W
inter can be a challenging time of the year to fish for bass; they are typically less aggressive and defi- nitely less active. For Bassmaster elite Series pro Brandon Palaniuk, winter is a time to slow down and maximize your time in the best possible locations with likely techniques and most importantly; keep an open mind.
might find a prime winter location. “it goes against everything you hear about winter fishing, but i have seen it too many times to count it out. The fish will be there and not just there, but willing to eat,” said Palaniuk.
PALAnIuk’S TOP BAITS
if Brandon Palaniuk had to choose two baits for winter fishing on deep and clear lakes, he would choose the dropshot and a football head jig. These two picks would not surprise anyone, as they are tried and true winter favorites, but their importance and effectiveness cannot be overlooked. Palaniuk is fairly simple in his approach with these two baits and stresses the need to slow down as you are fishing. “a ½-oz football head jig is one of my favorite baits during the winter and i will almost always use some shade of green pumpkin. i’ll add a Berkley Havoc deuce trailer also in Green Pumpkin Sumthin to the back,” shares Palaniuk. He went on to explain the color of the trailer, “it matches just about every jig you can imagine and it’s really called Green Pumpkin Sumthin.” He will spool his reels with 15-lb Berkley 100% Fluorocarbon and use a revo reel and abu Garcia Veritas 7’6” MH rod. When it comes to drop-shotting, Palaniuk is just as simple and will rely on two main baits; a 3-inch Berkley twitchtail Minnow and a Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper. His decision on when to use one or the other comes down to the species he is targeting and the baitfish in the lake. He is a firm believer in using a fluorocarbon leader on his reels. “i’ll spool up my reels with 8-lb Berkley nanofil and use a 6 or 8-lb 100% Fluorocarbon leader,” mentions Palaniuk. He feels the longer casts and greater sensitivity really help during the colder months.
The locations of bass during the winter vary greatly based on the location of the lake, but according to Brandon Palaniuk, there are some key areas that will always hold bass during the colder months. to locate the best areas, Palaniuk will rely on maps and his lowrance electronics. “i’ll start way out in front of spawning flats and then idle along with my structure scan and down scan. This is a good way to find what depth the baitfish are relating to,” shared the elite Series pro. during the winter, baitfish are crucial and will often be seen on points with access to deep water. Most anglers realize the importance of fishing points, but in the colder months they can be your best choice. according to Palaniuk, another key approach is to look for any remaining grass.
WInTER LOcATIOnS
DOn’T RuLE OuT SHALLOW WATER
Just because the water temperature is cold, Palaniuk feels you should not rule out shallow water. “if you can find any green grass, even if it is just 3 or 4-inches tall, the bass will still relate to it. i have seen it many times, where the water is in the 40’s and the fish will still be in water as shallow as 2-feet,” added the idaho pro. another key ingredient to this phenomenon is the presence of current and a hard bottom. if you can find all of these elements, you
Issue 6
December 2012
GET cRAnkIn’
While the majority of anglers rely on soft plastics and jigs, there is a still a time and place for a crankbait regardless of the water temperatures. if Palaniuk is faced
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