Top 5 Winter Baits!

5: Starting off the list at number 5 is the hover rig. There are a couple ways to put a hover rig together. You can either purchase a pack of jigheads built for the hover rig, or you can use a hook with a 90 degree line tie and insert a nail weight into the nose of the bait. However, you decide to do it this is one rig that can be lethal for fish up shallow or those up high in the water column. My favorite bait to use on a hover rig is a Maxscent flatworm. The flat bottom of this bait causes it to have some resistance while sinking resulting in a slow sink that "hovers" right in the fish's face! One bonus tip is to use a mono leader with this rig to get a little extra resistance and slow the sink rate down even more! This rig will catch you any type of species but in the winter you will mostly be catching the trout that are up shallow with the colder water temps.

4: Number four is the dropshot. If the fish aren't available up shallow, then go deeper! My favorite dropshot weight is 3/8 oz due to its versatility. I can fish it super deep, or I can cast it up shallow! If you are consistently finding fish in deeper water, then by all means upsize your weight so you can get down to them quicker. This technique can be deadly while fishing vertically underneath the boat! I probably use the dropshot for suspended fish more than your average angler and slay the trout with this technique. So don't think you HAVE to let it sink to the bottom every time. However, if you're after walleye or bass then you will want to spend more time on the bottom than suspended in the water column. Once again, I really prefer dropshotting a Maxscent flatworm this time of year!

3: Halfway through the list gets us to the Rapala Jiggin' Rap. If I wrote this blog a couple years ago, I would have a blade bait in this position, but in recent years I've had more success using a Jiggin' Rap so for now this lure takes the throne! Most people prefer a size 7 Rap, but personally I've had more success with a size 9. I'm not sure exactly why that is, and maybe it's just anecdotal evidence based on the fact that I fish a size 9 more, but I like how it gets to the bottom quicker especially when I'm often fishing in depths greater than 40 feet. Cast it out, let it sink to the bottom, put some slack in your line, and rip that guy off the bottom like you've just pounded your way through two red bulls! Your arm will get tired after a while of doing this, but let's be honest we fishermen need the exercise!

2: Who could possibly have a top 5 winter baits list without mentioning a jerkbait? Not this guy! When the water temps are as cold as they are, I tend to gravitate towards jerkbaits that have less side to side action. So look for those baits with a tight wiggle, especially if bass or walleye are your primary target. My favorite jerkbaits for this time of year are the Smithwick Rogue and the Rapala X-Rap. Right before ice up and right after ice-off I love to throw a Rogue up shallow for walleye at night. My only problem with the Rogue is that I don't like the hooks that come stock on the bait as they bend and break too easily. I prefer to swap out the trebles for Lazer Sharps in a size 6. Although it's called a "jerkbait", I have had greater success pulling my Rogues down to depth and letting them sit in place while I wait for big momma walleye to come sniffing. If trout is your target species then give the Rapala X-Rap a try, and even though pink is a girl's color the fish seem to like it even if you don't!

1: Topping off the list at the number one spot - the tube jig! It should be no surprise that this guy takes your number one spot. I mean who doesn't slam fish on a tube jig when the water is cold!? Okay, maybe I personally don't catch many walleye with this presentation, but if I'm targeting bass or trout then this guy is certainly getting its time in the water! If I'm chasing bass then I opt for a 3.5" Strike King Coffee Tube in green pumpkin. Rig that guy up with a 3/8 oz trokar jighead and you're good to go! Cast that guy out near some rockpiles where you suspect the bass to be and slowly drag that thing back to you. If you are in a particularly rocky area then you can also pop these guys off the bottom throughout your retrieve and potentially generate some reaction strikes! However, if you're a trout guy then I'll let you in on a little secret that I recently discovered. Get yourself a Lazer Sharp 1/8 oz finesse jig head and use it in place of your traditional tube jigheads on a 2.5" Berkley Power tube in white or green pumpkin. Cast that guy out there and reel it back in while imparting twitches into your rod. You won't be fishing this guy anywhere near the bottom! This is a deadly technique for winter trout roaming at the top of the water column!

So those are MY top five lures for the winter months. What do YOU prefer to throw throughout the cold season?