Winter 2020
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For me ,a Rapala DT-6 is hard to beat, as you can cast the bait towards shore and grind it into the rocky bottom, while still being able to get the bait down to a six-foot depth range, depending on the line size you use.
If you know the bass are holding away from the riprap bank or in the deeper water underneath the bridge or adjacent to it, you can switch up to a deeper diving crankbait like a Rapala DT-10 or DT-16.
When the bass are feeding heavily on shad, a swimbait rigged on a jig head is a great lure option. By counting down your bait with the appropriate jig weight size, you can actively target and present your bait to hungry bass.
I’ll start with an All-Terrain Tackle Smallie Smasher Swimbait Head with a Zoom Z-Swimmer rigged on it. By switching up between the 1/4- and 3/8-ounce jig head, I can control the depth at which my bait runs and keep it out of the rocks.
When boat traffic around bridges is high or the bridge bite is on and numerous anglers are exploiting them, you may need to slow down and slowly drag a bait to coax tight lipped bass into biting.
It is very hard to beat a shaky head jig with a Zoom Finesse Worm, as you can cast the bait out and let it sit there and let the current provide the bait with a natural fish catching action.
As fish transition in and out of a creek or backwater slough that is connected to the main river channel, it is
important to check and re-check those bridges as bass will
continually move in and out and replenish throughout
the day. So just because you fished a bridge in the
morning, doesn’t mean you can write if off for the
day.
When you are on the water next and see a
bridge, don’t just drive it and marvel at the local
tagging, instead drop your trolling motor, make
some casts and you may unlock a whole new
fishing location for yourself. •
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Photo: Chad Eddings