By Zeke Gossett
On Logan Martin
January and February can produce some of coldest water anglers see all year long, but that doesn’t mean the fish stop eating.
This time of year, I use a couple of different approaches when fishing Logan Martin. The first approach consists of fishing shallow around main lake rock and wood. I usually attack this with two baits. My first go-to bait is a squarebill crankbait. The squarebill is like the four-wheel drive of crankbaits, and I throw it as tight to the cover as I can without getting hung. A squarebill is a great way to trigger those lethargic fish holding tight to cover.
The second option is a finesse jig. The Strike King Bitsy flip jig is an awesome option for this style of fishing. This jig comes in and out of cover well and has a big enough hook to flip with bigger line. I usually flip this in laydown trees and around docks near deep water.
Another approach is to fish for suspended fish out in the middle of creek channels or humps close to deep water. Looking at and catching fish located on your electronic units is a fun way to fish and something that may take some time to learn.
Look for birds diving in the middle of the lake. They will show where the bait fish are, and active fish are usually feeding on these bait fish most of the time. My boat will sometimes sit in water as deep as 50 feet but most of the time you will find fish in the 10 to 20-foot zone.
The two baits I use for this is a Strike King Baby Z-Too soft jerkbait on a 3/16 oz. ball jig head. The other bait I use is a deep-diving jerkbait. The jerkbait is perfect for mimicking those dying bait fish the fish are feeding on.
On Neely Henry
Neely Henry is a great wintertime fishery.
Throwing a squarebill crankbait or flat-sided crankbait is an excellent option when looking for bass on Neely Henry this time of year.
I usually look for bluff walls and any type of rip rap around bridges. I usually use red colors when the water is dingy and more natural colors like brown and baitfish colors when the water has less stain.
I always have the Strike King Bitsy Flip jig on hand, as well, in case there is a laydown log or dock I pass by. I mainly focus on the crankbait since it triggers those fish to bite when it’s especially cold, and it also allows me to cover a lot of water.
Look for baitfish when running this pattern and chase the wind if there is any. Keeping your approach simple will give you success on Neely Henry during these months.
For more info, check out Zeke Gossett’s Fishing Guide website!
