Cold Front Bass Tactics
Though it may seem like
every bass in the lake comes down with a case of lockjaw during the passage of a
cold front, it doesn't mean you can't catch fish. A few bass will always
remain active, it's just a matter of finding them and getting them to
bite.
Here are a few tips that can help you coax some of these fish into biting.
Go
Slow
Rarely will you get a bass to chase a fast-moving lure during a cold front. Instead, slowly drag or dead stick plastic bait, stall suspending stick bait, or when all else fails, switch to a slip float/live bait combo. Rather than make the fish work, dangle you’re offering in front of their faces.
Small Is Better
Smaller lures and light line on a spinning rig is the choice for finicky bass. Go to 6 or 8 pound mono and a plastic tube instead of a bulky jig on 20-pound line. Finesse fish during a cold front, because oversized line or lures will turn bass off.
Top
Spots
This is not the time to explore. Stick to your best spots, though you may have to fish deeper and tighter to cover.
Look For The Thick
Stuff
Bass hang very tight to cover during and after the passage of a front, often hiding in the thickest weed available. You have to get right in front of them to get them to bite. Also, try fishing deeper water adjacent to where the fish were before the front, and keep your presentation subtle.
Inside
Turns
Inside turns along a break line or weed line are good sheltering spots to look for non-aggressive cold-front bass. Forget points and other structure bass use when they're feeding. Probe their comfort zones.
Keep On The
Move
If you don't find active
fish after 15 minutes, move on. It increases your odds of locating active
bass.