The behavior of a black bass in winter
The low temperatures of the winter season drastically reduce the activity of insects, invertebrates and therefore all fish species. White fish leave the edges and go to the depths to feed mainly on larva hatchlings. Small and medium sized black bass leave the foliage, rich in insects in summer, to feed on small white fish.
Large black bass, on the other hand, are less active in their search for prey, but target mostly large ones. Their metabolism slows down, forcing them to have long periods of inactivity to digest their prey. Smaller individuals hide from their larger counterparts because they are easy prey.
Slow down the pace
For a fish, which must expend energy to feed itself, winter is synonymous with slowness. He will have to look for easy preys, whose movements are also very slow to avoid burning precious calories. The movements that we will apply to our lures will have to be more subtle, but especially to cover less distance to facilitate the task of the predators.
Obviously, surface fishing will be very ineffective this time of year. Scratch fishing will be in the spotlight, giving you a chance to gain a better understanding of the bottom of your usual body of water. Each spot must be meticulously combed, especially if you have already managed to catch a nice fish in the summer season.
The right lures for winter
Slowing the pace can't be done with all types of lures. Some are more inclined than others to swim at a slower pace, or even at a standstill. With hard lures, you're usually looking to imitate a large, wounded prey item. Articulated swimbaits and long suspending jerkbaits are perfect for this season, they move a lot of water and can motivate an aggressive attack on fish that are reluctant to feed. The various soft lures mounted in drop-shot or ned rig allow to fish all depths, with a very slow rhythm.
To conclude, my favorite lure for this season, and in my opinion the most effective, is the rubber jig. Whether it's light and mounted with a trailer shad to prospect in open water, or heavy and fitted with a crayfish imitation, this lure is ideal in winter. Its skirt displaces a lot of water and gives it the profile of a big prey, while being small enough to be easily swallowed by a black-bass. The colors I use the most are natural, to keep an imitative side in this kind of slow fishing where the fish takes the time to observe its prey.
