Winter Bass Fishing Strategy: Don't Overlook Shallow Waters

Winter Bass Fishing Videos
By Dave Wolak / March 30, 2011
This video dispels a common winter fishing myth: the belief that bass only dwell in deep waters during cold months. It highlights a key tactic for winter bass fishing — targeting shallow waters, especially near riprap or rocky areas. Elite Series pro Dave Wolak explains the importance of swimming a jig close to the riprap, emphasizing how bass often stay right up against the rocks. The video demonstrates how to position the boat parallel to the rocks, ensuring the jig remains in the strike zone consistently. It also sheds light on the surprising shallowness of winter bass locations, where fish can be found in as little as two inches of water. The key message is clear: don't hesitate to explore shallow waters when fishing for bass in winter, as these areas can be unexpectedly productive.
Transcript

It's winter time and it's extremely cold out, but everybody thinks the fish go really deep. But you can't be afraid to fish too shallow when it's winter, especially if you have rocks.

Now, I'm swimming a jig right now and I'm right up against the rip rap. And the reason I'm doing this is because, a lot of times, these fish will get right up against those rocks, especially if you have a warming trend or you have an afternoon situation, where it gets a little bit warmer in the afternoon.

Those fish'll get right up in tight, sometimes zero to six inches of water, and it's important to get your boat parallel right to the rocks, and swim that jig right in that strike zone the whole entire time.

And many times, I'll actually see the wake from the fish actually coming from two inches of water. That's how shallow they are, even in the winter time. And the reason they're there is because these rocks magnify the heat, and sometimes you have a one or two degree temperature difference, and a fish could feel that.

So, get your boat close to the rocks and don't be afraid to fish too shallow in the winter.