Cold Winter Bass Fishing: Tubes, Jigs, and Mega Live Sonar

Its another cold, Winter day on the water! Our hands are frozen, the fish are cold, but the bite is on! Between catches Tim shows his Humminbird Mega Live unit where you can actually see bass swimming through the baitfish in front of the boat! Come along for an educational day on the water and watch as the guys use a jig and a tube to catch big bass during brutal conditions. 

We regularly talk about how we prefer to power fish through the Winter months. Once in a while, the fish just won't cooperate. This is one of those days. The fish are on bottom, around cover, and won't chase at all. Luckily the guys are ready with a finesse football jig and a heavy tube to fool these lethargic bass into biting. They don't get a lot of bites, but the ones they get are really nice fish!

Below you'll find links to the baits, gear, and electronics the guys were using. We've included our favorite sizes and colors where applicable. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

TIM'S TUBE...

Bait- Big Bite Baits Tour Tube: http://bit.ly/32e23VR

Color: Green Pumpkin Orange Firetail

Head- Bite Me Tackle Big Dude: http://bit.ly/2CV3o7S

Size: 3/4 oz

JARRED'S JIG... 

Bait- D&L 3/4 oz Wire Guard Football: https://bit.ly/3eYbnWa

Color: Cali 420

Trailer- Yamamoto 5" Double Tail: http://bit.ly/2db9w1p

Colors: Green Pumpkin Black Flake

LURE KNOCKERS... 

-StrikeZone Pocket Knocker: http://bit.ly/2csyRVT

-StrikeZone Magnum Pocket Knocker: https://bit.ly/3xPivLl

HUMMINBIRD MEGA LIVE...

-Mega Live: https://bit.ly/2VXoaC7

TIM'S ELECTRONICS... 

-Humminbird Apex 13: https://bit.ly/3pdaK1q

-Humminbird Solix 15: https://bit.ly/2Hazsej

JARRED'S JIG COMBO... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

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

Line- Seaguar Red Label 15 lb: http://bit.ly/2LOVEwA

TIM'S TUBE COMBO...

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 844C MBR: https://bit.ly/2hedqsq

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL (HG): http://bit.ly/2ezIBfB

Line- Sunline Super FC 15 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

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

NED RIG AND TUBE FISHING TRICKS FOR WINTER BASS!

These tricks will help you catch more fish! Ned Rigs and Tubes are both great baits for cold water fishing. Winter bass respond to those small profiles worked extremely slowly, even in the toughest conditions. But not all baits are created equal and how you work them is as important as which bait you choose to throw. 

Today Matt is giving some key tips on how he finesse fishes in cold water. He begins with some of his favorite ned baits and how he applies each to his fishing, then wraps it up with some tube fishing tips you don't want to miss. Matt loves to power fish but when conditions call for finesse he doesn't hesitate to pick up the light rods and get to work.  

Below you'll find links to the exact baits, heads, and gear Matt discussed in the video. Everything is linked in the order it appeared and we've even included our favorite colors and sizes for each. Down below you'll find links to the rods and reels, along with some great budget-friendly alternatives.

NED RIG PROFILES... 

-Z Man TRD CrawZ: http://bit.ly/2U9vx6P

Colors: Canada Craw, Green Pumpkin, Mud Bug

-Savage Gear Ned Salamander: https://bit.ly/3rSNi8g

Colors: Green Pumpkin Purple Copper, Mojito

NED RIG WORMS... 

-Roboworm 3" Ned Worm: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Colors: MMIII, Desert Craw, TW Black Blue Pumpkin

-XZone Ned Zone: http://bit.ly/2mRiYhF

Colors: 309, Green pumpkin Purple, Violet Secret

NED RIG HOOKS... 

-Swagger Tungsten Flanders: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Favorite Size: 1/10th

-Z Man Ned LockZ HD: http://bit.ly/2kIgRYK

Favorite Size: 1/10th

-Owner Block Head: http://bit.ly/2qL0A8n

Favorite Size: 1/16th

FAVORITE TUBES...

-STH Finesse Series 4" Tubes: https://bit.ly/3aU0oeU

Colors: Dark Melon Purple, Green Pumpkin, Ten Point

-Big Bite Tour Tube: http://bit.ly/32e23VR

Colors: Green Pumpkin Blue, Green Pumpkin Purple Copper

-STH Finesse Series 2.5" Tubes: https://bit.ly/3aU0oeU

Colors: Juvenile Goby, Green Pumpkin, Dark Melon Purple

-Dry Creek 3.5" Tournament Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

Colors: Crazy Eddie, Green Pumpkin, Old Ugly

TUBE HEADS... 

-Bite Me Flat Eye Tube Head: http://bit.ly/2diyVXK

Sizes: 3/16 - 1/4 oz

-Bite Me Big Dude Goby Head: http://bit.ly/2CV3o7S

Sizes: 1/2 - 3/4 oz

-Blade Runner Inhaler Head: https://bit.ly/2NX7nYr

Sizes: 1/8 oz with 1/0 Hook

MATT'S NED RIG COMBO... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX 821S NRR: https://bit.ly/2RB0oJP

Reel- Shimano Twin Power 2500: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Line- Power Pro 8 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Super FC 5 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

MATT'S TUBE COMBO... 

Rod- St. Croix Legend Extreme 7'6" Medium: https://bit.ly/37UhrKR

Reel- Shimano Exsence A 3000: https://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Line- Sunline SX1 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader0 Sunline Super FC 8 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

“BANG FOR THE BUCK” NED COMBO... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Vanford 2000: https://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Line- Power Pro 10 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Super FC 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

BUDGET DO-ALL FINESSE COMBO... 

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7' Medium: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

Reel- Shimano Nasci FC 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sunline Super FC 8 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

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

Early Fall Bass Fishing! (Finesse Baits And Big Smallmouth)

We're exploring new water in search of big bass and taking you along for the ride on the Great Lakes! Don't miss any of the details as we adapt lure color, size, and retrieve to dial in a pattern for Smallmouth. Watch as the guys start off with power techniques like swimbaits and topwater but adapt with changing conditions, and continue catching fish with a ned rig, tube, and hair jig. 

Fishing Lake Michigan is all about adapting to changing conditions. Today started out with wind, settled to slick calm and high sun, then a lightning storm blew in. With no history to rely on the guys had to adapt on the fly, trying different presentations and locations (they ran over 50 miles!) to keep catching fish. They caught fish all day long and were vocal about the choices they were making and reasoning behind them. If you want to understand the mindset behind fish catching, this video is for you!

Below you'll find links to all the baits used in the video. We've included the exact models, sizes, and colors for each presentation. As promised, we've also included the jerkbait colors we use to adapt to changing conditions. Finally, you'll find links to our favorite rod and reel combos from the day with exact specs on each model. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

SWIMBAIT... 

-Megabass Dark Sleeper 3" (1/2 oz): http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

Color: Wakasagi, Donko

TOPWATER...

-Evergreen Shower Blows 105: http://bit.ly/2zIkqUH

Color: Bone, Skeleton Chartreuse

JERKBAIT... 

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

Natural Colors: Ito Natural, Matte Shad, Clear Laker

Bold Colors: Elegy Bone, Western Clown, Wakin React

TUBE...

Bait- STH Finesse Tube 2.5: https://bit.ly/3aU0oeU

Color: Dark Melon Gold Purple, Dark Melon Gold

Head- Blade Runner Inhaler: https://bit.ly/2NX7nYr

Size: 1/8 oz 1/0 Hook

Alt. Head- Northland Tackle Short Shank: https://bit.ly/3AM4xwu

HAIR JIG... 

-Andy's Custom Maribou Jig (1/8 oz): https://bit.ly/3uYqDsw

Color: Black

NED RIG... 

Bait- Roboworm 3" Ned: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Color: Desert Craw

Head- Swagger Tungsten Flanders: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Size: 1/10th with 1/0 Hook

DARK SLEEPER COMBO... 

Rod- Megabass P5 Dark Sleeper: https://bit.ly/2wVOSbY

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL (HG): http://bit.ly/2fdX1Uy

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

HAIR JIG COMBO... (Back Order Available)

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 901 SJR: https://bit.ly/2RB0oJP

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

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

TUBE COMBO... 

Rod- St. Croix Legend Extreme 7'6" Medium: https://bit.ly/37UhrKR

Reel- Shimano Vanford 2500: https://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Line- Sunline SX1 12 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- 6 lb Sunline Super FC: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

JERKBAIT COMBO... 

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

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL (HG): http://bit.ly/2fdX1Uy

Line- Sunline Super FC 10 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

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