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Spinners and grubs work very well to elicit strikes, but are not the only top lures for your tackle box.

Lethargy

Winter for all North American fresh water species is when they move to deeper water, slow down their metabolism and eat less. While the northern latitudes are covered with snow and ice, the water temperature in the southern United States is not that much warmer than it is in the north with water temperatures reaching as low as the mid 40°s. Some fish enter a state of semi hibernation.

In some years, ice can form on the slow moving parts of the rivers, but for the most part, the main habitat of the Redeye Bass is ice free.

Distribution

During winter, the redeye bass can be found in the same rivers that it can be found in the rest of the year, which includes the Alabama, Savannah, Chattahoochee, Warrior and Coosa river catchments. However, as winter arrives, the Redeye Bass move into deeper water. They can be found in deep pools up in the headwaters or in the lakes and reservoirs and the lower sections of these rivers.

Getting the Redeye Bass to strike in the winter requires more effort and techniques than the summer, it also requires more patience as they are not as hungry and do not feed nearly as often.

Finding Redeye Bass can be a lot more difficult. For areas where boats are passable, use a fish finder to locate their position in the water. Then, cast your lure within a few feet of them, into their territory. This will either scare them away or elicit a strike out of defending their territory. To avoid scaring them away, avoid making a big splash, use baits of a small size and try to imitAte the movement of a wounded fish – plugs are best at doing this.

Diet

The diet of the Redeye Bass changes a little in the winter due to the limited number of insects around. Their primary source of food during the winter consists of fathead minnows, gizzard shad, bluegills, leeches and worms.

Lures

Spinners and grubs work very well to elicit strikes, but are not the only top lures for your tackle box. You should also try using white crank baits as well as chrome and chartreuse. However, we believe that the crankbaits will work best as will plugs.

Fly Fishing, Casting or Trolling

This time of year, casting is your best bet. trolling is purely a guessing game and fly fishing can work well, though you would be best using wet flies rather than dry flies in order to get them to sink down near the Redeye Bass. However, insects are not their most popular food this time of year. Their sights are set on small baitfish like minnows.