February is generally combined with January our quietest month for bass fishing and it's a time to consolidate and get ready for the season ahead. You might be thinking of getting into Bass Lure fishing and like the idea of standing on a rock or a beach in your shorts and sunglasses casting out to sea hoping something willjump onto your lure. You could be an avid fan and are using January and February to buy new equipment, improve what you have and sharpen or replace split rings and hooks. These are vitally important because we have lost fish in January and February because the hook hasn't been sharp enough or our equipment has been sitting in our garage for a while and had been neglected. What we are trying to say is while it's quiet and freezing why not check over all your gear to ensure your hooks are sharp and your reels have been serviced.
BASS RULES: A reminder that bass returns to catch & release ONLY for recreational sea anglers from 1st February to the 31st March.
Onto the topic, we would like to talk about "The Pause". I hear you asking what about it? How can pausing help me catch a Bass? Surely the lure needs to be moving in order to catch a fish? Yes, you are generally right 7/8 months of the year but bass in the winter preserve their energy. They slow down considerably and need to conserve their energy as it's colder and there is far less food around to eat. It's almost like a hibernation stage and they only pick off easy food hence why we might need to consider pausing. I have lost count of how many times I have caught bass when I have lost my footing and stopped reeling and then surprised when I start to reel in my line I get a hit. We have actually caught bass casting out into an estuary letting our soft plastic drop and before we start reeling in bass has either taken the lure on the drop or because it's sitting on the bottom of the estuary bed as an easy target especially if it's near some sort of structure. We have also caught bass whilst trying to free our lure from that weed or rock and the lure might have been motionless for a small amount of time.
What we are ultimately trying to say is to take your time when it's colder in the winter months. It's not fast and furious like it is in the summer but the pause teqnique will also work all year round sometimes using all types of lures. It is winter so just slow right down, pause and reflect. You never know you might just catch a winter bass while you are taking that time to just feel every little knock in that lure. Recently we have been trying out our Soft Plastics in the estuary in our new Rockling colour. We have had one good pull on them but unfortunately, the fish didn't connect and the line just went slack after going off like a train.
Rockling Shad
Slug Tail Sets
Small Shads
New Lures:
Hoping to try these out below in February to see how they perform. If we like them we will sell them as creature bait sets with a ball weighted 3/0 or 4/0 weedless hook. They will come in lots of natural colours and we will make up a mix bag also. The claws are hollow so they will float above the weighted body ready for a bass to pounce on the easy prey.
5 comments
Robin Bradley
Look forward to ordering a pack of the creature bait sets
Martyn t
Hope the creature lures are a success seeing what Mark cowling has been achieving.
Thanks for your insightful posts. Tight lines!
Alan
Looking forward to the creature baits, think they’ll work well here in West Sussex.
Andy
Can’t wait to try out the new craws, I have caught on another well known make that is the new craze…hope they sell you well.
Anonymous
Great insight, thanks.