| The holiday season offers some of the best fishing of the year because most anglers are off the water, giving bass a chance to settle into natural feeding patterns. As temperatures cool, baitfish movements become more important, and bass often shift locations daily in response to changing conditions. Wind direction, cloud cover, and sudden weather fronts can quickly reposition fish, making adaptability your greatest advantage. Bass use this period to feed heavily before true winter arrives, making them more willing to chase a well-presented lure. Focusing on areas where bait gathers, such as points, shallow flats, creek channels, or steep banks, gives you a direct path to active fish. Staying flexible and adjusting your approach each outing is the key to capitalizing on these dynamic late-fall and early-winter conditions. This is also the time when bass mix between fall feeding patterns and early winter transitions, so you may find fish at multiple depths on the same day. Keeping soft plastics handy, like lizards, insect larvae, craw-styled baits, beetles, or worms, lets you easily mimic natural forage regardless of where the bass move. Water clarity often stabilizes in late fall, making the smaller presentations even more effective when conditions turn calm. Cold fronts can slow the bite temporarily, but bass rarely stop feeding altogether if you match their mood and adjust your speed. When you combine low pressure, changing conditions, and a willingness to adapt, the holiday season becomes a prime window for both numbers and quality bass.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. We recently restocked the HellaMite Pro Pack, which is loaded with 60 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 restocked our Green Pumpkin and 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. |
| During late fall, bass often push shallow to trap baitfish against banks, flats, or isolated cover, creating excellent opportunities for topwater and shallow presentations. Rather than relying on traditional topwater hardware, you can use lightly weighted artificials such as lizards or insect-larva baits worked just under the surface to imitate easy prey. Cloudy days, wind blowing into the bank, and shaded areas during sunny afternoons give bass the added confidence to rise and strike. Targeting big rock, riprap, grass edges, shallow bars, and the backs of creeks helps you stay near these feeding routes. Look for visual signs like bait dimpling the surface or occasional busts that reveal where fish are hunting. When you locate actively feeding bass, surface disturbance from a can trigger explosive shallow-water bites. This pattern is often strongest when water temperatures haven’t fully transitioned into winter levels, allowing bass to remain active in very skinny water. Soft plastics with natural gliding or darting action often outperform louder lures when bass are pressured or feeding selectively. Experimenting with retrieve speed from quick twitches to slow drifts helps determine how aggressive the fish are. Even on calm, sunny days, bass may slide up under overhanging cover or tight to rocks where a quiet presentation can still fool them. Since shallow fish are usually there to feed, capitalizing on these windows can produce some of the most exciting strikes of the season.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! |
| As water temperatures drop, bass often settle tighter to the bottom and relate strongly to deeper cover, making bottom-contact presentations especially effective. A jig paired with a soft craw-styled bait or beetle imitates natural forage and offers enough bulk to get attention even in cold water. When conditions turn frigid, downsizing your trailer or switching to a slimmer profile helps tempt finicky fish. Working a jig slowly through brush piles, rock transitions, and along deeper breaks keeps your lure in the strike zone longer. Varying depth is important because bass may shift daily between shallower cover and deeper wintering areas. Thoroughly combing each piece of cover with patience is often rewarded with some of the biggest quality bites of the season. Cold-water jig fishing is all about subtlety, so reducing the amount of movement in your presentation often leads to more consistent success. Bass in winter rely heavily on energy conservation, meaning they prefer easy meals they don’t have to chase. A soft craw or beetle-style bait dragged or lightly hopped along the bottom mirrors this slow-moving forage perfectly. Pay close attention to transitions between rock, clay, and gravel often create small sweet spots where bass congregate. Because the bite can be extremely light, keeping tension on the line and watching for slack or slight ticks helps you detect strikes you might otherwise miss.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 can dramatically improve bass feeding activity by pushing baitfish into predictable areas and reducing water clarity just enough to give predators an advantage. Although traditional spinnerbaits are effective, you can replicate a similar profile using swimbait-rigged soft plastics like worms or insect larvae for a small, natural flash. Fishing these along windy banks, wood cover, docks, or steep bluff walls helps you intercept bass that are more willing to chase in rougher conditions. Adjusting your weight allows you to run the bait high in the water column or slow it down deeper, depending on how fish are positioned. Windy days tend to produce fewer bites but often draw out bigger, more aggressive bass. Staying mobile and focusing on any shoreline that the wind hits directly increases your chances of meeting quality fish. Wind also breaks up the surface enough to mask your presence, allowing you to move in closer to cover without spooking bass. Soft plastics with tail movement can look even more natural when the water is slightly disturbed. Covering water quickly is important, since wind-blown banks often hold roaming fish that are actively hunting. Don’t overlook secondary points or cut-through areas where wind funnels baitfish into narrow corridors. When you time wind direction with bait movement, these style presentations can deliver some of the strongest power-fishing bites of the season.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 bass stage along main points, secondary points, and channel banks, using moving baits that mimic shad or crawfish becomes a highly productive approach. While hard crankbaits are traditional tools, soft-plastic alternatives like craw-styled baits or worms rigged on weighted hooks can be worked at similar depths with a more natural profile. Covering water along rock transitions, ledges, and breaks helps you locate feeding fish that move frequently throughout fall and early winter. Slightly stained water and a touch of wind create ideal conditions for this approach, but it can still work on bright, calm days. The key is maintaining steady contact with the bottom or structure to imitate fleeing or foraging bait. This pattern remains reliable until water temperatures reach the low 40s and bass move to more stable winter positions. Soft plastics offer the advantage of a quieter entry and a more lifelike movement when the bite is subtle. Varying the speed of your retrieve by speeding up to trigger reaction bites or slowing down to imitate cold forage can make a major difference in results. Paying attention to the bottom composition helps you identify high-percentage areas where bass pause to feed. Small changes in depth or angle often reveal hidden sweet spots that hold multiple fish. By staying diligent and working through productive structural zones, you can consistently intercept bass that are transitioning between seasonal feeding areas.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 Restocked 6-inch Worms, including Watermelon Red, Green Pumpkin, Black & Blue, Fire TGR, Wild Berries, Bone, 10w30 Synthetic, Zombie Blood, and Chocolate MNT! — 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. |
| Suspended bass are notoriously difficult to target, but a carefully presented finesse bait can trigger strikes when nothing else will. Instead of relying on hard jerkbaits, use small soft plastics like 5-inch worms or insect-larva baits rigged on light hooks to achieve a slow presentation. These can be paused in place around secondary points, standing timber, brush piles, or grass edges where bass commonly suspend. The trick is adjusting your cadence, using quicker twitches in warmer water and slow, extended pauses as temperatures drop. Forward-facing sonar, along with careful observation, helps you keep your lure at the same depth as the fish. This subtle, suspended approach is one of the most consistent ways to draw strikes from inactive or roaming bass in cold conditions. Because suspended bass often sit between depth zones, presenting your bait slightly above them can encourage upward strikes from fish, conserving energy. Soft plastics allow for almost weightless movements, creating a lifelike flutter that can tempt even the most reluctant bass. Watching how long fish follow your bait before committing helps you fine-tune your pause duration. On days when fish are especially sluggish, barely moving the lure at all can be the key to success. Over time, mastering these types of small adjustments gives you a powerful technique for catching bass that many anglers tend to overlook completely.Introducing the Newest 8-Inch MagDingo Worms! These are the ultimate game-changer in bass fishing! Engineered for anglers who know SIZE does matter, this lure is designed to attract only the BIGGEST bass with a fixation for the larger bait. The MagDingo Worm boasts a solid 8-inch body enhanced with a hyperactive ribbed design, ensuring irresistible mouth-watering action for those trophy bass. The 10-count packs are now available in a variety of 6 crucial colors, including the 10w30 Synthetic, Black & Blue, Zombie Blood, Green Pumpkin, Wild Cherry, and Watermelon Red. Each worm is made in the USA from durable, high-grade Non-Salted plastic for lifelike action and unparalleled durability. Perfectly balanced for a variety of rigging options and scented for maximum attraction, the 8-inch MagDingo 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 trophy-sized smallmouth and largemouth bass. |
| The most important skill this time of year is the ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions and to what baitfish are doing. Bass follow food relentlessly, which means they may be shallow one day and suspended or bottom-oriented the next. Observing wind direction, water clarity, and shifts in temperature helps you choose the right presentation at the right depth. Using soft plastics, whether worms, craws, insect larvae, beetles, or lizards, allows you to adapt naturally to nearly every scenario. Using a mix of moving baits, bottom presentations, and suspending techniques ensures you can match bass behavior no matter where they position. Staying flexible and trusting what the environment tells you will consistently lead to more bites during this unpredictable but rewarding season. Late-fall conditions can change by the hour, so checking multiple depth zones throughout the day keeps you in touch with shifting fish patterns. Little clues like bait flickering on the surface or a sudden temperature break often reveal where bass have moved. Rotating through different profiles helps you match the forage bass are actively pursuing. Being willing to abandon one pattern and test another separates successful anglers from those who struggle. The anglers who stay observant, curious, and adaptable find the most consistent success going into winter. 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 WEEDLESS Block Head Jig features high-quality construction that helps increase your hook-up ratios and keep your bait clean from snagging rocks or vegetation. 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. |