3 Fishing Tricks To Catch Winter Bass! ( On The Water )

Winter fishing is easy! If you know where to look and what to throw, catching bass in Winter is really simple! Come along for a day on the water as Matt shows how to pattern and catch Winter bass including the big ones!

As water temperatures drop, bass become very predictable. They move to likely locations, make minimal movements after that, and feed during short bite windows. Once you understand where these locations are and what baits can trigger a feed response, the work is done. This mindset can change your Winter fishing experience forever!

Below you'll find links to the exact baits and gear Matt used throughout the day. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item.

THE GLIDE BAIT...

•River2Sea S Waver 168: https://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Color: Cali Hitch

MID STROLLING BAIT...

•Hog Farmer 3.5" Spunk Shad: https://bit.ly/2UFkCD7

Color: Blue Gizzard

•Dirty Jigs Guppy Head: https://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Size: 1/4 oz, 3/0 Hook

BLADE BAIT…

•Damiki Vault (1/2 oz): https://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

Color: Black Holo

CRANKBAIT...

•River2Sea Tactical DD 75: https://bit.ly/37dclbX

Color: True Shad

S WAVER 168 COMBO...

Rod– Megabass Orochi XX Braillist: https://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

Model: 7'5" Medium Heavy Fast

Reel– Shimano Curado M (HG): https://bit.ly/2acRpsK

Line– Sufix 131 Braid (50 lb): https://bit.ly/314VoyF

Leader– Sunline Saltimate (20 lb): https://bit.ly/2O4UElB

MID STROLLING COMBO...

Rod– Shimano Expride B 6'8" Medium: https://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel– Shimano Sustain FJ 3000: https://bit.ly/3BQLlNP

Line– Sufix 832 (10 lb): https://bit.ly/2ae93Ji

Leader– Sunline Super FC (8 lb): https://bit.ly/2p7fxju

BLADE BAIT COMBO...

Rod– Shimano Expride 7'2" Medium Light: https://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel– Shimano Metanium MGL (HG): https://bit.ly/2ezIBfB

Line– Sufix 131 Braid (40 lb): https://bit.ly/314VoyF

Leader– Maxima Ultragreen (12 lb): https://bit.ly/2ae97J9

TACTICALBASSIN LURE DESIGNS (AND APPAREL)

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

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

Bites On Every Cast! Spring Bass Fishing Chaos with Blade Baits and Glide Baits!

The bite is on fire!! Come along for a morning of bass fishing on Clearlake like we all dream about! Matt is throwing a glide bait and a blade bait and the fishing is incredible! Bass are schooling up before the spawn and this school is feeding heavily on small baitfish. Once Matt dials in the blade bait cadence, the fish start biting on every cast!

Many anglers overlook the effectiveness of lipless crankbaits and blade baits fished slowly along the bottom in Spring. They throw blade baits in Winter but they put them away as the water warms up in Spring. With newer baits like the Megabass Dyna Response and Damiki Vault coming to the market, blade bait season has extended all the way through the Spring. Its a great addition to your lipless crankbait arsenal to ensure you're catching the maximum number of fish when you locate schooling fish. 

Today's video revolves around two baits. Matt's first fish came on the Baitsanity Antidote glide bait, the rest fell for the Megabass Dyna Response 1/2 oz in Ito Hiuo. Keep in mind, when the bite is on, you don't have to have 50 different baits on deck to catch fish. You simply need to put the time in, learn from the clues you're getting on the water, and adapt with the conditions. 

Below you'll find links to the exact baits Matt was using as well as the gear he fished to keep those fish pinned all the way to the boat. Notice how few of his fish got off, despite fishing a heavy blade bait with small trebles on long casts. Using the right gear is key! All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Below the gear links you'll find time stamps for the video so you can jump between key fish catches if you'd like. However, this may be the one full-length video you want to watch straight through because as the bite heats up, its EVERY CAST!

Matt's Baits... 

Swimbait- Baitsanity Antidote Slow Sink (Shad): http://bit.ly/2ztUk9z

Other Great Colors- Summer Shad, Trout

Blade Bait- Megabass Dyna Response 1/2 oz (Ito Hiuo): http://bit.ly/2R7FlvL

Other Great Colors- Jukucho Shad, Setsuki Ayu

Backup Swimbait- G Ratt Sneaky Pete (Hitch): http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

Matt's Glide Bait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 806H: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Tranx 300 HG: http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

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

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

Matt's Blade Bait Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL 50 HG: http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

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

Budget Blade Bait Combo...

Rod- 13 Fishing 6'10" Medium Omen Black 3: http://bit.ly/3lAXbEV

Reel- 13 Fishing Origin C (8:1): http://bit.ly/392qsU6

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

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

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

Cut Points For This Video... 

3:30 Matt Catches Bass On Glide Bait

11:05 First Blade Bait Fish

16:35 The decision that changes everything, bit IMMEDIATELY

32:30 Next Cast Is A Giant!! Cut Points End Because its big bass on every cast!

Fishing Below Freezing For Big Bass! Chickamauga In Winter!

Its Frozen solid! Its 21 degrees but Matt and Tim are back on the water for some Winter bass fishing. Come along for a frozen day on Chickamauga as the guys put together a really nice bag of fish. They're throwing reaction baits despite the frigid temperatures and its working!

Winter fishing doesn't have to be boring. The guys were faced with brutal post-front, frozen conditions but were able to power through it with a blade bait and an Alabama Rig. If you're willing to cover water and build patterns, Winter fishing can be a blast! The lakes are peaceful, the fish are big, and when you put the right reaction baits in front of them, they're aggressive! 

Below you'll find links to all the baits used in the videos. We included the colors we were using as well as the hook and hardware upgrades we made to help our hookup ratios in the cold water. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Blade Bait... 

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

Colors: Black Holo, Holo Cyber Purple, Real Shad

Blade Bait Hook Upgrades... 

Hooks- Owner STX-38 (Size 6): http://bit.ly/2oNIeCD

Split Rings- Owner Hyperwire: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

Ring Sizes: #3 for Belly and Back, #2 for Tail

Tim's Alabama Rig... 

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

Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait Head (1/4 oz): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Baits- Keitech 4.3" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Swimbait Color: Electric Shad

Matt's Alabama Rig... 

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

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

Baits- 13 Fishing Churro 4.25": http://bit.ly/2LLeRA6

Swimbait Color: Moonlight Clan

Matt's A-Rig Combo... 

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

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

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

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

Tim's Blade Bait Combo...  

Rod- Megabass P5 Z-Crank Elseil: https://bit.ly/30GcHqb

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL (HG): http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 30 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget Blade Bait Combo... 

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

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

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

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

Buyer's Guide: Jerkbaits and Blade Baits For Winter Bass

In today's Holiday Buyer's Guide we take a look at Jerkbaits and Blade Baits. Both are great Winter time producers but have great year round applications as well. A jerkbait is one of the best ways to catch a big bass in cold water but with dozens of models to choose from, it can be difficult to build confidence. When it comes to blade baits, not all lures are created equal. Matt and Tim have done the leg work for you so you can get out and fish with confidence all Winter long.

If you're in search of a quality jerkbait there are no shortage of great options on the market. The key is to understand when to throw each style. Winter jerkbaits require precision balance and increased diving depths, while Spring and Summer jerkbaits focus around flash and aggressive action. In addition to the baits themselves, a quality jerkbait rod is CRITICAL to consistent success.

Blade baits come in a plethora of shapes and sizes. The key with blade baits is finding the baits that have immediate action as soon as you move them. Baits that vibrate with minimal motion will out fish the rest of the offerings throughout the cold months. When you can combine that action with a great color selection, you've got the perfect combination.

Below is a breakdown of the various baits that we recommend from each category. We included live links to the baits on tackle warehouse for ease of shopping and even recommended a few of our favorite colors to make it as easy as possible. If you're searching for the related videos we mentioned in the video they're at the bottom of the list.

Deeper Jerkbaits...

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

(GP Pro Blue 2, Tennessee Shad, M Shad)

-Lucky Craft Staysee 90: http://bit.ly/2dBzMmz

(Crystal Pro Blue, Nishiki, MS MJ Herring)

Shallower Jerkbaits...

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

(Blue Pearl Shad, Ghost Wakasagi, Holo Minnow)

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

(GP Pro Blue 2, Tennessee Shad, M Shad)

-Megabass Vision 110 Silent: http://bit.ly/2mqOuiA

(Gp Pro Blue, Ito Clear Laker, MB Gizzard)

-Rapala Rip Stop Size 12: http://bit.ly/2Vs7HBf

(Carbon, Silver, Speed Monkey)

-Lucky Craft Flash Pointer 100 and 115: http://bit.ly/2aHz588

(American Shad, Chartreuse Shad, Ghost Minnow, Crystal Pro Blue)

Jerkbait Hook Upgrade: http://bit.ly/2dWWAut

(Size 5 and 6 will fit all of the baits)

Blade Baits...

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

(Black Holo, Holo Ayu, Holo Cyber Purple)

-Blade Runner 1/4 -1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2XMNoQj

(Chartreuse White, Natural Shad)

-Jackall Keeburn: http://bit.ly/2or8sy0

(Clear Shad, Dera Shad, Silver)

Favorite Jerkbait Combo...

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

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

Budget-Friendly Jerkbait Combo...

Rod- Shimano SLX 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

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

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

In-Depth Videos…

Jerkbaits In-Depth Video: https://youtu.be/jug12fc0eaI

Blade Bait In-Depth Video: https://youtu.be/kPBIGD7tZEo