Fishing Brutal Post Front Winter Conditions For Bass and Catfish

Today we're fishing for a mix of Bass and catfish. We've got brutal post-front conditions that have completely shut down the bite! Instead of giving up we decide to continue the multi-species trend and turn our attention from bass to catfish. This isn't the kind of cat fishing you're used to, we've discovered that in cold water the big catfish school up and devour a spoon! Come along for a few very wet, very windy, very cold hours on Clearlake!

Fishing for big catfish is an awesome alternative to bass in the cold Winter months. Unlike the bass, catfish thrive in cold water and will readily chase baitfish and attack fast moving lures. We choose to target them with one of our favorite Fall bass techniques, the deep jigging spoon. Unfortunately today the "first cast curse" got the best of us and the bite ended just as quickly as it began. We caught a few tiny catfish, blackfish, and hitch off camera but the big channel catfish we were after had stopped biting. 

Instead of simply giving up we continued to endure the cold (with frozen hands and toes) in pursuit of at least one bass to round out the day. When conditions are this tough our confidence lies in the crankbait. It took less than 10 minutes to catch a Clearlake bass on the crank despite the brutal conditions. As soon as we had a fish we headed back to the ramp to get warmed up. 

Today wasn't the great fishing we've grown to love on our home lake, it was downright tough. Tough fishing during brutal weather conditions is the reality of Winter. When you're faced with the same conditions we were, it doesn't have to be a bust. If you bear down and endure, even the toughest conditions will yield a fish or two. 

Below is a breakdown of the baits and equipment we were using to catch these fish. 

Baits…

Spoon- Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz Duh (Morning Dawn, Electric Chicken): http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

Crankbait- River2Sea Tactical DD 75 (Mirrored Minnow): http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Spoon Combo... 

Rod- Denali Attax 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2tDsOa0

Reel- Daiwa Tatula SV TWS: http://bit.ly/2xALqpz

Line- Sunline Assassin 20 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Matt's Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 906 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- 12 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Fishing Cold Water Crankbaits For Big Winter Bass

Come along for a fun day chasing Cold Water Bass! The plan is to throw a Ned Rig, Jig, Dark Sleeper, and Crankbait. It doesn't take long before BIG bass start coming in the boat! Winter bass fishing doesn't have to be tough, let us show you the tricks along the way that will make all the difference. If you understand where the fish position in Winter and how to trigger a feed response, Winter bass fishing becomes a lot more fun! 

At the start of the day the plan was to use slow bottom contact baits to catch the majority of fish then try to get a bigger bite on a crankbait. It became apparent very quickly that the "traditional" methods of Winter fishing simply were not working. The bass were completely shut down and uninterested in biting. These are some of the best conditions for the crankbait because it does not rely on the bass' desire to feed, instead triggering a core reaction response. 

While many of the baits Matt threw didn't work well on this day, they are all proven producers in the Winter months so we've linked them all below. Additionally, we've included a detailed list of the potential "cold water crankbaits" that we have confidence in so that you can start cold water cranking right away if that is a technique you'd like to try. The Tactical Crankbait is backordered into March but it would still advisable to get in line if that is a bait you would like to try this coming season. 

Today's Baits... 

-River2Sea Tactical DD 75 Crankbait: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

(Ghost Minnow, Mirrored Minnow, DD Minnow)

-Megabass Dark Sleeper 3" 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

(Donko, Wakasagi)

-Dirty Jigs Finesse Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2d2apsm

(Supermatt Brown)

-Yamamoto 5" Double Tail Grub: http://bit.ly/2db9w1p

(Cinnamon Black and Purple Flake)

-Roboworm Ned Worm 3": http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

(Oxblood Light Red Flake, Peoples Worm)

-Swagger Tungsten 3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Other Cold Water Crankbaits... 

-Megabass Deep Six: http://bit.ly/2A3clKP

-Megabass Deep X 300: http://bit.ly/2sSQHpt

-Spro RK Crawler 55: http://bit.ly/2NFPA5t

-6th Sense Curve 55: http://bit.ly/37hZ1TD

Matt's Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 906 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- 12 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Budget Cranking Combo... 

Rod- Fury 7' Medium Heavy Cranking: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano SLX HG: http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Winter Fishing for Bull Bluegill

We're chasing giant bluegill today! We usually focus on bass fishing but at the end of the day, we just love catching fish! During the Winter months, giant Bull Bluegill gather with the other predators and gorge on baitfish. These extraordinary fish are often overlooked but are amazing fighters and a worthy adversary on a cold Winter day. If you're tired of struggling this Winter, take a day off and  let us show you how to chase these amazing fish.

Bass fisherman often fall into the trap of only fishing for bass. While we don't recommend fishing for every tiny little fish that swims, branching out a little can be very healthy. These mental breaks help us to refocus before Spring arrives. Bluegill are a perfect candidate because they're plentiful all over the country and with relatively little effort you can learn to find the GIANTS. It doesn't matter what species it is, when you're catching some of the biggest, its going to be a good time. 

Fishing for oversized bluegill requires no specialized equipment. As a bass fisherman, your lightest dropshot or ned rig rods should be just fine. Carry a few downsized baits (we linked our favorites below) and be prepared for a suprisingly powerful fight. As soon as conditions allow, get back to bass fishing but don't hesitate to take a break and enjoy the plentiful fishing that is around you this Winter. 

The baits... 

-Kastmaster 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2PtUwi3

-Damiki Vault 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

-Spro Phat Fly 1/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2mboisG

-Keitech 2.8" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Dirty Jigs Guppy Head 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Matt's Combo... 

Rod-  Zodias 6'8" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2jOUXAO

Reel- Shimano Stradic CI4+ 1000: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Line- Sunline Sniper 4 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget Combo... 

Rod- Daiwa Aird-X 7' Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2P7Z3Vu

Reel- Shimano Sedona FI: http://bit.ly/2wgh50Z

Line- Maxima Ultragreen 5 lb: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Where Do Bass Go In Winter? (And How To Catch Them)

Are you struggling to catch fish this Winter? Did your bass disappear? Winter bass fishing doesn't have to be tough! Matt explains where the bass are hiding in ponds, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs in this in-depth video. If you're tired of struggling for a bite let Matt show you where to look!

Its time to stop struggling and start catching! Knowing where to look is half the battle. Once you apply these tips and find the fish, the fun is ready to start. Taking it a step further, Matt offers his favorite baits for each style of fishery. Whether you're throwing a ned rig on the deep end of a pond, fishing a football jig through deep rock on a highland reservoir, or cranking on a natural lake, your Winter fishing is about to be a lot more fun! 

Below you'll find a breakdown of the equipment Matt was using in the video (depth finder and mapping software) along with the baits he recommended for each style of fishery. Its time to break out of the Winter rut and catch some fish!

Mapping Software- Lakemaster Plus Digital Charts: http://bit.ly/2Dk5Erc

Depth Finder- Humminbird Solix 12: http://bit.ly/2AE2YDB

Pond Baits

Ned...

Ned Worm- Z Man Finesse TRD: http://bit.ly/2hs4RtR

(Green Pumpkin, Green Pumpkin Goby, Meat Dog)

Ned Head- Swagger Tungsten Flanders Head 1/6 oz: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Jerkbait...

Shallow- Lucky Craft Flash Pointer 100: http://bit.ly/2aHz588

(Ghost Minnow, American Shad, Chartreuse Shad)

Mid-Range- Jackall Rerange 110: http://bit.ly/2ge0qED

(Ghost Wakasagi, Blue Pearl Shad, Holo Minnow)

Deep- Megabass Vision 110+1: http://bit.ly/2iGYOCX

(Sexy French Pearl, Gill, Deadly Black Shad)

River Baits

Jig... 

-Dirty Jigs Pitchin Jig 5/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2amL3of

(Brown Craw, Hematoma, Go To)

-Yamamoto 5" Double Tail Grub Trailer: http://bit.ly/2db9w1p

(Green Pump Purp Copper, Black and Blue, Cinnamon Purple) 

Jerkbait... 

Shallow- Megabass Vision 110: http://bit.ly/2j31TKb

(GP Pro Blue, Ito Clear Laker, M TNG)

Deep- Megabass Vision 110+1: http://bit.ly/2iGYOCX

(Sexy French Pearl, French Pearl OB, Deadly Black Shad)

Reservoir Baits

Blade Bait... 

-Damiki Vault 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

(Holo Ayu, Spot Black, Black Holo)

-Silver Buddy 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2AcTelj

(Stainless Steel, Gold)

Jig...

-Dirty Jigs Finesse Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2d2apsm

(Brown Craw, Canterbury Craw, Go To, Supermat Brown)

-Big Bite Baits 5" Double Tail Trailer: http://bit.ly/2qS1YtE

(Tilapia, Green Pumpkin)

-Yamamoto 5" Double Tail Grub Trailer: http://bit.ly/2db9w1p

(Green Pump Purp Copper, Cinnamon Purple)

Natural Lake Baits

Cold Water Crankbait...

-River2Sea TacticalBassin DD 75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

(Baits must be backordered due to demand)

Alternative- Megabass Deep Six: http://bit.ly/2A3clKP

(Megabass Sexy Shad, Kisyu Ayu,  M Threadfin Shad, Ito Wakasagi)

Jig...

-Dirty Jigs Finesse Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2d2apsm

(Brown Craw, Canterbury Craw, Go To, Supermat Brown)

-Big Bite Baits 5" Double Tail Trailer: http://bit.ly/2qS1YtE

(Tilapia, Green Pumpkin)

Spoon... 

Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

(Morning Dawn, Electric Chicken, UV Black Shad)