Winter bass fishing on rivers is different from lake fishing for largemouths. Before determining what presentations to use, finding where the fish are should be your goal. I will break it down further and discuss what presentations, lures, etc., in the next post [River Fishing for Largemouth Bass - Winter (Presentations)], but first lets discuss where you can find largemouth river bass in the cold months of Winter.
Remember, Winter weather can be cold--often to the point of being dangerously cold, especially when you are wet, so be prepared. Wear proper clothing, and layer! Also to remember to bring an extra change of clothes, you might need it. Hypothermia is not your friend.
WINTER
Location
First step in catching river largemouths in any season is figuring out where the fish are positioned. In lakes, you will most often find largemouth bass moving to deeper water in the winter. Sometimes they will move as deep as 40+ feet. Rivers are a little different. In rivers, fish might be shallow, deep, or somewhere in between. In rivers you can not always find the 20+ foot depths where largemouth will stay all winter, like they do in lakes. It just depends on your river flow and temperature, the air temperature, and the sun. The three main factors that I look at to determine how I am going to fish that day are, 1) the water temperature and fluctuation, 2) the air temperature and fluctuation, and 3) the amount of sunlight. All three will run together and are intertwined...you will see how it works.The Water and Air Temperature
The water temperature is a huge factor for river bass fishing in the winter for me. Every river is different, and water temperature is more important in rivers that have greater temperature fluctuations thought the year and from day to day. In rivers with relatively constant temperatures, the water temp is not as big of a deal. In these cases I focus more on the sun.
What I am really paying attention to in the Winter months, with regards to the water temperature, are the temperature fluctuations. Most importantly, is the temperature of the water warming or cooling, and how fast? If the temperature is rising quickly from the previous day, I will focus more on shallower water. If the water temperature is dropping quickly from the previous days, I will try and find deeper water. This is often directly related to the air temperature.
The reason that I will move between depths from day to day is because I am trying to find the most active fish in the winter. The most active largemouth bass, in a river, int the winter, will typically be in the warmest water. As the water warms, the bass become more active and move shallower. As the water cools, the deeper water will often cool slower than the rest of the river, so the more active (I use that term loosely) bass often move to these areas.
The air temperature can, and does, have an impact on the water temperature, and if you don't have a way to test and track the water temperature in particular stretches of the river, the air temperature can help you. If the air temperature is cooling from day to day, or if it is remaining cold after a front comes through, then the water temperature in the river is probably falling. If the air temperature is mild or warm, which does happen in the winter, then the water temperature could be warming.
The reason I do this has to do with water temperature as well. Full, bright sun, can warm the shallows of a river fairly quickly, making it much warmer than the deeper water around it. Baitfish and Largemouth bass will move often move up to these areas of the river when the sun is out, and become more active. Fish are cold blooded, so when the water temperature is cold, the bass become lethargic. As it warms, so do the fish, and they become more active and eat more often, giving you a better chance to catch fish in the Winter.
However, if the current is strong, the shallow water might not warm any faster than any other part of the river, even with full sun. The water moves out of the shallows before it has a chance to absorb any of the sun's energy. So, when the sun is out, look for slower flowing stretches of the river.
When it is cloudy or overcast, the opposite is in effect. The shallow, slow flowing stretches of river, can cool off quicker than the rest of the river simply because there is less water in that area. So, when there is no sun, try to find deeper stretches of slow flowing water. If the water temperature is rising and there is no sun, move to the shallows, but focus on areas with current. That is where you will find the active bass.
What I am really paying attention to in the Winter months, with regards to the water temperature, are the temperature fluctuations. Most importantly, is the temperature of the water warming or cooling, and how fast? If the temperature is rising quickly from the previous day, I will focus more on shallower water. If the water temperature is dropping quickly from the previous days, I will try and find deeper water. This is often directly related to the air temperature.
The reason that I will move between depths from day to day is because I am trying to find the most active fish in the winter. The most active largemouth bass, in a river, int the winter, will typically be in the warmest water. As the water warms, the bass become more active and move shallower. As the water cools, the deeper water will often cool slower than the rest of the river, so the more active (I use that term loosely) bass often move to these areas.
The air temperature can, and does, have an impact on the water temperature, and if you don't have a way to test and track the water temperature in particular stretches of the river, the air temperature can help you. If the air temperature is cooling from day to day, or if it is remaining cold after a front comes through, then the water temperature in the river is probably falling. If the air temperature is mild or warm, which does happen in the winter, then the water temperature could be warming.
The Sunlight
The amount of sunlight is another factor I pay attention to when river fishing for largemouth bass in the winter. If the sun is out in full force, that is often a signal for me to move to shallow or to slower flowing water, and if it is overcast I will usually move deeper.The reason I do this has to do with water temperature as well. Full, bright sun, can warm the shallows of a river fairly quickly, making it much warmer than the deeper water around it. Baitfish and Largemouth bass will move often move up to these areas of the river when the sun is out, and become more active. Fish are cold blooded, so when the water temperature is cold, the bass become lethargic. As it warms, so do the fish, and they become more active and eat more often, giving you a better chance to catch fish in the Winter.
However, if the current is strong, the shallow water might not warm any faster than any other part of the river, even with full sun. The water moves out of the shallows before it has a chance to absorb any of the sun's energy. So, when the sun is out, look for slower flowing stretches of the river.
When it is cloudy or overcast, the opposite is in effect. The shallow, slow flowing stretches of river, can cool off quicker than the rest of the river simply because there is less water in that area. So, when there is no sun, try to find deeper stretches of slow flowing water. If the water temperature is rising and there is no sun, move to the shallows, but focus on areas with current. That is where you will find the active bass.
Those tips should help you find largemouth bass in a river during the winter. Pay attention to the water temperature, the air temperature, and the sun. Those three things will help guide you to the bass.
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