February is HERE.
The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour is officially underway this week at Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Texas/Louisiana border, and even until then, we’re looking at lows in the 40s making for a nice, clear morning out in one of America’s premier bass fisheries.
Here in Wisconsin where I live, I still got about 6 inches of ice off my dock, but with temps in the 40s next week, the hard water season may be coming to a close sooner than as expected. However, bass fishing is still strong in other parts of the country, so let’s take a look at some cooler water strategies for the month of February.
South of the Great Lakes, bass will still stick to winter patterns with water temperatures below 50 degrees, and as you move further south into the Gulf, we’ll start to see more fish in the transitionals. that stage, towards pre-spawning.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the top bass lures that will be playing around the country, for the month of February:
No lips
A lipless crankbait is great this time of year, especially if you are on a lake where there is some weed. During the cold water months of late winter and early spring, I like to yo-yo my retrieve near the weed line or rip it over the top of a shallow weed flat. Red craw colors are the deal, especially in the south.
Jackall TN Lipless Crankbaits – 1/2 oz.
Colors: SG Threadfin, Craw Fish
Strike King Red Eye Shad – 1/2 oz.
Colors: Sexy Shad, Chili Craw
Swimbait
A paddle tail swimbait is definitely a confidence bait for me, one that I throw around most of the year. Throw a jig head in there and you can drag it along the bottom or swim in the middle of the water column for suspended fish. You can put an underspin on it, or get some and tie on an Alabama rig. Size up, size down… it’s as much as it gets.
Storm Largo Shad 3″
Color: Pro Blue Red Pearl, Arkansas Glow,
Keitech Swing Impact Fat 2.8″ or 3.3″
Colors: Pro Blue Red Pearl, Bluegill Flash
VMC Hybrid Swimbait Jig Head
Size: 3/16, 1/4 oz
Jig
A jig on the other hand, is not a confidence bait for me, but… they will play all year (and hey, I’m getting better with one). But as bass continue to move earlier in the spawn, you can skip a jig up around docks or flip it over laydowns and brush piles, or even steep rock banks. Since the water is cold and the bass are still pretty sluggish, you’ll want to take it a little slow and use a trailer that has a little action of its own.
Outcast Tackle Cage Feather Jig – 3/8 oz
Colors: Money Craw, Mud Puppy
Trailers: Z-Man Batwingz, Zoom Super Chunk Jr.
Jerkbait
The jerkbait is a staple in cold water, but it’s also probably one of the hardest to throw. Don’t get me wrong, anyone can tie one and catch a fish, but it really takes a certain level of technique and practice to really get the most out of the lure. The most common approach is to use a “jerk, jerk, pause” rhythm, and the colder the water, the longer you want to pause it. But… the real mastery of the jerkbait comes with changing that rhythm enough to know what the bass are looking for. I like to use a baitcaster, but a lot of anglers will throw them on a spinning rod, 10 or 12 pound fluorocarbon, and then depending on your type of lake, you want to look for long points, steep drop-offs, bluffs wall and stream channel.
Megabass This Vision 110
Colors: Elegy Bone, GG Megabass Kinkuro
Berkley Stunna 112
Colors: Northern Lights, Table Rock, Hankie Pankie
Crankbait
Cranking in cold temperatures can be a winning pattern if the conditions are right. I generally look for a little clearer water and a little shallow rocky bottom to attract that bite. Sometimes, sluggish bass seem to prefer the tight wobble of a flat side, but other times, the wider wobble of a squarebill or the original Wiggle Wart will do of trick. It really depends on your body of water, the depth you are targeting, and the temperature of the water. Further north, I’d probably lean towards a flat side to start with, so feel free to play around with a few different types.
Rapala Ott’s Garage AND Rocco 5
Colors: Red Crawdad, Copper Green Shad
Berkley Frittside 5 Crankbait
Colors: Spring Craw, Midnight Pearl
Bonus: Chatterbait
Chatterbait always plays, right? And the new EVO is pretty cool…
Z-Man Chatterbait Elite EVO – 1/2 oz.
Colors: Bluegill, Electric Shad, Black & Blue
Trailer: Hog Farmer Spunk Shad, Rapala Crush City Freeloader
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