As bass across Louisiana move into spawning mode this month, anglers are in a great position for pulling in big largemouths. Pro basser Jim Nolan worked the wintertime waters of the Ouachita River near Monroe to bag this bodacious bucketmouth. Photo by John N. Felsher

In winter, Louisiana bass anglers might not load a boat, but they certainly can land some lunkers. In January, female largemouth bass begin to swell with roe, waiting for water to warm sufficiently so they can spawn.

Cold temperatures make bass lethargic. Not feeding as often, they might not chase fast-moving baits, but they might grab something passing close to them. Sometimes, anglers almost need to hit bass on the nose to make them bite, so many choose to use slow and subtle bottom-bouncing baits.

"I use a jig in the colder months until fish go to the spawning beds," says pro angler Denny Brauer, a former Bassmaster Classic champion. "Sometimes, I alternate between a tube and a jig to see which one they want."

A slight rise in temperature of water or air can make fish more active. A difference of one or two degrees can make a huge difference in the catch rate. Hard objects radiate heat. For example, concrete blocks or rocks along a riprap shoreline radiate heat into the surrounding water, attracting bass. Wood and grass also absorb heat.

"In winter, I fish areas that are a bit warmer or that have darker bottoms to hold heat a little better," says pro angler Kevin VanDam, the reigning Bassmaster Classic champion. "Where a warm wind blows water into an area could be a good place to look for early season bass. Sunshine is key. Direct sunshine, even on cold days, helps pull fish up toward the surface and makes them more aggressive. In the afternoon, I'll fish riprap, rocky channel swing banks, fallen trees and other dark objects."

In winter, deep water can hold good concentrations of fish. Temperatures in deep holes remain relatively stable all year long. Bass often congregate in deep water with access to shallows where they can feed more easily or rise into the sunshine. Points or creek channels in reservoirs allow bass to rise or descend in the water column as they choose. In the right hole, anglers can find plenty of action without moving the boat.

LOUISIANA'S BIG BASS LAKES FOR WINTER
No other lake in Louisiana offers more places to tempt bass than the 65-mile-long Toledo Bend Reservoir, located along the Sabine River channel that straddles the southern boundary between Texas and Louisiana. With more than 186,000 acres and 1,264 miles of shoreline, the lake averages about 60 feet deep. Some holes drop to more than 110 feet deep, but most anglers fish for bass in water less than 40 feet deep.

One bitterly cold day, bass guide Joe Joslin of DeRidder and I didn't leave his camp at the south end of Toledo Bend until about 9 a.m. Burning only 2 gallons of gas, we caught nearly all of our fish from one hole in Indian Creek. By noon, we headed for camp after catching and releasing more than 40 largemouths and a few yellow bass on jigging spoons.

"On Toledo Bend, I would never leave the launch without some slab spoons," Joslin says. "It's a significant part of how I fish from September through late January. Not many people fish with them because they don't have confidence in that style of fishing. Once someone realizes its capabilities, a vertical spoon opens up a totally new part of the lake to fishing."

Anglers also might consider using a drop-shot rig to "finesse" bass in deep water. Some anglers use lines as light as 4-pound-test, but on Toledo Bend, anglers might want something more substantial because of all the snags on the bottom and the lunker bass that hunt near them.

To build a drop-shot rig, tie a size 1, 2 or 1/0 hook directly to the line about 12 to 36 inches above a simple 1/4- to 1/8-ounce lead bell sinker. Some companies now make "drop-shot sinkers," but any weight that holds bait near the bottom can work. On the hook, Texas-rig a small soft plastic grub or worm.