Slow Swimbaits for BIG Bass in the Winter

When winter rolls around, the way anglers have to chase bass shifts. The bass are coming off of some of the most aggressive months of the year, and become more lethargic and less interested in chasing their food. Can some of the summertime lures work? Sure, but it’s a lot harder. That’s why when anglers are looking for the perfect solution to catching big winter bass, they should be thinking about tying on a slow swimbait.

When winter hits, one of the biggest changes bass have is a slowing metabolism. When this happens, they are far less likely to chase after fast lure presentations. That’s where the slow swimbaits come into play.

These baits are designed to mimic the type of food the bass are actually willing to go after when they are ready to eat. A swimbait that looks like a gizzard shad or a bluegill can be just the thing to make a bass want to strike. This is especially true for the big winter bass that don’t want to spend a bunch of energy chasing after smaller prey.

Now picking the right swimbait is a bit more than just grabbing a bigger one off the shelf and tossing it out. You have to make sure that the colors of that swimbait are going to be the correct ones. It’s a good idea to match those colors to whatever baitfish are in the area.

That said, you also need to take into account the clarity of the water. If you’re fishing in a clear lake, you definitely want to stick to those more natural-looking colors. If the water is darker or stained, then you might want to try some brighter options to grab their attention more easily.

Okay, so we know we’re gonna throw a swimbait, and we know how to pick the color, but what about the style of the swimbait? There are a few good options for the colder months, including glide baits, soft-bodied paddletails, and jointed hard-body swimbaits. All of these share the ability to look natural while being fished slowly.

Glide baits are a great choice to use for bass when you have clear water conditions and fish are able to track your bait from a good distance away. These baits are made to be cast out and retrieved directly back slowly, as their design moves in an “S” shape while gliding through the water. At most, you’ll want to add in an extra twitch and pause every once in a while to try to trigger a strike, but don’t overdo it.

Soft-bodied paddletails are another solid option to try this time of year when going after big bass. These swimbaits are designed to have a tail that moves back and forth naturally in the water as you do a slow retrieve back to you. You can rig these on jig heads of varying sizes to target the exact depth you need, depending on where the bass are in the body of water you’re fishing. Plus, they offer a more natural feel compared to a hard-bodied lure that makes bass hold onto longer, letting you catch those lighter bites.

These swimbaits are similar to glide baits, but typically have a few more joints in them. These extra joints allow the swimbait to have even more natural movement while being retrieved, similar to what you’d get with a paddletail. These can also be an awesome option to try when fishing in stained water, as they throw off more vibration in the water to help bass find them more easily.