisy boat--you'll spook the fish. Here's how to be sneaky:

1) Stay Steady- avoid hitting the on/off switch as  you navigate. Instead, keep the trolling motor on low or medium speed. Bass  will adjust to constant noise, but an intermittent noise can spook them.

2) Practice Stealth- lower the trolling motor quietly. Don't drop it like an armload of rocks. Do everything as silently as possible.

3) Run Silent- when you approach shallow water, turn your outboard motor off and raise it. Don't bump the bottom of the boat with anchors, tackle boxes, etc.

4) Keep all noise down as low as possible. Sound travels far in water.