Changing Tactics When the Water Cools
As autumn fades and the coastline starts to empty, most lure anglers pack away their gear for the winter. The easy bites slow down, the water cools, and the bass begin to move offshore. But that doesn’t mean the season is over. It just means it’s time to change tactics and think more like the fish.
When the water temperature drops below 10°C, a bass’s metabolism slows right down. They won’t chase lures with the same aggression you see in summer — fast retrieves and lures stop producing. This is when I shift my approach completely.
At this time of year, the bass that remain inshore keep their heads down, rooting around for crabs, worms, and other easy meals close to the seabed. This is where creature baits shine.
A firm favourite of mine is the Pirate Lures Kracken. I like to rig it on a 1/0 wide-gape hook with a cheb weight. The cheb setup lets the Kracken sit upright on the bottom, its claws flicking and moving naturally with the current. It also gives me the flexibility to swap weights quickly to suit the depth or tide — something you can’t do with a fixed jig head.
Pirate Lures Kracken rigged on a 1/0 Wide Gape Hook & Cheb Weight.
Focus your casts near structure, rocks, and weed beds — anywhere a bass might be nosing around for food. Then slow everything right down. I mean painfully slow: a quarter-turn of the handle at a time, maybe a half-turn if I want to stir up the bottom or bump over a rock. The idea is to make that lure act like real prey, not a fast-moving target.
One unexpected positive about winter bassing is how light you can travel. There’s no need to lug around boxes of metals, topwaters, subs, and every soft plastic under the sun. My whole kit now fits in a small pouch — a few hooks, chebs, lure clips, some fluorocarbon, a pliers, and a small box of creature baits. That’s it. It’s simple, efficient, and lets you stay mobile — perfect for working the marks when the days are short and the weather’s unpredictable.
This kind of fishing isn’t for everyone. It takes patience, feel, and confidence that something’s watching down there. But when that hit comes — often right after a pause — it’s a proper thump, and it makes the cold hands worth it.
Plan Your Winter Sessions
Before heading out, check the latest tide, temperature, pressure, and lunar data on the Plan Your Session page. Those details make all the difference when you’re timing winter bites.
Know the ground you’re fishing and always have an exit strategy, the dark nights are longer and the weather changes quick.
Oh, and some Neoprene fishing gloves are an investment you won’t regret!