What if you stopped swimming your A-rig?

Hey, Keith here.

One of the biggest challenges in winter bass fishing is slowing down enough to stay in the strike zone.

Cold water pushes bass to the bottom, but most lures are designed to swim higher and faster.

Most anglers respond by downsizing or dragging a jig, but that often takes bigger meals off the table. Almost nobody considers fishing an Alabama rig on the bottom.

That changed for me when pro Angler Jason Pittman showed me a way to fish a YUMbrella slow, on the bottom, in January.

Today, I break down why that approach works and how you can use it to catch bass when cold weather shuts everything else down.

BEST LINKS

What I looked at this week

• 7 tips on how to fish for bass with umbrella rigs (Wired2Fish)

• The umbrella rig basics: Make it rain bass (Anglers)

• Slab spread—how to use umbrella rigs for crappie (Louisiana Sportsman)

• How to use umbrella rigs for smallies (Major League Fishing)

• Early WINTER Alabama rig TIPS THAT WORK (The Tin Horse Monty Fishing)

Deals of the week

• Walmart marked down an FLM Alabama rig from $11.50 to $6.50.

• FishUSA has a Jenko J-Pod Spin Flash Umbrella Rig on sale for $12.74, regularly $14.99.

• Walmart has a six-pack of Keitech Fat Swing Impact Shiners reduced to $6.49, regularly $10.99.

DEEP DIVE 

Why fishing an A-rig on the bottom works in winter

Most anglers think of an Alabama rig as a moving bait. Something you throw out, count down, and reel steadily through the middle of the water column to imitate a school of baitfish.

That approach works when bass are suspended or actively chasing.

Winter bass behave differently.

As water temperatures drop, bass settle into deeper, more stable water and spend much more time on the bottom.

They position on ledges, drops, and subtle depth changes where they can conserve energy and wait for food to come to them.

In those conditions, fast-moving baits lose their appeal. Bass want something slow, close, and easy to eat.

Dragging an A-rig along the bottom gives them exactly that. The bait-school profile is still there, but the presentation is completely different.

Instead of swimming overhead, the rig crawls through their comfort zone. And because almost nobody fishes umbrella rigs this way, it's a look winter bass rarely see.

How a pro changed the way I fish an umbrella rig

I learned this technique during a photoshoot with pro bass angler Jason Pittman back when I was writing an article about his method for fishing an umbrella rig. 

We launched at Lock One on the Pearl River Canal and made a short run to Becky Lake.

Jason picked up his YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr, made a long cast, and began reeling while watching his LiveScope.

After a moment, he pointed at the screen and said, “In the winter, those fish hang on that ledge, and you can tear them up with an A-rig on the bottom.”

I had questions immediately. An A-rig on the bottom? Does it not get hung up?

Jason made another cast and reeled ultra slow. On the second retrieve, about a minute in, he set the hook and lifted a chunky two-pound bass into the boat.

He explained it simply. Mid winter, bass are on the bottom. If you can get an umbrella rig down to them and keep it there, they will bite.

That stuck with me.

I brought the technique back to my neighborhood lake and used a lighter YUMbrella Ultralight Flash Mob. The rig is easier to throw from the bank because it’s only three baits. 

The day was cold, with temperatures in the forties, and I got there early.

I made the longest cast I could and reeled as slowly as possible. It was uncomfortable. Everything in my body wanted to speed up.

After about thirty minutes, I felt my line tighten. No thump, just weight. I set the hook and landed a solid two-and-a-half-pound bass. That fish gave me confidence, and I stayed with it.

By the end of the day, I had caught five bass and learned a new way to fish an umbrella rig in winter. The highlight came when a second bass jumped on during a retrieve, and I landed two fish at once.

Sometimes the difference in winter fishing is not a new lure but rather using a familiar one in a way the fish rarely see.

Gear and setup that make bottom fishing an A-rig possible

Fishing an Alabama rig on the bottom in winter is not just about slowing down. Your gear has to help you do it. The wrong setup will fight you the entire time and make an already slow technique miserable.

• Rod: A longer rod with backbone and a forgiving tip makes this technique manageable. A 7.5–8-foot heavy or extra heavy rod with moderately fast action gives you the leverage to cast the rig and the forgiveness to keep fish pinned on soft winter bites. Rods like the Shimano Expride A-rig rod or Dobyns Fury and Champion XP A Rig models have the right balance of power and tip to keep the rig crawling instead of hopping.

• Reel: A slower gear ratio helps more than most anglers realize. Fast reels make it almost impossible to reel slow enough, especially in cold weather. I like reels in the 5.3:1 or 6.3:1 range. Reels like the Abu Garcia Revo SX or a lower gear Shimano Curado naturally slow your retrieve and help keep the rig on the bottom longer.

• Line: Line choice plays a big role in bottom contact. I prefer straight fluorocarbon when fishing an A-rig on the bottom. Fluoro sinks, keeps the rig down, and transmits bottom contact better than braid. Fifteen- to twenty-pound fluorocarbon like Seaguar InvizX or Sunline Sniper gives you enough strength without sacrificing feel.

• Jighead weight: This is where many anglers struggle. Jigheads that are too heavy cause the rig to crash into the bottom and hang up constantly. Lighter heads allow the rig to crawl. I like 1/8 or 3/16 ounce jigheads on each swimbait. That keeps the rig in contact with the bottom without forcing you to speed up.

• Lure: For bank anglers, lighter rigs are the key. The YUM YUMbrella Ultralight Rig gives you the bait-school profile without wearing you out or forcing you to fish too fast. Pair those rigs with subtle swimbaits. Small paddletails like the Berkley PowerBait Grass Pig Jr or Keitech Easy Shiner in the 3- to 3.8-inch range move naturally at slow speeds and do not overpower the presentation.