The Largemouth Bass is a cold blooded creature. Like all cold blooded creatures its metabolism slows down as the surrounding temperature becomes colder. When this occurs the Largemouth Bass has a greatly decreased energy level. As an angler you must take this change in behavior into account as you plot your fishing strategies. The key things to always remember is keep things slow.
The first thing to consider is just how cold the water temperatures are. Remember the important factor is the water temperature, not the air temperature. If the water temperature is less than 40 degrees I would not even consider targeting Largemouth Bass. This only occurs in the Northern United States. If you want to fish when the water is this cold target another species such as Walleye or Northern Pike. At 45 degrees Largemouth Bas become a little bit active, I still do not recommend fishing for this species under these conditions but at this point you have a fighting chance. It is not until the temperature reaches fifty degrees until Largemouth Bass become a fishable species in my opinion.
When approaching a fishing strategy for Largemouth Bass at this time of year you need to slow things down dramatically. If you are fishing an area that you know holds fish and are not catching any the key things is to always slow down. It is almost impossible to fish too slowly for cold water Largemouth Bass. In fact you need to rethink everything you do during the hot summer months and make a 180 degree change.
You have no need for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits or any topwater lures during periods of cold water. Crankbaits and any other fast moving lures should also be left in the tackle box for warmer times. The two best artificials you can tie on your line are jigs and plastic worms. You should also think big in the cold water months. Again these bass are not very active. They do not have the energy to chase down several small meals. Their objective is to expend very little energy and get a big meal and then forget about eating for awhile.
I recommend the following setup for cold water bass fishing. First you need an ultra sensitive rod. You are much more concerned with feeling a pickup than fighting a fish at this time of year. If you use a heavy action rod you will not even feel the pickups and drops by Largemouth bass that have sampled your offering and declined. You need a high degree of sensitivity to feel pickups and set the hook before the bass drops your bait. They will not slam your offerings aggressively.
It's 5:30am and you're already on the water. The water is like glass and all is quiet around you. Next to you in the boat is a cooler filled with your favorite beverage (whether it's beer or Pepsi is up to you!). As you approach your favorite hole, you pick up your rod and tie on a surface lure. You cast your line toward the shore and present your topwater offering.
All of a sudden, the water explodes and you are in the battle of your life with a lunker largemouth! He feels like he goes maybe 3 or 4 pounds. As you get him boat side, you reach down and lift him out of the water. Larger than you expected, around 5 pounds! You turn and drop your prize into the live well and prepare for the next cast...
The thrill of topwater bass fishing is addictive. There is a BIG difference between catching that elusive largemouth off the bottom, from the middle or from the surface. Topwater bass fishing is a more visual experience than other types of fishing. There are specific types of rods and lures for topwater bass fishing.
Rods Most anglers will tell you that a 6 to 6 ½ foot rod with a medium action will suffice. If the action of the rod is too stiff, you will yank your bait right out of the fish's mouth when you set the hook. A medium action rod is the best fit for topwater bass fishing.
These rods are available in a price range of about $20 to over $200. Do you need to spend a bunch of money on a rod? Regardless of the price tag, medium action is medium action. On the other hand, if you go with a $20 rod, you can expect $20 worth of performance. Chose a rod somewhere in the middle price range and you won't go wrong.
Lures When it comes to lures, there are a great many to choose from. Here is a list of the top ten I have read about recently:
1. Heddon's Zara Spook. 2. Custom Bait's Senko. 3. Yum's Floating Worm (with a Texas style rig). 4. Zoom's Superfluke. 5. Heddon's Torpedo. 6. Lazer Eye's Buzzbait 7. Smithwick's Stick Bait aka Hard Jerk Bait. 8. Rebel's Pop-R bait. 9. Snag Proof's Tournament Frog. 10. Any spinner bait. These are manufactured by numerous companies.
All these lures have their own unique presentations. When presented properly, these baits are historically known to produce quality bass. This is true across regional boundaries, weather conditions and water tempuratures.
A big tip Now you have the rod and the lures you need for topwater bass fishing, there is one more thing you should know. Here it is: Since topwater fishing is a visual type of fishing, most anglers will set the hook too soon and yank the bait out of the fish's mouth. To prevent this, do NOT set the hook immediately when you see the strike! Wait a second, reel in some slack and when you feel the pressure of the bass on the line, THEN set the hook. You will land more lunkers that way and be a much happier angler to boot.
Stephen Long has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fishing, Mileage and Fuel and Scuba Diving. Stephen Long is an author for Sportsmans Article Resource, providing you the latest fishing and hunting tips and techniques for the outdoorsman. Sportsmans article resource is an. Stephen Long's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.