Jig fishing during winter months is very effective when catching lethargic fish. As the water temps start to fall, bass reduce their activity level due to their metabolism slowing down. This makes fish less hungry and less likely to exert energy by chasing down prey. You may be wondering how to improve jig fishing during winter months. We will provide a helpful fishing tip to accomplish this.
Reduce Jig Trailer Action During Winter Months
Focusing on the trailer bait you use for jig fishing is crucial. Traditionally, we bass anglers like a jig trailer that provides a lot of action. But in this case, we want to think the opposite. As mentioned, bass do not want to waste unnecessary energy chasing down their food. Our advice is to select a bait with subtle action. Using a trailer bait with a slimmer profile is a key factor as well.
A great option is taking a Wiggle Stick and cutting about a third of it off. After a third of the bait is cut, run it onto the jig hook in a standard technique as straight as possible. Your Wiggle Stick should be pointing directly out the back of the jig. Reducing a third of the Wiggle Stick allows you to have a natural presentation without a lot of action. Bass will take notice of this being an easy meal and resulting in more strikes.
Use The Lightest Jig Weight Possible
Jigs are excellent for reaching bass that suspend deeper during winter months. However, this does not mean you must use heavy-weighted jigs. You want to select the lightest jig possible to reach the bottom where the water temp is warmer. Consider that the weight you use for calm water may not be the same weight to achieve this goal when fishing water with current. We recommend starting with a lower weight and adjusting from there. A quarter-ounce jig is popular to start with in calmer conditions.
How to Fish a Jig During Winter Months
Most anglers like to work a jig quickly by flipping it into cover and popping it once or twice before reeling it back in. Jig fishing is extremely popular among amateur fishermen and professionals who fish Bassmaster and Major League Fishing events. In winter months you want to slow it way down. Dragging jigs across the bottom slowly with brief pauses in between tends to work well. You may have to adjust your pauses based on how active the bass are.
By having less weight and action as usual, be sure to slow down when reeling. The idea is to keep your jig on the bottom when fishing during winter months since that’s where the fish will be hanging out. Selecting the perfect bass fishing jig depends on your water clarity, the forage in the area, and other factors. Lastly, choose the proper type of jig and color based on the structure you’re fishing around and what the fish are likely feeding on.
