Sometimes the best trick to catch a bass is one of the oldest, which is to give them something they have never seen before. A lot of times this can accomplished by using a bait in a way that it was never intended to be used.

So the question that comes to mind is Swim-baits. They do so well in 3 out of 4 seasons, but then the 4th season, winter, they have never been tested until just recently. Originally it is to be used in a traditional manner in which you would let it sink, reel it in a bit then let it sink some more.

The trick with Swim-bait during the winter when the water is cold is to let it sit upright with its tail pointing up towards the surface of the water. This is usually accomplished by slightly overweighing it so that you can still use it in a traditional manner of reeling then letting it sink. In this case however, the bait is kept in a horizontal position during the entire time.

You also want to make sure that the bait is in constant contact with the bottom of the lake, but at the same time working uphill rather than down. This becomes difficult for two reasons. The first reason is the obvious that it is actually called a Swim-bait and not a bottom-feeder. The second reason is just as obvious as it is not easy pulling the bait up hill.

You never know what can be accomplished when you use a lure in a manner that it was never intended to be used in. Experiment every chance you can. You never know when you may just come up with the next big fishing technique. Try something new and different, it may just work, you never know.

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