It's That Time of Year Again

"What time?" you may be asking. Time to drag out those baits that you only use during the colder months.

Many years ago, when I lived in Northern Virginia and often fished Lake Anna, this time of year found me rummaging through tackleboxes, looking for all my Little Georges and Rat-L-Traps. Those were my two primary lures for the colder months, and I wasn't alone. Several of my fellow Commonwealth Bassmasters fished these same baits from fall through winter, along with jigs and some other lures.

When I received Navy orders and moved to Hampton Roads in the late '70s, I quickly figured out that fishing the North Landing River really wasn't conducive to throwing a chunk of lead like the Little Georges. I did, however, continue throwing Rat-L-Traps for a number of years, along with Shad Raps, and I still occasionally use these baits during the winter months, but they're not my favorites.

Today, I prefer using this assortment of Bill Norman Thin N crankbaits. Their flat-sided design gives these baits a tight wobbling action. That feature, coupled with their coffin-style lip, which helps them deflect off cover, makes these baits ideal for shallow-water fishing.

In case you're wondering why I prefer flat-sided crankbaits in colder water, it's because of comments I've heard from accepted experts on the matter. They say that "the flat-sided narrow profile of these baits more closely resembles the shape of shad and bluegill than do rounded crankbaits. The profile closely resembles that of a lipless crankbait; however, they produce more wobble and can be fished much slower than a lipless crankbait...

"Strikes usually come when these baits are pulled through cover. Deflection triggers strikes, and tight-action baits seem to deflect off cover better than those with a wide wobble. Try to keep the bait in contact with some type of cover as much as you can."

Most of the same experts seem to agree that flat-sided crankbaits are a good bet until the water temperatures reach about 40 degrees. They all suggest, though, to keep throwing the baits as long as you're catching fish with them.

Another preference of mine for cold-water fishing is this selection of chatterbaits. While some anglers seem to score well year-round with these baits, most of my luck with them is confined to cold weather.

I can't describe the joy I get from cranking a chatterbait as slow as I can go on a crisp day, with that blade just thumpin' away below. And then, suddenly, all heck breaks loose as the thumpin' stops, the line jumps sideways, or a fish (and, yes, I regrettably have to admit it's sometimes one of those "toothy critters") slams the bait so hard he nearly snatches the rod from your hand. What an adrenaline rush! To say nothing about the fact it helps wake you up from one of those frosty-morning, sun-shining-ever-so-warmly-on-your-back naps.

Those "violent" strikes I just referred to was mentioned in an account I recently read about online. The expert in question said he wasn't sure why the bass strike so angrily at this bait, but he's glad they do.

The same expert went on to note that fishing the chatterbait in cold water really is no different than any other time of year. "I pretty much target the same types of good-looking areas as I would if it was not so cold," he said. "However, I will keep an eye out for baitfish and focus on areas where there is a good transition between shallow and deep water, giving the bass some flexibility to move when needed. I like to target flats with scattered cover, either submerged or visible, that also have some definition in regards to irregular features. One thing I will try to do when faced with cold-water situations is to slow down and make repeated casts to cover or areas where I think there should be a fish, or perhaps where I previously caught one. This will increase your odds of catching a sluggish bass.

"I also like to experiment with different trailers," continued the expert, "and although the one it comes packaged with works just fine, I like the profile of adding a Yamamoto shad-shape worm as a trailer. It has a very subtle action and really makes the bait compact."

I, too, have experimented with different trailers, especially Stanley Ribbit frogs, which I think I like as well as the pre-packaged trailers. I also occasionally use single or double Twister tails.

When it comes to generating strikes from nonaggressive bass when the cold winter winds start blowin', success often depends on just how willing you are to experiment. For someone like my kayaker buddy, Charlie, "experimentation" is no problem--it's his middle name. For others, it can be a major hurdle. We all come with varying degrees of willingness to venture into the unknown.