For any devoted bass fisherman, bass going deep is just something you have to deal with. They typically go into deeper water and slow down during cold fronts. Dark clouds are usually a signal that cold weather is arriving soon. In general, the fishing action gets worse as the cold weather goes through the area. Bass fishing can remain slow up to two days after the weather has cleared up. However, deep fish and cold weather doesn’t mean you need to cancel your trip. You simply need to know how to find them and be more exact with the presentation of your lure. Below are some ways to improve your chance of catching fish.
The day before a cold front, the weather is usually sunny, warm and beautiful with low or normal barometric pressure. Fishing action will generally be pretty good and you can catch bass on a wide range of baits and lures. As the cold weather comes in, the sky will begin to get cloudy and the wind picks up, but the temperature remains comfortable and the fishing may even get better. Fish sense changes in the weather and go on a feeding frenzy to get ready for their expected period of inactivity.
A common misconception is that colder weather reduces the water temperature and modify the fish’s behavior. Scientific research reports that in large bodies of water, the surface temperature can be lowered by a few degrees, but six inches below the surface the water temperature will remain the same. Therefore, water temperature does not factor into how bass behave. After cold weather passes, the barometric pressure increases substantially and the skies become clear. If you go bass fishing during this time it is highly unlikely to get a bite. Why?
Marine biologists have reported that bass will stay in the same location, but simply go deeper in the water into their usual cover. The bass become inactive and appear to be tired or lazy. The cause of this behavior is the rapid change in barometric pressure. With steady barometric pressure and normal weather conditions, bass are comfortable and swim upright. As cold weather passes, the barometric pressure quickly increases which disrupts their equilibrium. Researchers believe it takes from twenty-four to thirty-six hours for bass to readjust and get their equilibrium back to normal.
To catch bass in deep water, you have to adjust your usual tactics and approach. The strike zone for bass is reduced from a two to three feet to a few inches. Instead of fishing from shore and wishing for luck, use radar or electronics to find fish. Look for bass in thickest weeds or in sizeable underwater structures. Use smaller and lighter lures and reel them in slower than you usually would. If you don’t get any strikes, switch to live bait like minnows to get a bite.
You can definitely catch bass when they go into deeper water if you remember to use smaller bait, fish slower and put your line as close as possible to their position.
