Some Days in Winter, You're Better Off Just Staying Home...

There, however, are notable exceptions to that statement.

As noted by Michigan's Kevin VanDam (left), "There's a big difference between a 36-degree day with drizzle and one when it drops to 28 degrees and snows. The bass don't care if it's snowing, but it's that low-pressure system that accompanies the snowstorm which triggers the feed.

"The general thinking of most anglers is that fishing would be a lot better during the winter if you have a warm, sunny day. However, I've found the opposite to be true."

Let's face it: Warmer days make the angler feel better about fishing, but the bass get more active on the nastier days. A case in point was the 2010 Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake that VanDam fished. During one of the official practice days, the weather got brutal. The water temperature was in the upper 30s, the temperature dropped, and the rain turned to snow. It was late in the practice day, and a lot of guys already had gone in. It was very cold and very uncomfortable, which made it difficult to stay out there, but VanDam knew he had to find a good school of fish.

About the time the temperature dropped, and the sleet turned to snow, the fish started biting really well.

"And while I'm used to fishing cold weather," said VanDam, "I was pretty surprised the fish were so active. In fact, when I had gone out that morning, I wasn't sure I even could get a bite. When that front moved in, though, a bass literally choked my Red Eye Shad, and I knew I was onto something. I caught about 12 to 15 that afternoon, including two 7-pounders. The fish were shallow and crushing my Red Eye Shad. I even caught some in 2 feet of water during that snowstorm."

Once the tournament got started, VanDam continued catching them in the same areas, with the same kind of techniques. It was cold...in the 20s...when the event started, and it warmed up gradually as the week wore on.

"My point in all of this," he said, "is that you make a mistake if you assume bad weather drives bass deep, or that you always have to fish slow and methodical. And because our cold-weather clothing is so good these days, anglers can endure a lot of bad weather if they just give it a chance.

"So, the next time you see a low-pressure system moving into your area this winter, go fishing, and don't be afraid to check out shallow-water patterns.

"Remember, it's all about attitude!"