what do bass do for winter?

[sicheneder]

I have been thinking about this the last couple of times out. just like in the spring you want to know where and what they are going to do. So, what are the fish wanting to do? I know the usually fall stuff fattening up and fish green weeds, blah, blah,blah. I don't know if i have found many articles on winter bass and lots on spring time. Does anyone have any thoughts about what bass do during the winter or are staging to do. I know that on one lake in the area that the fish come down from the shallow weedy river into the main lake right now until they disappear for winter, but there is a period usaully right now when there is a nice population on one part of the lake. But that is only one lake.

[Deitz Dittrich]

We are still in the fall pattern.. Find the green stuff and work it!.. Inside turns will usually have the best green stuff.. For those who dont understand what an inside turn...

Inside Turn= Where the deepest water comes close to the shore, when the area next to it has shallow water out into the lake.

Then, they dont get total lock jaw during the winter.. I catch quite a few jigging for panfish all winter long.. you just dont really catch enough to target them. they stay shallow or shallow ish near the panfish usually... I see them on the Aqua-Vu all the time.. they just dont eat much.

[mplspug]

There are some winter lakes where they seem to bite better than others, but they are few. I am not sure why, but it is what it is.

[sicheneder]

so, they are still in the same areas just not as willing to bite. I thought i had read before that bass either suspend out deep or move out deep. this is what makes my head spin. like i said before the fish on one lake move back to the main lake right and are very catchable through the first part of nov., but there is a drop of in fishing. sometimes the fish are on some of the staging points and the weather gets cold and there isn't a decent lake bite.

thanks for the help

[SluggoMaster]

I catch bass up until ice-on around the same stuff they are in during the fall. You just have to work slower. I would imagine they move off a little bit in the winter, but I would not suspect they move too far. Keep in mind, many of the articles you read in Bass fishing magazines are written from the perspective of someone who fishes reservoirs in the south. Many fish there do move out the the main river, and deep tributaries. I grew up fishing the Tennessee river, and that is exactly what they do, since that is where the baitfish go.

Natural lakes are quite a bit different from what I have experienced here in Minnesota. Just follow the baitfish, if you can.

[Bobb-o]

I catch bass on a lake all winter long in eight feet of water while i am fishing for gills, probably aboot every 4th or 5th fish is a bass. This is just a shallow bay that is off the main lake. and all of the bass come off the bottom to eat.

[ikeslayer]

What about places like the miss river and the croix can you catch fish on the open water all year long??? ike

[SluggoMaster]

The 'sippi has good places on it. Just find the slower moving current, which is typically around deep holes. I can't speak for the Croix.

[Duffman]

With the underwater camera, I've found bass to be a lot more active than I thought they would be under the ice. I've even had them cruise by in schools of three or more. And as was said before, there are some lakes that the bass seem to bite better on during the winter vs others.

[Bobby Bass]

Play a lot of cards and crusie the shallows looking to pick up Sunnies