WINTERTIME STRATEGIES FOR CATCHING BIG SPOTTED BASS
DUSTIN CONNELL
ILLUSTRATIONS BY RON FINGER
WINTERTIME IS PRIMETIME
During the colder months of the year , big spotted bass start to show up . Both Meyer and Connell count December and January as their best two months for catching a trophy fish .
“ The reason it ’ s so good during the winter in California is that it ’ s the first time the big spotted bass will move up [ shallow ],” Meyer explains . “ The main forage is trout and kokanee salmon , and the spots are out in deep water chasing them all summer and fall and suspending in deep water . They finally get to where they ’ re accessible during the winter because the food moves shallower and to more predictable areas .”
Aside from the forage moving within range , Meyer believes the winter weather greatly helps the bite . His biggest spotted bass weighed 10.80 pounds and was caught in December , as were most of the other trophy-caliber spotted bass he ’ s landed .
“ Spots are unique , and they seem to bite the colder it gets ,” Meyer says . “ Most all of my biggest fish came in December or January . Those winter rain and snowstorms get them going . The runoff from those storms is another big trigger to get them to bite .”
Connell , who hails from Alabama , is an ace on the Coosa River Chain and likes the winter months as well . He waits for clues in the bite before turning to his winter methods .
“ The fall transition will start with cooler nights and rain with low-pressure systems coming through ,” he says . “ Usually , in November , they ’ ll stop biting topwater , and that tells me the fall bite is pretty much done and to change to a winter pattern and different locations .”
Once this happens , Connell starts to slow down .
“ That ’ s when they want to get out of the current and they won ’ t chase as much ,” Connell adds . “ Then , it ’ s going to be two deals : You want to imitate the shad or the crawfish .”
46 FLWFISHING . COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | DECEMBER-JANUARY 2021