What I see above the water tells me what is happening below

Hey, Keith here.

We are deep into winter now and overcast skies seem to follow every trip. Cloudy days may feel gloomy to us, but to a winter bass, that soft light can trigger movement. 

Bass behave differently under cloud cover, and once you know where they move and what they will react to, your chances of catching one go up fast.

This is why I often start with something easy for them to find, like a Double Willow blade spinnerbait or a Red Eye Shad. 

Today, I break down how to read gray skies and catch winter bass when most anglers pass on a cold, gray day.

BEST LINKS

What I looked at this week

• 4 bass fishing baits to use in the rain (Wired2Fish)

• The best times to fish for bass (broken down by season) (Anglers)

• THIS is going to change the way you fish on cloudy days (Intuitive Angling with Rick Blaukat)

• Where do bass go in the winter (and our top baits to catch them) (Tactical Bassin)

• Tips on overcast conditions (Bass Resource)

Deals of the week

• Dick’s marked down a Strike King Red Eyed Spinnerbait from $5.99 to $4.47.

• Bass Pro Shops has a Zebco 33 Spincast Combo on sale for $29.97 regularly priced at $49.99.

• Frank’s Great Outdoors marked down a Strike King KVD Finesse Spinnerbait from $9.99 to $6.99.

DEEP DIVE 

Why overcast winter skies can pay off

As bank anglers, we often fall into the pattern of casting along the bank in nearby structure. We learn to read what we can see.

Grass edges. Laydowns. Dock corners. Shallow shadows.

On clear winter days, shallow bass hold tight to this visible cover and wait for bait to come to them. Those are the fish we usually target from the bank.

But the truth is most of the bass population is not living by the bank.

They pass through it during the spawn and slide shallow at night in warm weather, but day to day they live outside of our casting range.

They hold on underwater features we cannot see without maps or sonar. Points, humps, creek channel breaks, and isolated ridges.

On a bright winter day, those offshore bass stay tight to structure because the cold water and high light shut their movement down.

Shallow bass respond the same way. They lock in and refuse to roam. It can feel like nothing is happening anywhere.

Cloud cover changes that.

When the sky turns gray, shallow bass no longer need to hide inside heavy cover to ambush prey. The reduced light gives them confidence to cruise.

They begin moving across flats, edges, and transition lines where bank anglers can finally reach them. Even in cold water, a cloudy day opens their strike window.

They will not sprint far, but they will react if your bait passes close.

That's why cloudy winter days often fish better than clear ones.

Movement increases. Feeding lanes widen. And for bank anglers, more water becomes productive.

Proven lures for overcast winter bass

When shallow fish begin to roam under gray skies, reaction baits are your strongest option. Here are the ones I trust the most in cold, cloudy conditions.

• Spinnerbaits shine when the sky goes flat. I like to use a War Eagle Double Willow Spinnerbait in shad colors. It gives off plenty of flash and vibration without overpowering cold water fish. Slow-rolling it along deeper edges or around any remaining cover helps bass track the bait even in low light.

• Topwater is not a popular choice mid-winter, but it’s worth a shot on an overcast day when fish are more brazen. My personal favorite is a Strike King KVD Buzzbait. The sound helps fish locate it when the light is low. If the water is flat and slick, a walking bait like the Heddon Super Spook Jr. works better because it creates a subtle profile that bass can rise to without much effort.

• Jerkbaits, crankbaits, and lipless baits are perfect when fish are spread out and using more open water. When I need to cover ground quickly, I like to tie on a Berkley Krej or a red craw lipless crankbait like the Red Eye Shad. Both give you the speed and flash needed to trigger strikes from fish that are no longer pinned to cover.

• Swimbaits and underspins offer a natural look with just enough movement for cold fish to commit. My go to choice is a small Keitech swimbait on an underspin head. It gives off a soft thump and a clean silhouette that works well when bass want motion but are still holding close to winter comfort zones.

• Jigs remain steady producers during cloudy periods because they represent a slow, easy meal. I like to use a Strike King Bitsy Flip Jig with a small trailer. Dragging it slowly along transitions can catch fish that do not want to chase but are still willing to feed under low light.

How I pick my spots when it is cloudy and cold

When cloud cover settles in and the air temperature drops, here is how I choose where to fish and how to adjust my approach.

1. Skip shallow, stained ponds unless recently warmed up. Bass often avoid the coldest, most unstable water in winter.

2. Target deeper flats, points, or ledges near a drop-off. Low light plus depth gives bass a comfortable zone to cruise for bait.

3. Avoid heavy current. Moving water loses heat quickly and can push bass into slower and deeper areas.

4. Start with a reaction bait and follow up with finesse. A spinnerbait or lipless crankbait helps you locate active fish, then a jig or swimbait cleans up.

5. Slow down. Winter bass may track your lure for several feet before committing. Let the bait stay in the strike zone longer than usual.