Blading for Bass
Cold water fishing for largemouth bass with Blade Baits!
The fall fishing season can be a very special time when the air and water temperatures drop dramatically here in the midwest as we transition into the winter months. The fish are headed to deeper water where forage is more plentiful. They will feed profusely before it gets so cold that dormancy sets in on them. If you are after bass there are a multitude of ways to catch them during this time.
While jigs, jerk baits, lipless cranks, and some plastics are used during this period the absolute best method for me is dropping a blade bait down to the bass and imitate a small dying forage while fishing from my kayak. Through the late fall, winter (If you have open water) and early spring a blade bait is extremely effective if fished correctly when the fish are less active. During this time the bass are not expending their energy chasing forage. They are slowing down and don’t need as much food during this time. But they will still eat! The action of the blade bait is too enticing for these bass and they can’t help themselves to eat it.
Some say that once the water temperature gets below 40 degrees the fish won’t bit. I beg to differ. Yes, it is challenging but you can still catch fish in this very cold water. The subtle jigging motions of the blade bait will entice them to bite.
First, you must find the fish. With your sonar, whether 2D or live you can search for structure that hold fish. I like to find drop-offs such as the edges of a creek channel or slope off of a main point. You can also find them on submerged humps. Of course, there has to be bait present as well. The bass will usually be near the bottom and also suspended over these areas.
The key to getting good bites is to let the blade fall to the bottom of the lake and then rip it back up off the bottom by lifting the rod. Then let it fall again on slack line. This is where you can play around with the lifts and see what the bass want for you to get a strike. For the most part, I stick with six inch rips which usually gets bites. If you don’t get a bite using this method you can also lift the bait much higher and then let flutter down to the bottom. It is a constant effort to see what works best with the longer or shorter lifting of your rod.
You need to take particular attention to the line so you know when the blade hits the bottom. Many times the fish will hit the blade on the way down and when you go to lift the rod back up the fish will be on and feel like sort of a snag. This blade fishing is simply a blast! You can also catch some really big ones as well!
The size and weight of the blade can vary depending on your location, depth, and type of forage. It is good to have several sizes of blades on hand. On sunny days I usually drop a silver blade and on cloudy days throw more of a gold color. If the water is a bit dingy I might even go with some chartreuse. If the forage is more on the panfish side I might stick with gold anyway. It is important to dial in the size and color to catch the fish. I’ve had much more success with smaller profile blades as they give off a higher pitched vibration than your larger blades. The Bass Pro Shops Mean Eye Blade Bait is one of my favorites. It’s fairly inexpensive and durable enough to catch a lot of fish. The fish seem to like the 1 5/8” length blade in a 1/4 oz. weight the most. The hooks are small but will usually stick the bass and not straighten out. There are other choices like the Damiki Vault Blade and the Dyna Response Blade Bait. Both are great options but are priced a bit higher than the Mean Eye Blade. The best colors seem to be a Lime Tiger, Chrome with Black Back, Pretty Boy, or one of my favorites, Gold with a Black back.
One major tweak I make to the blade is to remove the split rings and use a braided line as the connection point for the hooks to the blade. This gives the hook a 360 degree rotation instead of locking up when the bass shakes its head. I have found this method to be very successful in landing more of the bigger bass. I’ve included a video below of elite professional angler Ott Defoe and how he ties this split ring knot. It’s very easy to do and you will have much more success keeping fish on the hook.
The blade bait is not a great bait to cover a lot of water by casting although I have caught fish by retrieving in a “yo-yo” style retrieve. You must first find the fish. If you fish it too fast you flat out won’t get bit. You need to make sure that the bait reaches the bottom before lifting it up again and whipping your rod enough to feel the vibration of the blade. This is a very methodical approach where you are targeting the fish. Many times I’ve watched fish follow the blade to the bottom and then on the first raising of my fishing rod the fish strikes it boldly.
As for gear I usually use a medium spinning rod about 7’0” to 7’3” and a spinning reel with a good drag system. My signature series “Kayakjak’s Finesse Stick” made by Little Miami Outfitters is a favorite with the Shimano 2500 Series Vanguard spinning reel. (Here is a discount code to use if purchasing a fishing rod from Little Miami-KAYAKJAK10) For line I’m using 10 to15 lb. 832 Suffix Braid in Neon with an 8-10 foot 8-12 lb. Sunline Sniper Fluoro leader tied with a Lefty Kreh knot. You do want to be careful of not using too soft of a rod as you will need power when you get hooked up. Like I said earlier, it often feels like a snag when you get bit by a bass. You can also catch a lot of crappie and bluegill as well using these very effective blade baits!
The fun part of this type of fishing is that you never know when you are going to get bit. It might be when you are pulling the blade up off the bottom or when it is falling. Either way, it’s simply a blast!
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