Kelp Bass may not eat as much but when they do, they still enjoy the same foods baits that work the rest of the year including anchovies, sardines, surf perch, queenfish and the ever popular squid.

During the winter months, and late fall, Kelp Bass gather in deep water down to a depth of about 150 feet/45.7 metres. The colder water causes them to slow their metabolism and they are not as active. The result is a slow reacting fish that eats a small fraction of what it eats in the summer when it is spawning. During the winter, a # 12 or #15 line is recommended.

Winter is considered to be the worst time with February being the lowest point of the year. Winter is definitely slower, but it does not have to be a washout. Techniques change in the cold months of the year. Summer techniques don’t always work or work at a much less frequent rate.

If you are going to successfully fish during the winter months, it is critical to understand that bass fishing in the winter requires patience and an understanding that Kelp Bass have a slower metabolism and eat much less frequently than the warmer months of the year.

Focus on techniques that fish off the bottom of the ocean floor, to depths of around 150 feet/46 metres where the water temperature is around 50°F/10°C degrees.

They Don’t Migrate

Kelp Bass do not migrate to warm climates in the winter unlike other salt water species. If you fail to get any strikes with the techniques we offer, consider the use of a dual beam sonar device to help locate their location and fishing within a few feet of their location to try and elicit a strike out to protect their territory.

They Still Eat

Kelp Bass may not eat as much but when they do, they still enjoy the same foods baits that work the rest of the year including anchovies, sardines, surf perch, queenfish and the ever popular squid.

Sardines and young mackerels are other top baits that are sure to catch kelp bass. However, we can’t stress how much kelp bass crave squid.

Rubber Swim Baits

Using rubber swim baits are excellent winter lures. Simply cast them out and let them sink. If you have not gotten a strike by the time the line hits the bottom, jerk the line up and down slowly until you do. This method also works well in the summer months, but this along with the tip below are effective winter techniques when so many other summer techniques fail to work on the slow moving fish.

Nibble, Nibble, Strike…

We first talked about this technique in our autumn techniques section. Just as it is a excellent technique for autumn Kelp Bass fishing, it is even better in the winter as the Kelp Bass are slower and not as hungry.

First a little talk about tackle. Begin by casting out your line and let the line, letting it free spool: you will need a special reel that has a free spool option. Free spooling lets the line spool off the reel freely, pulling as much line as it takes until you get a strike. After about eight feet, you will start to feel a few nibbles on the line. Let the line continue to free spool.

The nibbles are coming from smaller bait fish like surf perch. What you are waiting for is a heavy strike from a Kelp Bass. You might receive several nibbles before getting a solid strike.