We will give you the winter bass fishing lures here in this article. Winter kayak bass fishing forces a lot of kayak anglers to pack it in until spring. It’s cold and difficult to catch bass.

Most bass anglers would rather drink coffee than sit in the cold slinging those baits without any bites. If you’re a year-round angler and have zero thoughts of storing your kayak this season, then nothing will stop you. You won’t be disappointed with the bass you will catch.

Winter Bass

Knowing where Bass go in winter is a key role in catching them. Generally, bass pulls away from the shallows and starts heading for deeper water. Bass group around rock piles and rocky bottoms where it’s warmer. It is not uncommon to see bass motionless right on the bottom. Other warm structures may include dock pilings, pillars, and train trestles, as all these structures transmit heat to the bottom from the sun.

The challenge is activating the bass to strike. As the fall transitions to winter, bass slows their metabolisms in response to a lack of food. This enables them to go long periods without feeding. But this doesn’t mean you can’t catch fish! Many kayak anglers fish in winter solely to catch larger specimens. Kayak Anglers tend to switch to their winter bass fishing lures.

FOOTBALL JIG

The first winter kayak bass fishing lure is a jig. A jig is a perfect presentation for cold water situations. You can fish it slow and right along the bottom where the bass is. Using a 1/2 oz Tru Trac Sting Ray Sled Head, find those rocky bottoms either located on long-reaching lake points or in the very middle of your water and commit to a slow drag and hops.

The one thing to keep in mind is slow; everything should be slow and steady. Drag your jig along and let it sit motionless periodically. These periods of deadsticking will entice a winter bass to bite. Whether you are winter bass fishing from the bank or a boat, getting out to the deepest areas and around hard bottom and structure with a jig is one effective way to bass.

JIG SELECTION

When throwing a jig, go with natural winter colors. For clear water in winter, I use a 1/8 oz Tru-Trac shaky finesse jig in a brown craw color with a beaver-style trailer. For water with less visibility, I will go with the same jig but in black and blue with a dark trailer.

FINESSE WORMS

A finesse worm is a great way to present an easy meal to a winter bass. The key is keeping it on the bottom and retrieving slowly. As far as rigging, there’s no one right way to rig a finesse worm.

Each rigging style is with the Tru Trac stand-up shaky head jig. Once mastered, finesse worms are a fantastic part of a kayak angler’s arsenal and can be fished year-round. Finesse worms seem to have a special place designated in winter for their deadly-slow quality.

DROP SHOT

I like using a 4-inch ringworm by Mudpuppy on 10lb K9 fluorocarbon. Hook size, I go with a Vector Hook 1/0 Finesse and work the rig around off-shore structure and dock pilings. 

TEXAS RIG

I learned on a texas rig. It’s my primary rigging style.  Using a 1/4 oz bullet weight and a Black Creek Baitz Watermelon Candy Wom, I almost exclusively drag it along the bottom with an occasional rod raise for added action.

SHAKY HEAD

As an alternative to a texas rig, the shaky head is deadly accurate and provides a faster, sharper, and more crisp movement than a texas rig. The only real difference is the natural fall of a texas rig as your weight slides forward and allows your bait a slower, almost flutter-like action. A shaky head, using Tru-Trac Shaky Head Jigs and a Black Creek Baitz Fat Daddy Houdini, can be fished much like a texas rig, with a slow drag with small hops in between.

NED RIG

The Ned Rig seems to be the absolute go-to for positive results when the bite gets tough. These stubby little worms are awesome around harder bottoms like rock and concrete-like launch ramps. Hook selections like the Z-man finesse hooks are the best on the market in my opinion.

If you’ve fished a jig around an area known to hold fish with no bites, switch to a deadly Nedly on 8-10lb K9 fluorocarbon, and you will be a happy bass angler.

Additionally, a little secret, keep all your worn-out Senkos from wacky rigging. You can cut them down to ned rigs.

HARD JERKBAITS

When those winter days start growing colder and the nights bring freezing temperatures, having a quick flash of a double-twitched hard-jerk bait from side to side will get that reaction bite. Additionally, jerk baits are perfect for winter bass fishing from the kayak, as lake points are easily accessible.

LIPLESS CRANKBAITS

Lipless Crankbaits can produce some amazing catches during winter. With outstanding versatility, they are among the most exclusive fishing lures for lethargic bass. My favorite method is yo-yoing a lipless Strike King Red Eye Shad at a slow pace. Cast out and let the lure sink to your depth of choice, then raise your rod tip fast and give it a quick pop. This imitates a wounded baitfish while putting out a strong vibration.

Another method of fishing a lipless crankbait is a straight retrieve followed by a twitch. You can also bring this lure through grass and deflect it along gravel bottoms similar to a standard crankbait and produce an attractive directional change. Play with different methods, and of course, keep it slow.

Winter can be tough, but by using the right lures and methods of presenting them, you may catch the bass of a lifetime. Remember, smaller fish die off this time of year due to starvation and stress. This leaves mostly the larger bass. Try each lure above and don’t give up. Those long, hard winter kayak bass fishing days will be rewardable.

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