| When wind stirs the surface of the water, it breaks up light penetration and reduces visibility. This created a far more comfortable and secure environment for bass in clear water. This reduced visibility makes bass more likely to roam and expand their strike zones, increasing their chances of feeding. The wind also agitates sediment and organic matter, kicking off a feeding response as various aquatic organisms become more active. These changes signal to bass that conditions are favorable for hunting, which can make them more aggressive and less cautious. Bass are more likely to commit to striking in windy conditions, even if the bait presentation isn’t perfect. Smart anglers use this opportunity to cover more water and locate active fish. When the surface is broken up by wind, bass rely less on sight and more on typical vibrations and movement, making them more susceptible to quick reaction strikes. This creates an ideal opportunity to use soft plastic baits with faster retrieves to trigger impulsive bites. The wind can also disorient baitfish, making them easier targets and encouraging bass to feed opportunistically. Bass will push up into shallower areas they normally avoid, giving anglers a chance to target zones that are otherwise unproductive in calm conditions. Wind can transform a slow day into a high-action opportunity if you understand how it influences fish.Our Fresh HellaMite is designed to imitate a major aquatic food source, delivering a realistic profile of an insect larva that fish can’t resist. Each is scented for complete and total attraction underwater along with being made in the USA by real fishermen just like you. We’ve recently dropped a new HellaMite Pro Pack that is loaded with 60 total baits in all six proven colors, plus three Owner Block Head Ned Jigs and a handy storage bag. This kit has everything you need to stay rigged and ready year-round. Grab our newest Lil Bass, Hot Sauce, MidNight, Glow, 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink HellaMite colors. We’ve also recently restocked our popular Smoke Purple HellaMite. The HellaMite’s solid body and hyperactive ribbed tail design produce a life-like quivering action with every twitch of the rod. Its unique flat underbelly detail enables this bait to be fished as a drop shot, Ned rig, neko rig, and even a small Carolina-rig, making it the ideal bait in any condition year-round. When the water is clear, the fish can see the bait and look like real food, causing strikes. Each cast becomes an opportunity for an exhilarating catch, thanks to its superior performance and versatility. |
| Although it may appear that wind creates strong current, it actually has very little impact on water movement beneath the surface. What it does do effectively is push floating debris, insects, and plankton toward windblown shorelines and structure. These drifting food sources attract baitfish, which then attract bass looking to feed. It’s not that the bass are following some imaginary current. The bass are following the food chain. By identifying where the wind is directing these resources, anglers can position themselves near likely ambush points. Understanding this chain reaction helps target high-percentage areas where bass are more likely to be actively feeding. Windblown areas often concentrate food in pockets, especially along points, coves, and shallow banks where floating matter collects. As the wind pushes this organic material into confined zones, it creates natural feeding lanes that bass will patrol. This makes timing and positioning critical. Casting into these lanes with soft plastics like insect larvae or cray-styled baits can yield quick results. Observing where baitfish are visibly active near the surface can also clue you in on where bass are staging. Rather than chasing scattered fish, anglers can focus efforts on these concentrated areas to maximize efficiency and catch rates.We use our Fresh Scorpion because it closely imitates a crawfish. Our newest 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink Scorpion colors work wonders. The Scorpion is a revolutionary new look to soft plastics. Its intricate detailing and texture mimic the nuances of a real crawfish, making it hard for bass to resist. Of course, water clarity always plays a role in color selection but in any season, you can’t miss using colors such as Green Pumpkin Seed, Brown Bark, and the Magneto. This bait not only appears natural to fish but gives them something to become curious about. The Scorpion paired with a stand-up jig is deadly because the jig actually sits the bait upright in a defensive stance. The subtle color variations across the bait further enhance its appeal, mimicking the natural color shifts found in live prey. Each Fresh Scorpion has a unique and exclusive 3-axis tail design that is engineered like no other soft plastic bait. Our Scorpions are made by anglers from high-grade non-salt plastic to provide superior life-like action that triggers strikes! |
| Sustained wind can gradually push the warmer surface layer of water to one side of a lake, creating uneven temperature zones. This shift can influence bass behavior depending on the time of year. In the spring, warmer water is more attractive and can concentrate bass in windblown coves or shallow flats. During the warm summer, slightly cooler water can offer better oxygen levels and comfort, drawing bass to the windward or leeward side depending on the situation. Knowing which side of the lake has the more favorable conditions gives anglers an edge in locating fish. It’s one of those subtle but powerful effects that the wind can have on the overall bite. This temperature redistribution can also affect the behavior of baitfish, which often follow the more favorable conditions, further influencing where bass will be located. During the colder winter months, even the small pockets of warmer water can become a magnet for both prey and predator species. Anglers should pay close attention to surface temperatures and wind direction when scouting new areas. Fishing along transition zones between warm and cool water can be especially productive. Understanding how wind alters thermal layers gives you a strategic advantage in finding active fish more consistently throughout the year.The new FreshBaitz Lizards deliver a realistic profile that excels in both power and finesse techniques. Act fast, we’ve recently just released new Hot Sauce, MidNight, Ghost, and 10w30 Synthetic Lizard designs! The unique forward-facing leg design creates drag that holds it in the strike zone longer or produces wild flapping action with every pull of the rod. Additionally, its slightly ribbed solid body and large head hold your hook in place and provide much better weedless performance making it the ideal bait to use in any condition. Water clarity always plays a super big role in color selection but in any season year-round, you can’t miss when using colors such as Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, or Green Pumpkin. Its flexible tail design ensures added movement, tempting even the most cautious fish. The superior 5.5-inch profile stretches to a whole 7 inches which is perfect for predatory fish including bass year round. Made from long-lasting durable high-grade non-salted plastic for total and maximum attention-grabbing action underwater. |
| Wind is only one piece of the puzzle and should be considered alongside larger seasonal trends. Bass location is primarily dictated by the time of year. Shallow in spring and the fall, deeper in winter and summer. Wind doesn’t override these tendencies, but it can intensify existing conditions. If bass are already feeding ahead of a weather front, wind can make that bite even more aggressive and widespread. On the flip side, if conditions are poor, like after a cold front, wind won’t really fix that. Viewing wind as an amplifier rather than a primary factor helps anglers make smarter decisions about when and where to fish. Think of wind as a bonus element, it can turn a good situation into a great one, but it won’t just magically produce fish where none are positioned. That’s why it’s essential to align your strategy with seasonal movements first, then look at how wind might enhance them. For one instance, bass holding on deep summer structure might still be tough to reach, but wind may push food onto nearby ledges, briefly drawing fish shallower. In the fall, bass already feeding along shallow flats may become more aggressive when wind stirs the water, making them easier to catch on soft plastics like lizards or beetles. Recognizing when wind is likely to help and when it’s unlikely to matter will keep your time on the water both efficient and productive.Our Fresh Beetle delivers ultimate versatility in a soft plastic bait. Its slim yet wide body design and four claws are engineered to naturally glide and wobble as it moves through the water. This design ensures they remain enticingly active longer than conventional baits. Its unique texture also provides a realistic feel, making bass hold on longer once they bite. Water clarity plays a big role in color selection but year-round you can’t miss when using go-to colors such as Chocolate Mint, Ox Blood, or 10w30 Synthetic beetles. The hyper-active swimming claws are designed thin with long-lasting durable non-salt plastic to make them come alive with the slightest movement. The Fresh Beetle offers an enticing 4-inch profile and is scented for complete and total attraction! You can rig these Beetles as a Jig/ Chatter Trailer, Flippin/ Punching, Texas Rig, Swing Jig, and Carolina Rig. Making the beetle beyond perfect in any weather condition year-round! |
| When the wind blows into a shoreline, it gathers floating organic material, which draws out organisms like insects and aquatic larvae. Crawfish and other bottom-dwellers may emerge to feed on this influx of nutrients, becoming easy targets for bass. Wind-blown cover like riprap, grass lines, and shallow flats can suddenly become high-activity zones. These areas, previously dead, can turn into feeding hotspots with the right conditions. Bass often stack in these locations, waiting to ambush prey caught off guard by the moving water. Anglers who understand this chain of events can capitalize by fishing wind-facing areas that concentrate food and bass alike. Targeting these zones with soft plastics that imitate common forage can be especially effective when bass are feeding actively. Focus on casting parallel to the shoreline or into the wind to keep your bait in the strike zone longer. Bass positioned in these areas are often in a heightened feeding mode, so reaction bites come quickly. The presence of scattered baitfish or surface disturbance can be a clear sign that the food chain is in motion. By fishing methodically through these wind-blown stretches, you can take advantage of one of the most consistent patterns wind creates.Using a stick-styled worm is the most tried and true ways to catch fish. We have a variety of 5-inch Worms to choose from but we just added MidNight, Glow, and Ghost Worms! Our popular Watermelon Red Worms have been restocked as well. You can also experience our new wacky rigging kit while it’s ON SALE! The WACKY Pack offers our most popular colors and essential tools for wacky rigging. If you’re fast enough you might be able to grab the limited-release Pumpkin Spice Worm before it’s completely sold out along with some of our newest colors including the Brown Worm, Electric Chicken Worm, and Goby Wan Worm colors. The high-grade non-salt plastic they’re made from provides positive buoyancy and it even floats underwater! We also released new 6-inch Worms including Charmeleon, Rainbow TRT, Bone, Chocolate Mint, and Fire TGR — all available in 5 and 6-inch. We’ve also recently released new 8-count packs of worms available in Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, and Green Pumpkin. We also offer worms that have the unique ability to shift from one color to another. Scented for total attraction underwater. |
| Bass tend to face into the wind, as that’s the direction their food is coming from. To take advantage of this, cast into the wind and retrieve your bait with the current of moving debris and plankton. Use soft plastics rigged in a way that keeps them low in the water and easy to control in wind. Heavier presentations and compact rigs reduce wind resistance and allow for longer, more accurate casts. Swift retrieves often work well because bass are reacting instinctively and don’t have time to scrutinize the bait. The goal is to mimic natural movement and match the feeding direction the bass are tuned in to. Maintaining a natural presentation is key, so keeping your bait moving steadily with the flow of wind-driven forage will increase your chances of a strike. Sidearm or low-angle casts help keep your bait from ballooning in the wind and give you better control over its trajectory. If the wind is too strong, switching to bottom-contact rigs like Texas rigs or free rigs can help keep your soft plastics in the strike zone longer. Be ready for quick hits, as bass often commit fast in these conditions and may strike just seconds after the bait lands. Staying aligned with the wind not only improves your casting and retrieval but also helps you fish more effectively in the exact lanes where bass are feeding.Our newest FreshBaitz Mandingo Trick Worm is the ultimate game-changer for anglers with a passion! Engineered for the angler who knows SIZE does matter, this lure is designed to attract only the BIGGEST bass with a penchant for the larger bait. The Mandingo Trick Worm boasts a solid 7-inch body enhanced with a hyperactive ribbed design, ensuring irresistible mouth-watering action for those trophy bass. Officially available in a vibrant array of 8 colors. Each worm is made from durable, high-grade Non-Salted plastic for lifelike action and unparalleled durability. Perfectly balanced for a variety of rigging options and scented for total and maximum attraction, the Mandingo Trick Worm promises year-round effectiveness in lakes, rivers, and streams. Whether you’re rigging it on a Shakey Head, Drop Shot, Texas Rig, or Carolina Rig, these worms are your ticket to landing the big ones. Proudly made in the USA by real anglers to help elevate your fishing experience and catch more bass year-round! |
| Fishing in the wind requires extra preparation to stay safe and effective. Whether fishing from a boat, kayak, or the bank, secure all loose gear so nothing gets blown into the water. Make sure your equipment is in top shape, especially trolling motors and batteries, since strong wind can create challenging conditions for boat control. Choose spots where the wind is blowing into structure or shorelines, but avoid overly exposed areas that are hard to fish or even dangerous. Not all lakes or shorelines respond to wind the same way, so scout locations that combine wind exposure with accessible, fish-holding cover. Proper preparation helps you focus on fishing and take full advantage of the conditions. Use maps or satellite images ahead of time to identify wind-facing areas with promising structure like points, shallow flats, or coves. When possible, approach these spots from downwind to minimize noise and maximize positioning control. If fishing from shore, plan your route so you’re casting into the wind where bass are likely facing and feeding. Always wear proper safety gear, especially in rougher conditions. With the right preparation and spot selection, windy days can become some of the most rewarding times to fish for aggressive bass.We have a wide variety of terminal tackle to choose from, but we’ve released new Nako Tungsten Tear Drop Shot Weights, crafted from 97% eco-friendly tungsten for stealth, durability, and vibration, with easy-to-read size stamps and a crimped swivel for quick changes. Owner Mosquito Hooks work for dropshotting and perfectly accommodates a wide range of soft plastics. The new Haymaker EWG Worm Hooks are also now available, featuring an extra-wide gap for various soft plastics, a Z-lock shoulder bend for secure bait placement, and an angled-up super needle point for fast, powerful hooksets. The popular All Purpose Hooks are built with an extra-wide gap and are made to accommodate a wide range of soft plastics. For creature-styled baits, a more popular choice to use is the Stand-Up Jig because it sits the bait up-right in a defensive stance! The Block Head Jig is perfect for ned rigging the HellaMite with its mushroom-style head that seamlessly matches a wide variety of soft plastics. The Offset Block Head Jig, offers the same mushroom-style head with a unique offset hook, making it a go-to for weedless Ned Rig applications. The Shakey Ultrahead can permanently secure baits by inserting the pin in the center and screwing the twist lock coil spring for perfect rigging every time! The Ultrahead Wacky Jig features precise weight positioning and hook orientation for the ultimate wacky presentations. For fast Texas rigging, we use the Bullet-Type Rig which has an attached weight saving you precious time when fishing cover. The 4x Jungle Flippin Hook is designed for big fish and the toughest conditions. The Range Roller Jig Head is crafted for precision with its high center axis design, perfect for hover-strolling and mid to bottom strolling with forward facing sonar, ensuring an enticing rolling action that triggers bites. We also just released Keep’em Fresh Bait Bags! These bags are the ultimate solution for anglers who need their gear to perform. Built like a tank, this bag is 20x stronger than regular zip bags and offers 100% waterproof protection with a rock-solid double zipper seal. Whether it’s for soft plastics, snacks, or your smartphone, this reusable and versatile bag keeps everything safe from water, mud, and grime. It’s lightweight yet spacious, it fits snugly in your tackle box or backpack, making it perfect for your next adventure. |