Any hints for winter bassing

[geoff72]

Just after some advice for chasing bass in winter,i use mostly jackall tn60's. Do they slow up much when the water temp drops? Whats the best retieve with lures,work them slower? Any help with this would be great.
cheers
Geoff

[rc@hinze]

Hi Geoff. I am no expert but I have noticed they tend to sit deeper in schools and because of this I run my lures quite deep. this winter I will also be adding a downrigger to my arsenal. I also use some extra lead on my g-vibes to get them to run deeper. - Richard-

[alphas]

also try some deep diving lures like poltergeist dd's and predatek ultra deep.
The predatek has been very good for me over the winter months..black is the standout color.I find a more agressive retrieve with jackalls seems to work better in the colder months,again in darker colors.Hope this helps..good luck

[Leigh77]

All depends on whether you are fishing rivers or dams...

But with dams, most of the time you can find them schooling up just going through the motions of what they would do in the rivers as the prepare to breed. If you are looking for something a little more appealing (IMO) though, cast surface lures and shallow runners into the shallow waters near the banks.

Some fish do move into the shallow areas to find the warmer water...as the shallower water warms up faster. Dont discount surface lures, they will produce!

The best part of impoundment fishing during the cooler months is they are big and fat...and because cooler water holds more oxygen, they fight harder!

[geoff72]

thanks for all the info fellas,will put it all to good use

[scoocer101]

Ive found in winter that the bass fishing can really slow up and one of the best lures for me personaly are the mask vibs. Working them slow works best for me especially when they have lockjaw. But i would stick to the shallow water weedbeds in the morning like leigh77 said as it warms up quicker in the morning. There awesome fighting in winter when there are on.

[turley]

Fish are cold blooded, so in winter they tend to be less active and seek out he warmer parts of the water. In dams this includes warm layers of thermoclines and shallow water(warms up fastest) in the mornings and afternoons which receive the first and last light. In the shallows, using small lures (bream etc) that replicate the gudgeon that the bass feed on are successful while classic jigging/trolling lures work for the thermocline holding bass.

[Fitzy]

I recon winter is the BEST time for bass fishing, particularly if you are after the big girls.

Have noted a few tips on attacking them at http://www.sweetwaterfishing.com.au/...pic,654.0.html


Cheers,

Fitzy..

[mossyback08]

i have also heard that the bigger bass come out in the cooler months but i dont know if they are easy to catch

[rob tranter]

Hi guy's

Interesting reading, and fitzy I had a look at sweet water and some good comments there as wel.

But it all refers to Dams/Impoundments

What about the Rivers and Creeks where the Bass are meant to have moved for the winter months into the Salt/Brackish Water.

Are they still in these Fresh water area's?

If so do you target them same as said with dams?

Cheers

Rob T

[Little grey men]

I'm really looking forward to this winter.....I'll be keen to get some big fat North Pine bass to wrestle with.

[Roo]

Hi guy's

Interesting reading, and fitzy I had a look at sweet water and some good comments there as wel.

But it all refers to Dams/Impoundments

What about the Rivers and Creeks where the Bass are meant to have moved for the winter months into the Salt/Brackish Water.

Are they still in these Fresh water area's?

If so do you target them same as said with dams?

Cheers

Rob T

Hey Rob,
Some fish do stay up in the fresh,particularly if the water levels are low, while others head down to the brackish water to spawn. I'd leave the big girls in the brackish to get on with what they are there to do as a pre spawn fish that is caught and released is likely to not go on and spawn. This year The DPI has introduced a closed season for bass in NSW. Zero bag limit in rivers and estuaries from 1 June to 31 August so during this period you should stick to the Impoundments where this doesn't apply.

Cheers Roo.

[Steve B]

When I used to fish for bass, winter was edges time. big fish on edges, rock walls, rocky points (rocks warm up more than other structure) or shallow bays on edges again....that was a few years ago...I doubt they have evolved too much in that time.!!

cheers steve

[rob tranter]

The DPI has introduced a closed season for bass in NSW. Zero bag limit in rivers and estuaries from 1 June to 31 August

Cheers Roo

You'd think the president of a fishing club would remeber this type of thing hay

We have copped a double whammy with this closure, as it overlaps the complete closure of the Nymboida and Mann rivers from August untill October to help protect the Eastern Cod.

That makes it a five month stretch in that neck of the wood's.

Anyway thanks for the reminder.

Rob T

[Roo]

We have copped a double whammy with this closure, as it overlaps the complete closure of the Nymboida and Mann rivers from August untill October to help protect the Eastern Cod.

That makes it a five month stretch in that neck of the wood's.

Jey sus! what does that leave? Darts maybe, down the pub. is there any water left to fish in these areas or is off the the Rust water to get a fix?