Depth
The cold water temperatures of winter drive the bass to deeper water. Choose a lure that can access this deep water effectively. Jigs and plastic worms are easily worked on the bottom in deep water. When fishing deep water, a little heavier jig or worm weight might have to be used in order to hold on the bottom.
Bite
Fish bite really light in the winter, so use extra-sensitive tackle to optimize your catch. Ultralight spinning tackle and lighter line than usual will make a difference on whether you feel a bite in the winter.
Color
Colors are important no matter what season you're fishing, but it can especially important in the winter. Natural and dark colors work best during the winter months. For plastic baits, use brown or black with bright tails or stripes. Baits with a black body and chartreuse stripe or tail are among the most popular combinations. For crank baits, dark colors work as well; some work best with a bright contrast color on the belly of the bait.
Retrieval
Presentation of a lure in the winter should be much slower in the winter months. Fish are slow-moving, so a lure must be retrieved more slowly to allow the fish to have time to strike. Slowly move jigs and plastic baits across the bottom with rest periods. Bass will often pick the bait off the bottom when you allow it to rest.
