Cold Fronts Suck

I posted this blog last week on the Bass East Blog, and since most of the U.S. is experiencing a major cold front, I felt like the timing is right for this post to be shared with everyone.  If you haven't checked out BassEast.com or the Bass East Blog go ahead and do it.  It will keep you warm!

Cold Fronts Suck

Living in Florida this time of year, everything depends on one thing: the cold front.  I'm sure you have heard how notorious cold fronts are on bass in Florida.  Before I lived here, I always read about it and thought "yeah right, it can't be that bad".  I was wrong.

My first experience fishing after a cold front was actually a week after I moved here.  I joined a club two days after I drove across the country and was fishing on Lake Istokpoga less than a week after being here.  I fished hard all day and caught two small fish.  Feeling disappointed, I weighed in my fish and to my surprise  ended up taking 2nd place.  It gets that bad. So what should you do after a cold front?  Stay home and watch football? Yeah right. My approach is to fish the heaviest cover I can find.  Grass or anything that will hold these bass close to cover and keep warm.  Even if you don't live in Florida, you can still use the same basic approach; go slow and fish deep into the cover. 

My favorite way to fish during and after a cold front is to punch mats with a heavy weight like a Miller Punchin Weight.  The design is really cool and it's probably something you might not have heard of.  Those guys in California come up with some innovative things that really work.  My favorite size is a 1.5 ounce but it is also made in one and two ounce sizes.  Attached to my braid will be a Sweet Beaver in Black/Blue, a Gas Money colored Punch Skirt and a 4/0 Punch Hook.  To punch this monster weight, use a big rod like the Punch Rod by iRod that was obviously designed for Punchin'.  This is the ultimate set-up for grass fishing when it's cold, or even when it's warm outside.

Since the weather is cold and the fishing is slow, the biggest thing you need besides the right gear, is patience and confidence.  I don't know anywhere that sells these, so my best advice is to fish hard and don't let the conditions get to you no matter what you are faced with.