WINTER JIG FISHING
home; the bass can be very tough to catch on anything
A mild low pressure with
an area with a lot of trees that are shallow, I will drop
for the first couple days of a severe front. If it hangs around a while then they tend to come around a little better.
overcast and cool temps mean top water action can be good
and jigs are ok.
to a 1/2 oz , only to prevent hanging the trees too much even though I am using a weed guard, they will still
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3/4 oz Jig under these conditions, windy, rainy and
talk about in a mild front. There’s a different story if
ugly. I use a 3/4 because I have so much control and it turns brutally cold suddenly. This is an indication
feel under these adverse conditions and I really like
of a very hard deep low pressure and nearly all
to fish them the way you may want to fish a crank
bass hate this; so much so they bury down or go
bait or spinner bait; fast and shallow, banging rocks
deep and lay on the bottom tight and don’t want
and trees and just plain burning up ground. I can
anything. The few that stay up are hard core bass
assure you under these conditions when you find
and are nearly always good ones. It’s just not many
the fish they will get all over that bait. The idea is
of them and I don’t call it smoking hot either. But
cover a lot of ground fast and give them very little
back to swimming the heavy jig . I want to point out
time to think about it. They will eat it believe me.
another great location to pick up nice spots in the
Just fish really fast and shallow. However, location is stormy conditions when it’s still not bitter cold just
key. Points are always good but wind is better. Put
chilly with a good rain and at least a good breeze.
wind on a point and even better. I have had some of Flats in the fall are no secret but burning 3/4 oz jigs
my best days on Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville on
during a storm or at least a mild cold front can be
straight banks that are near or on the main creek
deadly. Some of the largest spots I have ever seen
channel as long as you have a good wind blowing
on Shasta and Oroville came on flats and shallow
right against it. If the wind dies so will that bite at least on the straights. The points may remain decent for awhile. But if all the wind dies, and the clouds stay you will be better off with a spook or some kind of slower presentation. I like the kind of Jigs that have the line tie hidden in the jig head. It protects the line tie from getting smashed or from banging those rocks so hard. Swimming the jig Bass Patrol is what I use but I am sure there are others but they do make a great jig. I use Berkley Fluorocarbon 15 to 20 lb line. It’s tough and I can
pockets not far from a creek channel. I like to always parallel the bank, make a long cast and just start swimming and hopping jigs fast with constant contact with the bottom. The fish must think that crawdad is nuts, but they chase it down and eat it violently. It’s wild. Ok another favorite of mine is fishing vertical walls fast with jigs. Same principle as before but different structure. This time parallel the walls and make a short pitch with the 1/2 oz jig. This will keep the bait in the shallow zone. Just pitch the bait, let it sink 2 to 6 ‘ and swim it back. Keep doing this down the bank, near small out croppings of rock
make a long cast and still get a great hook set on
like Minnie points, still covering lots of ground. You
my Powel 7’ jig rod. I also use a Shimano Curado 6 to are only interested in catching fish that want to feed
1 ratio. That keeps it moving just right. If you are in
and you’re getting a reaction out of them fast.
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