Where Do Bass Go in Winter? How to Find and Catch Them on a Fly Rod Right Now

Bass aren’t usually thought of as fly-rod fish. There’s an entry somewhere in the unwritten rulebook of fly fishing that says a fish has to be graceful or elegant to earn that designation, and those aren't the first words that come to mind here.

Bass are known more for their violent topwater eats than delicate sips – but winter changes that. When water temperatures drop, those explosive surface eats are replaced by quieter subsurface ones. The fishing gets technical, but by no means impossible.

Here’s how to get it done.

Where Do Bass Go in Winter?

When water temperatures drop, bass don’t disappear. They continue to eat, just in a different way – and in different places – than you might come to expect in the warmer months.

Bass start to move out of shallow water as it gets colder, opting instead for deeper water, where temperature swings are less drastic. Winter is all about conserving energy; bass limit their movement, their metabolism slows, and they get by on meals that come right to them.

Choosing the Right Flies for Winter Bass

In the summer, topwater flies like poppers are effective because bass are holding in the shallows. But in the winter, when fish are stacked up in deeper water, you need to choose a fly with enough weight to sink quickly and meet them where they’re at.

That usually means throwing a weighted streamer. They drop through the water column quickly, stay deep, and imitate the slow movement of the prey that bass are looking for this time of year.

Find One Bass & You’ll Find More

Winter bass fishing is an exercise in patience. I spent a day fly fishing California’s Shasta Lake last month, and it took a couple of hours of moving between likely holding spots before the first eat came.

But once it did, plenty more followed. In cold water, bass stack up tight – simply because there are so few places that offer the stability they’re looking for.

Find one, and chances are you’ll find several more close by.

Why Fly Fishing for Bass in Winter is Worth It

Would I trade a day of fishing poppers for a day of fishing weighted streamers? Maybe not. But winter fly fishing for bass still has plenty to offer.

Fly fishing for bass in cold temps requires more strategy, more patience, and a more nuanced understanding of what the fish are up to.

The eats are subtle rather than violent, but the reward is knowing you did something right to make it happen.