Top 5 Baits For Late Winter Bass Fishing!

Its still cold but the fish are getting aggressive! Late Winter is a special time full of big bass and exciting days on the water if you know how to adapt. Sure, you can stick to the same Winter baits you've been throwing these past months, but you're not doing yourself any favors. Its time to adapt, let us show you how. 

A lot of anglers get confused about the transitions between late Winter and the prespawn. We're definitely not in the prespawn yet, water temps are cold (mid-40's in most of the country and even colder farther North) but the fish can sense the change coming and are beginning to get active despite the cold temperatures. This is the time to set the finesse rods down, pick up the reaction baits, and catch the biggest bass of the year. 

We use a handful of very specific baits this time of year. We've broken the baits down by style and included some of our favorite models and colors for each category. Each bait is linked directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of the item. We've also included some of our favorite gear for throwing these baits so you'll be prepared when the big one decides to eat your lure. 

Deep Cranks... 

-R2S TacticalBassin DD75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Colors: DD Minnow, Ghost Minnow

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

Colors: MB Gizzard, Sexy Ayu

A-Rigs... 

-Hog Farmer BFL Flex Rig: https://bit.ly/2WtLCVK

-G Funk Bladed Cali Rig: http://bit.ly/2rZhST7

-Yum Flash Mob Jr: http://bit.ly/2bgDGNu

Small Underspin... 

Head- CoolBaits 1/8 oz Down Under: http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

Bait- Keitech 2.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Electric Shad, Pro Blue Red Pearl

Blade Baits... 

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

Colors: Black Holo, Holo Ayu, Holo Mossback

-Megabass Dyna Response 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2R7FlvL

Colors: Jukucho Shad, Setsuki Ayu, Ito Hiuo

Squarebill Crankbaits... 

-River2Sea Biggie Poppa: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

Colors: Cold Blooded, Delta Craw, I Know It

-Luhr Jensen Hot Lips: http://bit.ly/3ccfJbV

Colors: Crystal Hot Texas Red, Wedge

-13 Fishing Scamp 1.5: http://bit.ly/3iMkYAw

Colors: Mudbug Punch, Day Old Guac, Epic Shad

GlideBait... 

-G Ratt Sneaky Pete 7.5": http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

Colors: Hitch, Gizzard Shad

Budget Blade Bait/Underspin Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Bass X 6'8" Medium: http://bit.ly/2r0xWAs

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Sunline Assassin 10 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Budget Squarebill/Deep Crank Combo... 

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

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

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

Budget Glidebait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 7'9" Medium Heavy Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC100 Shock Leader 30 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Late Winter Fishing: A-Rigs On Chickamauga

Come along as we target late Winter largemouth! We've got a variety of baits rigged up and 3 different patterns to run but it doesn't take long for the A-Rig to stand out from the crowd! Watch how small adjustments make all the difference while targeting these Winter Bass. 

If you missed last week's video on how to rig up A-Rigs for Winter bass, you can see it here: A-Rig Modifications Video. In that video we discussed how to modify your rigs to get the most action in cold water. All of those tips were in full force this evening as the bass ate right on the twitches of the rig. It was also interesting to note the fish consistently went for the smaller, softer baits instead of the keitechs we typically throw. 

Matt adapted with the changing conditions, dialed in the rig, and was able to catch a handful of quality fish in this quick evening session on the Tennessee River. The different baits he was fishing, along with the rods and reels are all linked in the description below. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Matt's A-Rig... 

Rig- HogFarmer BFL Flex: https://bit.ly/2WtLCVK

Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Baits- 13 Fishing Churro 3.5" (Blue Collar): https://bit.ly/2LLeRA6

Other Flexible A-Rigs... 

-HogFarmer Harvester Flex Rig: https://bit.ly/2x7QPb4

-G Funk Baits Cali Rig: http://bit.ly/2nD76fw

-G Funk Baits Cali Bladed Rig: http://bit.ly/2rZhST7

Blade Bait... 

-Damiki Vault 1/2 oz (Spot Black): http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

Map Cards... 

Humminbird- Lakemaster Plus: http://bit.ly/2Dk5Erc

Lowrance- Hot Maps Platinum: http://bit.ly/2ZitTiR

Matt's A-Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'5" Heavy: https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

**The Zodias Rod Can Be Backordered and should arrive soon**

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K (HG): http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC-100 Shock Leader 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Budget A-Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'5" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX XT (HG): http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Power Pro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader: Maxima Ultragreen 20 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Clear Water Bass Fishing Tricks! How To Catch Bass In Crystal Clear Water!

Clear water fishing scares a lot of people! Unless you've had a lot of rain, a lot of our fisheries get clear this time of year. When that visibility increases a lot of anglers lose confidence in their ability to catch bass. Maybe the fish see the line, maybe they see you, what can you do to keep catching them? Its not as tough as you think, and the answers may be VERY DIFFERENT than what you're expecting!

"Clear Water" doesn't always mean 10 or 20 feet of visibility, this can even happen when your fishery is usually muddy and suddenly has 2 or 3 feet of visibility. Step one is to stay very quiet. Don't make excess noise, avoid vibrations, and you'll get more bites. Step two, target the visibility line (AKA "color line"). Step three is to use lighter line for finesse techniques. If you're not going lighter, go faster, that keeps the fish from having time to inspect your offering. Step four, shade and wind are your friend. Focus on dark edges that fish can use to ambush food, or days when waves are breaking up the overall visibility.  

Below you'll find links to our favorite baits for clear water situations. Yes, finesse is key, but don't be afraid to mix in reaction and target those bigger fish in clear water. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. We've also included a couple of our favorite finesse fishing rod and reel combos in case you want to expand into this style of fishing. 

Dropshot... 

Bait- Smallie Smasher 3.5": http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY

Color: Green pumpkin Purple

Hook- Owner Mosquito Light Size 2: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pencil 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2UY7cgx

Crankbait... 

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

Colors: Ghost Minnow, Green Pumpkin Craw

-Spro RKCrawler 55: http://bit.ly/2NFPA5t

Colors: Phantom Green, Red Crawfish

Swimbaits... 

Bait #1- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Electric Shad, Pro Blue Red Pearl

Head- Tactical Finesse Swimbait Head 3/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2Pqrq3n

Bait #2- Megabass Spark Shad 3": http://bit.ly/2XcLZk4

Colors: Real, Albino, Silver Shad

Head- Megabass Okashira Head 1/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2EpluSA

Bait #3- Keitech 2.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Pro Blue Red Pearl, Electric Shad

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

Bait #4- Dark Sleeper 3" 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

Colors: Haze, Wakasagi, Donko

Favorite Chartreuse and Blue Baits... 

-Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact (Chart Blue): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Megabass Deep X 300 (Biwako See Through Chart): http://bit.ly/2sSQHpt

Polarized Glasses... 

-Eye Surrender ESE: http://bit.ly/2glE3eN

(Amber for Sight Fishing, Grey For All-Around Use)

Amazing All-Around Finesse Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX 852S JWR: http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Reel- Shimano Twin Power 3000: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Line- Sunline SX-1 Braided Line 10 lb: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget Finesse Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'6" Light: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

Reel- Shimano NASCI 3000: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

**Insane Underwater Footage** Fish Attacking Lures And Bass Fishing Tips!

Watch these bass attacking all kinds of lures! They're ambushing jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and even topwater! We're studying their behavior to understand what makes them lash out. When we know what causes them to let one lure pass by and then suddenly eat the next, we can adapt our fishing. Studying underwater footage will make you a better angler and let's face it, watching a giant bass explode on a Whopper Plopper is pretty fun too!

Triggering a feed response is more than just using the right lures, its knowing what it takes to get a fish to feed. Its amazing to see the similarities regardless of the lure. The same hop of a jig that causes the bass to lash out with fool a mid column fish when you twitch the jerkbait. There is something about that break in cadence, that extra twitch or hop, that causes those fish to lash out. 

Below you'll find links to all the baits in the video. We've included the exact colors we were using along with any upgrades, including hooks on the S-Waver and trailers on the jigs. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

GlideBait... 

-S Waver 168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Color: Lite Trout

Hook Upgrade- Owner ST-56 (size 2): http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

Ring Upgrade- Owner Hyperwire Split Ring (Size 4): http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

Jigs... 

-Dirty Jigs Pitchin Jig 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2amL3of

Colors: Magic Craw, Molting Craw

Creature Trailer- Sweet Beaver: http://bit.ly/29W3RZW

Color: Magic Craw Swirl

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

Color: Cinnamon Black Purple

Jerkbaits... 

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

Color: HT-Ito Wakasagi

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

Color: HL Silver Shad

Topwater... 

-Whopper Plopper 110: http://bit.ly/2bsPbQV

Color: I Know It

-R2S Rover 128: http://bit.ly/2acSVea

Color: Abalone Shad

-Bubble Walker 65: http://bit.ly/2e0PZOY

Color: Ghost Minnow

Budget Jig/Waver Combo... 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'2" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 (HG): http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

Line- Power Pro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Budget Jerkbait Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Bass X 6'8" Medium: http://bit.ly/2r0xWAs

Reel- Reel- Shimano SLX 150 (HG): http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

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

Budget Topwater Combo... 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7' Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT (XG): http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Power Pro 40 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz