HD AAIY R
Story & photos
BY DAN RICE
a good
T
o take advantage of cold water bass fishing,
anglers look to smaller jigs and finesse pre-
sentations to induce cold blooded bass into
biting. Make no mistake, there are several techniques that catch fish during the winter, but few
are more effective than a hair jig.
As a traditional finesse technique, northern anglers
have used these lures to target smallmouth bass in high
pressure situations for many years. Anglers are catching
on to the quiet technique in the west for targeting small-
mouth, largemouth and spotted bass. The secret to being
successful with nature’s hair lies in the season and the
bass’ positioning in the water column.
With ice cold water temperatures, bass often con-
gregate together in areas that become annual hotspots
for the long winter’s haul. As water temps begin to
approach the low forties, bass decompress and head
towards the bottom to find the warmest water avail-
able. So how do you catch them? Use side imaging and
structure scan to pinpoint obvious fish gatherings and
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