This blog post was written by Matt Fed, CEO of Barb Catch Fishing (contact@barbcatchfishing.com), to share his expertise on winter finesse fishing techniques. Throughout this article, all product links will support Matt and give you 10% off all Reaction Tackle products!
Bass fishing during the winter season can be tough. Bass are cold and don’t like chasing after bait. They aren’t as hungry because their metabolism slows down in cold water. The water is generally clearer, which makes it easier for the finicky winter bass to distinguish real bait from fake lures. All these factors make winter fishing quite difficult, and on top of all that, it isn’t the most comfortable to be out fishing in the cold weather. That being said, the most reliable and surefire way to actually catch fish–and ensure that you aren’t freezing your tail off for no reason–is finesse fishing.
What is Finesse Fishing?
Finesse fishing is a technique where you use much smaller and lighter gear. From the rod and reels to the line, weights, and baits, everything is more subtle and realistic. In cold water, bass are often quick to avoid a loud crankbait or fast-moving swimbait flying by them. However, a small worm or minnow bait that slowly dances in front of them is nearly impossible to turn down. In winter, you can still catch bass that don’t want to chase food or eat a big meal–you just need to make them an offer they can’t refuse. That offer is generally a finesse presentation, which we’re about to discuss.
3 Best Winter Finesse Rigs
It’s hard to pick just three, but I think it is best to keep fishing simple this time of year so you don’t waste time worrying about whether you are using the wrong bait or not. Without a doubt, these three finesse rigs will get bass to bite and help you catch more fish this winter.
1. Ned Rig
Hands down, the Ned rig has caught me more winter bass than any other setup. You will hear a lot of anglers say, “less is more in winter fishing.” and the Ned rig embodies that concept. It’s a lightweight, mushroom-style jig head with a very small, soft plastic bait. The most popular soft plastic is a small stickbait about two inches long with no real action. All you do is cast the Ned rig where you think the fish are holding, let it sink to the bottom, and then ever so slowly drag and hop it back. Make small hops and shakes with your rod tip, then let the bait sit for 5–10 seconds at a time. Because the Ned rig is so simple and has such little action, the bass aren’t intimidated by it at all. It’s just too easy of a meal for the bass to turn down because it takes them zero energy to eat it. Although it takes some patience, winter Ned rig fishing will get bites no matter how tough the fishing conditions are.
2. Drop Shot
The drop shot is a unique rig. It allows you to suspend a finesse bait just off the bottom. Keeping the bait off the bottom makes it look much more natural and realistic. The drop shot consists of a small hook suspended about 6–12 inches above a specialized drop shot weight. Small minnow or worm baits are the most popular soft plastics to use on a drop shot. The minnow-style baits work especially well in the winter because they perfectly mimic the small baitfish that die off in really cold water. As these baitfish die off, they wiggle and twitch around and bass gorge on them. Bass love eating dying baitfish in the winter because they don’t try to get away.
Your retrieve with a drop shot is actually similar to that of a Ned rig. The only difference is that when you pause the drop shot and let it sit, you keep a bit of tension in your line. This way, the bait stays suspended off the bottom, hovering right in front of the bass. This makes the drop shot very visible to bass even if they are fairly far off. As long as the water is clear enough, bass will be drawn in from far away to eat the drop shot. If you are fishing in deep water and need to draw bass in better, tie on the drop shot–you won’t be disappointed.
3. Finesse Swimbait
No matter how cold the water gets, there are still times when you need to cover a bit more water. If you are fishing big flats or you just don’t really know where the fish are, you need to fish a bit faster to find them. A little finesse swimbait is the perfect way to do that in the winter. All you need is a jig head–either ball head or fish head–and a small paddle tail swimbait. Cast out the bait and let it sink to or near the bottom. Then, just begin slow-rolling the swimbait. A slow, consistent retrieve seems to get the most bites in cold water.
You don’t need to jerk or snap the swimbait around to try and get a reaction strike. Just let the subtle action of the paddle tail do all the work. Most likely, the bass are going to be pretty much stuck to the bottom. So, while you're fishing the swimbait, try to keep it a couple of inches off the bottom so that bass don’t have to swim up to eat it. When bass are very cold, you don’t want to make them work for their meals. Whether you need to cover water to find the bass or you just don’t have the patience to slow down, a finesse swimbait is the most reliable way to catch bass with a moving presentation.
Gear for Winter Finesse Fishing
Stealth is the name of the game with this technique. Don’t give the finicky bass any reason to shy away from the baits. You want to use light rods and light lines. These techniques need to be fished on a medium to medium-light action spinning rod. This gives you maximum sensitivity, allows you to cast the lightweight baits, and ensures that you can fight fish on light line. And the line should be light, preferably 6–8 lb test fluorocarbon line. Light line increases casting with the light baits and greatly reduces the visibility of the line so that bass can’t see it in the clear water. Fluorocarbon line is by far the least visible line in the water. It is practically invisible, especially at those lower pound tests.
Tying this Off
Winter bass fishing can be difficult and uncomfortable, so make sure you maximize your time on the water. Finesse fishing will get you the most bites–and often even the biggest bites. Keep in mind that less is more, and always lean on the side of slower rather than faster. Winter fishing isn’t easy, but it can be the most rewarding fishing that you do all year, especially because there are so few other anglers out on the water.
Special thanks to Matt Fed, CEO of Barb Catch Fishing, for contributing this valuable guide to winter finesse fishing. If you’d like to connect with Matt or learn more, reach out to him at contact@barbcatchfishing.com. Shop using Matt Fed’s affiliate link here to support him and enjoy 10% off all Reaction Tackle products.
