These are usually what I have tied on during the winter. Either the jig/rattlebait/jerkbait on my baitcaster and the tube or shaky head on my spinning rod. Is there anything else I should try? I catch them mostly on the jerkbait and slowly dragging the shaky head.

a-rig and drop shot

A swimbait that is a little larger than you would usually use. Fish it SLOW.

Definitely a drop shot rig, and throw a Baby Craw on that shakey head, and you can catch any bass in the place.

ps- I'd either trim back that skirt on the jig a touch, or even better, use a full Craw or Lobster.

Try a dropshot. Spartan, Bulldog, or Falcon? I was a Spartan back in the day.

a-rig and drop shot

I fish from shore. Drop shots don't work that well at a 45 degree angle.

I fish from shore. Drop shots don't work that well at a 45 degree angle.

Sure they do

Definitely a drop shot rig, and throw a Baby Craw on that shakey head, and you can catch any bass in the place.

ps- I'd either trim back that skirt on the jig a touch, or even better, use a full Craw or Lobster.

the jig is a flipping head mop jig, with a rage chunk trailer. Should I try a rage chunk on a shaky head?

Sure they do

Oh. Alright then haha I'll try that. I have some 4" roboworms that would work nicely.

A swimbait that is a little larger than you would usually use. Fish it SLOW.

how convenient. I just got a pack of strike king 5.5" shadalicious.

Oh. Alright then haha I'll try that. I have some 4" roboworms that would work nicely.

Roboworms will work great from shore since they float.

I did notice something rather odd on the potomac river. Once the water hit about 45 degrees the fish just turned off, and I was using a weightless T-rigged senko. They should be still biting that right?

It's hard to convince them to bite anything right now. Wherever they are, you have to put what they normally bite right on their nose.

Here's one for you - take a 3/4 oz spinnerbait with a large silver colorado blade and cast it as far as you can. For murky water, tie on one with a black skirt, for clearer water use a white one and a chartreuse one for slightly stained or murky water. Let it fall all the way to the bottom and crawl it ever so slowly with only the occasional raise/lift. You should feel every turn of the blade if you are doing it correctly. Make sure you fish it on a reel designed for deep cranking and the right rod. My kayak angling friends do this for both smallies and largemouth. Needless to say, several citations have been caught during the months of DEC-FEB each year.

Here's one for you - take a 3/4 oz spinnerbait with a large silver colorado blade and cast it as far as you can. For murky water, tie on one with a black skirt, for clearer water use a white one and a chartreuse one for slightly stained or murky water. Let it fall all the way to the bottom and crawl it ever so slowly with only the occasional raise/lift. You should feel every turn of the blade if you are doing it correctly. Make sure you fish it on a reel designed for deep cranking and the right rod. My kayak angling friends do this for both smallies and largemouth. Needless to say, several citations have been caught during the months of DEC-FEB each year.

I'd second the spinnerbait but I actually like a really light one, like a 1/4oz, with a single colorado blade. Fish it in the same winter areas with the slowest retrieve you can keep the blade working. Depending on the depth you can start the retrieve immediately or wait until it hits bottom and start reeling slowly. I use my normal spinnerbait setup. Make sure to really focus on the vibration and set the hook if anything feels different. This isn't a numbers technique but I catch some of my biggest fish of the year doing this and lots of time you just feel a little less resistance or you can't feel the vibration anymore when a fish hits it. This is only of the only times I'll use a trailer hook on my spinnerbait.

A t-rigged plastic worm, or a brush hog. I usually try to find timber to cast into.

How about this spinnerbait? (Its my only one so I hope it works haha)

Drop shots and flukes are good, but by far my most productive bait is the NorthStar Hair Jigs.

A light Carolina or Split Shot rig works this time of year for me. Try "long lining" your bait.

A long cast past your target and walk along your shoreline paying out more line. Then just start

your retrieve, the slower the better. This will keep your bait in the strike zone longer and if you

are on them, it will generate some interest You get a little exercise too.

Edited December 1, 201213 yr by Jim_M

A light Carolina or Split Shot rig works this time of year for me. Try "long lining" your bate.

A long cast past your target and walk along your shoreline paying out more line. Then just start

your retrieve, the slower the better. This will keep your bate in the strike zone longer and if you

are on them, it will generate some interest You get a little exercise too.

I have never fished with bates before! Tell me more!

ok ok spelling corrected.

The only 3 bait's that I've caught fish on at the last 2 tounaments down here are...

White pearl fluke with a 1/16 weight on the nose...

White and chartruses chatterbait...

5" black/blue wacky rig.

Mike

Flat sided crankbait without a rattle.

Flat sided crankbait with a rattle.

Dead stick a plastic of your choice.

And don't forget your jig and pig.

A pork pig.

Yummy!

Nice reading for me, great tips and tricks. I'm working the "jig and pig " didn't see any good pull but I have the whole basket of eggs on that rig. I'm on learning progress.