Point Fishing 101: The Best Baits To Fish A Point

Points are well-known fish magnets that especially attract bass during winter. Point fishing flat out catches em.The classic point has sharp features and steep drops that are easy to see with the naked eye. There are also small rounded points with gradual slopes that can be found with your electronics. Both types of points draw bass throughout the winter.When point fishing either type, I rely on the following three lures to catch wintertime bass.

Suspending Stickbaits

Bass in clear-water fisheries spend most of the winter suspended over the drop-offs of points so a suspending stickbait is the ideal lure for tempting these fish. The cold water makes bass lethargic so they want an easy meal served right in front of their noses. The suspending stickbait’s ability to sit for long periods of time at the same depth often proves too tempting for bass to resist.Position your boat over deep water and make a long cast towards the bank. Then reel the lure down about 4 feet and start a sequence of twitches in between long pauses to coax suspending bass into biting.

Football Jigs

When bass are moving up and down on a flat gravel point, a football jig becomes a great lure for covering water, point fishing, and tracking down bass along the structure. I like to match a 3/4-ounce football jig with either a #1 pork frog or a double-tail grub to drag along the points. The key to this tactic is to slowly drag the jig to make sure it is in constant contact with the bottom.During your retrieve, keep your rod tip low and slowly sweep your rod a couple of feet to drag the jig along the point. Reel in your line as you return your rod to the starting point of your next sweep. Strikes usually occur when the jig is sitting between sweeps.

Spinnerbaits

This blade bait is my choice for catching bass in cold, murky water along a steep rocky point. The lure’s flash and vibration makes it easier for sluggish bass to key in on the bait in dirty water. Slow-rolling the spinnerbait is the most effective way to retrieve the lure in this situation.I cast the lure to the bank and slowly crank my reel to where I can barely feel the vibration of the spinnerbait’s blades. The key to this point fishing presentation is to make sure the lure frequently bumps the rocks.