Dreadful Fronts

Fronts can change our fishing approach throughout the year; however they seem to be more frequent in the fall and early winter. I once heard if you don't like the weather in Western Kentucky stick around a day because it will likely change. Changing weather changes bass behavior, whether it's a cold front, warm front, low or high pressure, rain, wind, you name it, it's that simple. Hopefully some of this information will help you overcome the challenges fronts bring along with them. Let's talk about cold fronts. These fronts may move bass to a little deeper water and cause them to move tighter to cover. The stronger the front, the tougher the bite will get. As the cold fronts become stronger and colder, bass will become less and less active. Cold fronts cause rise in barometric pressure, which is literally the weight of the air pushing down on the water. Cold air is heavier than warm air. This heavy air pressing down on the water's surface affects the bass swim bladder, the organ responsible for a fish being able to suspend or swim in an upright position. Though not an absolute, it is believed this increased pressure discombobulates the bass causing them to lose their sense of balance, become lethargic, and significantly slow feeding patterns and may even temporarily stop feeding for the most part. So what response to these conditions will increase our success: lighter line, smaller lures, and SLOW DOWN presentations. You may have to present your bait multiple times to the same piece of cover before the fish will react. Bass hug cover in non-frontal conditions, too, but bluebird skies sends maximum solar radiation, causing them to seek shady surroundings. Flipping and pitching jigs and worms to these shady areas provided by cover are good techniques for reaching them. Fishing docks after a cold front can be very rewarding. Bass find a great sense of security here and they move farther under them rather than just staying under the edges. Skipping light weight lures, under docks with is one technique and approach that can pay off. Remember, SLOW, SLOW, and SLOWER, is critical when it comes to increasing your success during these difficult times.