Lures
5 Best Winter Bass Lures For Overcoming The Winter Fishing Blues
Don't Give Up On Bass Fishing Just Because It's Winter
In the winter, it’s best to keep your expectations at bay when bass fishing, but that’s not to say give up.
You can definitely catch a fair share of bass, even in the winter, it’s just important to know a few things about bass to understand how to fish for them during the colder months.
During the winter, a bass’s metabolism is at the lowest point of the year. Bass don’t need a lot of food to eat during this season, but that’s not to say they don’t eat.
During the winter months bass will still be looking for food, they just don’t need as much of it, and they’re going to be more prone to focus on small and easy meals.
This is important to know because it allows you to choose the right lures for the job. Many anglers make the mistake and over-loading their tackle boxes full of big crankbaits, jigs, and jerkbaits when in reality, they should have a few smaller lures, little hair jigs, and a few live shad snack-sized baits.
For more great lures, click here to read our guide on the 20 best bass lures.
Top 5 Winter Bass Lures
The frigid waters of winter often make bass fishing challenging, but equip yourself with the right lures and you’ll be reeling in monster largemouths in no time.
In the depths of winter, bass turn to shad, minnows, and crayfish to satisfy their appetite. Match the hatch with lifelike lures that mimic their prey and you’ll attract vicious strikes.
Whether you prefer soft plastics, crankbaits, jerkbaits, jigs, or spoons, we’ve reviewed the top winter bass lures to save you time testing inferior options.
Adapt these proven winners to your local fishery and conditions and fill your livewell with hawgs. The bass are down there, you just need the right bait to tempt them off the bottom.
With the lures we recommend, you’ll be catching bass on even the coldest days.
Suspending Deep Diving Jerkbaits
A suspended jerkbait can work like dynamite when bass fishing in the winter. Especially if you imitate the actions of a dying shad. By keeping your rod tip low to the water’s surface when pulling back the jerkbait and by giving the rod a sudden and hard jerk, the suspended jerkbait will sink to a point it will cause the top of the bait to dive under the water.
The jerking of the rod tip is what restarts the bait, and with the bait under the water, this makes it appear as if the bait is dying which will attract any close-by bass to investigate.
These lures are very effective in the winter months for a number of reasons, they’re easy to use, they’re easy to place in the strike zone, they’re fairly cheap in comparison to some other lures, and they can be highly effective if you’re fishing a body of water that’s not too big.
Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk 4" Olive Ghost
When targeting bass during the colder months, one excellent winter lure option is the Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk. This lure closely resembles popular prey species for bass and has a wounded baitfish action that triggers aggressive bites.
The Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk is an affordable option for anglers, priced at only $8.99.
The lure comes with premium VMC black nickel hooks that ensure a solid bite, and each one is hand-tuned and tank-tested by Rapala to swim perfectly straight out of the box.
The Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk is specifically designed to target bass at depths from 10 to 20 feet.
Its neutral buoyancy allows it to suspend while paused during the retrieve, activating the internal rattle chamber that creates a loud and rhythmic attraction for fish.
The deep diving lip, suspending ability, and long casting range make it an excellent choice for winter bass fishing.
The Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk is not just a winter lure; it’s effective year-round and in different fishing scenarios.
When it comes to the rod and reel setup, you have options. A medium-action baitcasting rod between 6.5 and 7 feet long or a spinning rod in the same length and power rating both pair well with this lure.
The line weight choice depends on the fishing situation and desired action of the jerkbait.
To get the most out of the Down Deep Husky Jerk, you should vary the cadence and action while reeling it in.
Experimenting with different speeds, timing of the snaps, and duration of pauses will lead to more strikes from bass.
By switching up the cadence throughout a jerkbait fishing session, you can optimize the performance of this versatile lure and increase your chances of catching more fish.
Shop Online for the Down Deep Husky Jerk
Plastic Grub
Plastic grubs are super effective for two main reasons, the first is the movement of the bait and the second is the smell. Plastic grubs are one of the best choices for fishing in the winter because they’re so easy to work and they’re buoyant nature allows them to be worked easily without being too heavy.
With the movement it’s capable of, it creates a natural-looking action that any bass would eat, especially if you’re using the right colors. Plus the fact they come in different colors that are reflective in the sunlight.
The smell is also a huge factor, and it’s easy to tell the smell of a plastic grub is different from other baits, and for that reason, it’s easy to know if you have a bite or not.
The plastic grub is a great choice for fishing in the winter, they can be fished a number of different ways, and they work great for targeting bass to over ten pounds.
Strike King Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub 3" Bluegill
The versatility of the Strike King Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub makes it an excellent lure for winter fishing. Its design, durability, color options, swimming action, and adaptability for various fishing techniques make it a must-have in any angler’s tackle box.
The Strike King Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub has a streamlined profile that allows it to easily swim through heavy cover where largemouth bass like to ambush prey.
Its durable soft plastic construction ensures that the tails remain intact until the head tears, making the grub last through multiple fish when flipping and pitching cover.
The Menace Grub comes in 17 different color options, including proven choices for anglers like Blue Craw, Black Blue Flake, Candy Craw, and Sapphire Craw.
This variety of color options allows you to match the hatch and baitfish patterns most effectively, increasing your chances of attracting bass.
Erratic Swimming Action
The Strike King Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub is known for its erratic swimming action that bass find hard to resist.
The soft plastic, double-tail grub bait swims with crazy tail movements even at a slow fall or retrieve speed.
This unique swimming motion entices bass to strike, making it a valuable lure for winter fishing.
The Menace Grub’s design provides multiple uses for anglers.
In addition to working it slowly through heavy cover, you can also fish the grub on a shaky head or wacky rig setup.
It can be worked quickly to create an erratic darting action that imitates injured baitfish, making it an adaptable and effective choice for multiple different circumstances.
By incorporating the Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub into your bass fishing winter arsenal, you’ll have a versatile and effective lure that can help you catch more fish during the cold season.
Shop Online for the Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub
Drop Shot
A drop shot is a great choice for fishing in the winter because it’s so easy to use, and it’s effective at producing bites. Drop shot fishing isn’t a new technique, but if it’s not something you’re familiar with, it’s easy to get the hang of after a few tries and it’s hard to mess up.
The basic idea is to get your bait near the bottom and to let a small split shot rest on the bottom of the line.
The split shot only needs to weigh about a 1/16 oz. You then just reel the line back until the split shot reaches the bottom of the water.
By letting the bait hit the bottom of the water, it makes it look like a baitfish injured on the bottom is trying to get away.
Bass love this and they’ll investigate these types of situations all the time. The technique is simple, and you can use the same plastic grub as mentioned above and which makes it easy to be effective in the winter.
Savage Gear DS Minnow 3" Green Pumpkin
For a more finesse approach to winter bass fishing, the Savage Gear DS Minnow 3″ Green Pumpkin is a highly effective drop shot bait that consistently catches bass.
Its firm and thick plastic construction allows it to withstand catching multiple fish while still imparting an enticing action in the water.
The narrow spine running along the top of the DS Minnow’s tail bridge transmits even the most subtle twitches and movements of the rod to the tail, causing the tail to mimic the movements of a wounded baitfish.
The DS Minnow’s realistic appearance is further enhanced by hand-painted eyes and lifelike swimming action, which attracts strikes from bass.
The flat underside of the tail creates a rising and falling action as the DS Minnow is reeled in, triggering bites from wary bass in colder water.
Infused with Salt and Scent
The Savage Gear DS Minnow is infused with salt, which gives it optimal buoyancy and an added scent to further attract hungry bass looking for an easy meal.
This added feature increases the lure’s effectiveness and is said to cause a bass to hold on longer during their initial strike.
The most notable feature of the DS Minnow is its unique profile, which boasts a fat body that tapers down to a skinny tail, resembling the silhouette of a real minnow.
This chunky yet slender design helps trigger strikes from wary bass. The green pumpkin color also enhances its winter bass catching potential, as it blends in naturally with aquatic vegetation and bottom debris.
Shop Online for the DS Minnow
Blade Bait
A blade bait is another great choice for fishing in the winter because it’s easy to use, it’s fairly cheap, and it’s going to produce some great results.
A blade bait is usually a short, fat minnow imitation that’s got some great action to it.
They’re so effective during the colder months because of the fact they’re so easy to use and they’re so easy to place in the strike zone.
The blade bait gets its name from the blades on the sides of the bait that move and create the action.
The blade bait moves quite a bit, and while it doesn’t look natural, bass don’t care about that, all they see is a wounded baitfish that’s just within their reach.
Lunkerhunt Glitch Blade Crankbait 3" Silverside
If you’re looking for a lure that combines innovation and effectiveness for bass fishing in the winter, the Lunkerhunt Glitch Blade Crankbait 3″ Silverside is an excellent choice.
The Lunkerhunt Glitch Blade features an innovative hybrid design that merges the qualities of both crankbaits and blade baits.
This unique combination creates a lure with captivating flash, sound, and vibration that bass find hard to resist.
This lure’s shallow diving depth allows it to work well in just a few feet of water.
Its aggressive rolling motion effortlessly deflects off weeds, brush, and structure without getting hung up, making it perfect for fishing in the weeds or near hidden underwater cover.
You can fish the Glitch Blade Crankbait using either a fast or slow retrieve speed to match the activity level of the fish.
By experimenting with different retrieve speeds, you can maximize the lure’s effectiveness and increase your chances of attracting a strike.
The 3-inch Silverside colorway of the Glitch Blade Crankbait imitates shad and minnows, which are common prey for bass during the winter months.
This makes it an ideal lure for targeting deep bass and fish during the cold fishing season.
Underwater Knocking Sound
Unlike traditional crankbaits that produce rattling sounds, the Glitch Blade Crankbait generates a distinct knocking sound underwater, which helps grab the attention of idling smallmouth bass.
This unique sound, coupled with the built-in flash and action of the bait, makes it nearly impossible for fish to ignore.
By incorporating the Lunkerhunt Glitch Blade Crankbait into your winter fishing arsenal, you’ll have an innovative and effective lure that can help you catch more fish during the cold season.
Shop Online for the Glitch Blade Crankbait
Jigging Spoon
The jigging spoon is on this list for one big reason, its effectiveness. The jigging spoon is one of the most effective lures to use in the winter because they work so well. They’re made to be jigged, and they come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and colors.
The action of the jigging spoon is what makes it so effective in the winter months. It’s so easy to use and it’s got all the movement of a distressed baitfish, and with a sharp jerk of your rod, it’ll flutter back down again which also looks the exact same as a baitfish that’s trying to get away.
These lures can be used when fishing in the middle of the day, or you can even use them when fishing during the night. The jigging spoon is so effective in the winter because it works so well, and it’s super easy to use.
6th Sense Fishing Divine Jigging Spoon 2" Shad Hammer
Nothing beats the 6th Sense Fishing Divine Jigging Spoon 2″ Shad Hammer when it comes to enticing winter bass. Its unique fluttering action, embedded swivel and treble hook, realistic baitfish profile, and proven success rates make it a must-have for any bass angler.
This Jigging Spoon features a unique fluttering action during descent, which mimics the movement of a wounded baitfish.
This irresistible action draws in predators, making it an excellent choice for winter bass fishing.
The Divine jigging spoon comes equipped with an embedded swivel, which reduces line twist and enhances the erratic action of the lure.
Additionally, the included treble hook helps increase hookup ratios, ensuring that you won’t miss any bites.
The 6th Sense Fishing Divine Jigging Spoon boasts a hyperrealistic baitfish profile, complete with 3D scales, eyes, and premium paint schemes.
This lifelike appearance fools even the most wary fish, making it an effective lure when bass are trying to conserve their energy.
We recommend using a 7’2″ medium heavy rod paired with 15-pound fluorocarbon line when fishing with the Divine Jigging Spoon.
The soft tip allows for better hook sets and landing ratios, increasing your chances of reeling in more bass.
The Divine Jigging Spoon is available in a wide variety of color schemes, ensuring that you’ll find the perfect option to match the local hatch and attract more strikes.
To further enhance the effectiveness of the Divine Jigging Spoon, try pairing it with a 3/8 ounce axle swinging jig head and a 3.3 inch stroker crawl in dark water bug color.
Shop Online for the Divine Jigging Spoon
Where To Find Bass In The Winter
Bass in the winter are still bass, and they still have a few things in common with their summer selves. Bass are still a schooling species, and they don’t mind mixing it up with other species such as pike, perch, walleye, and catfish.
For this reason, it’s still important to know where you find bass in the winter. It’s true they’re not going to be in the shallows and be easy to catch, but they’re still in the same areas they were during the summer, they’re just in deeper, colder water and they’re not as active.
During the winter, the most important thing you need to know is that you have to get down to the fish. Bass in the winter are going to head toward natural protection like wood, grass, rocks, docks, and other formations.
They typically also will be found holding up deeper down in the water. This will be affected by the particular lake or water you’re fishing, so it’s important to be familiar with the body of water so that you can know where the deeper pockets are located at.
Now that you know where the bass are most likely going to be hanging out, now let’s cover the 5 best bass lures you’ll have the best success with in the winter months.
Wrapping It Up
So there you have it, the five best winter bass lures. Using these lures can be an effective way to fish in the winter, but it’s important to realize that these lures don’t work all the time.
They’re not as active, aren’t eating as much, and are conserving their energy. Since they’re not as active, they’re going to be pickier.
The best way to get around this is to use baits that are easy to use, easy to place in the strike zone, and the most effective.
Those are the three things you need in a bait, and listed above are 5 of the best. The suspending jerkbait, the plastic grub, the drop shot, the blade bait, and the jigging spoon.
Add the lures we’ve covered—like the Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk, Strike King Rage Tail Twin Tail Menace Grub, Savage Gear DS Minnow, Lunkerhunt Glitch Blade Crankbait, and 6th Sense Fishing Divine Jigging Spoon—to your tackle box.
Experiment with different retrieves, cadences, and rigging to find what works for the conditions and mood of the bass in your local waters.
When you start reeling in chunky bass on these innovative lures, you’ll be glad you embraced the cutting edge of lure technology and design. The fish certainly have.
Tight lines!
Go catch some hawgs.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Shimano Curado BFS Baitcasting Reel Review
Discover how the Shimano Curado BFS brings finesse baitcasting to the U.S. market, offering ultralight lure performance with baitcaster precision. After months of testing on top Alabama fisheries, this reel proved to be a game-changer for technical anglers. Curious if it’s right for your setup? Read the full review to find out.
Shimano Vanford FA Spinning Reel Review
Positioned as the spiritual descendent of the legendary CI4+ Stradic and the evolution of the previous Vanford, this reel isn’t just an update—it’s a complete reimagining of what a finesse-focused spinning reel can be.
Daiwa Exceler LT Spinning Reel Review
The Daiwa Exceler LT spinning reel combines premium features with mid-range pricing, offering anglers a lightweight design, smooth ATD drag system, and versatile 6.2:1 gear ratio. Our extensive field testing reveals exceptional value for finesse fishing techniques.