How to Catch Bass in Cold Water: Winter Fishing Advice from Larry Pugh | MS Outdoors Podcast

Winter doesn’t shut bass fishing down in Mississippi — it just changes the game. In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, Matt Wyatt talks winter bass fishing with longtime fisheries expert and former MDWFP Deputy Director Larry Pugh.

Larry explains why water temperature — not air temperature — drives everything, how bass become more predictable in cold water, and why January and February offer some of the best chances of the year to catch a double-digit fish. He breaks down where bass position in winter, how to find baitfish, and why deeper structure like creek channels, ditches, and ledges matter when water temps fall into the 40s.

The conversation also covers winter-specific bait choices — including umbrella rigs, suspending jerkbaits, spoons, underspins, finesse rigs, and minnow presentations — along with techniques Larry doesn’t use this time of year. They discuss how modern electronics have changed winter fishing, why more anglers are fishing in cold weather, and how a few warm days can suddenly trigger shallow movement even in the middle of winter.

Mississippi Outdoors is produced by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

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00:00 – Intro: Winter bass fishing with Larry Pugh
00:40 – Retirement and fishing during the week
02:15 – Living in Tupelo while working in Jackson
04:00 – What “cold water” really means for bass
05:00 – Why water temperature matters more than air temperature
06:00 – Bass positioning in winter: channels and deeper water
07:00 – Finding baitfish is the key
07:45 – How modern electronics changed winter fishing
08:45 – Why more anglers fish in winter now
09:45 – Cold-weather clothing and comfort
10:30 – Pre-spawn movement and big winter bass
11:30 – Winter fishing expectations: numbers vs size
12:00 – Catching bass in 42-degree water
13:00 – Essential winter rods and baits
13:45 – Umbrella rig / Alabama rig in winter
15:00 – Jerkbaits, spoons, underspins, and finesse
17:00 – Using electronics to target individual fish
18:30 – Color and bait selection by conditions
19:00 – Winter success rates and realistic expectations
20:00 – Wind, plankton, baitfish, and bass movement
21:30 – Finesse options when the bite is tough
22:45 – What baits Larry does NOT throw in winter
24:30 – When winter patterns end and spring begins
25:40 – Water temperature as the starting point
27:00 – Warm winter days and shallow movement
28:30 – Best time of day to fish in winter
29:30 – More anglers fishing year-round
30:15 – Deep clear lakes vs shallow lakes in winter
31:30 – Ross Barnett and shallow-water winter bass
33:00 – Northeast Mississippi fisheries
35:00 – Largemouth vs spotted bass vs smallmouth
36:30 – Sauger fishing in winter
38:30 – When it gets too cold to fish effectively
39:45 – Closing thoughts