Bernie Schultz has been at the highest level of professional bass fishing since the 1980s, fished in eight Bassmaster Classics and earned nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in the process. Along the way, he's solidified himself as one of the premier grass fishermen on tour, and an ace in cold water. Here's what Schultz is packing to the lake this month, assuming he doesn't need an auger to reach the fish.
1. Rapala X-Rap
"Suspending jerkbaits are always a good choice in the winter, so long as they’re presented correctly. I make long casts to get the bait down, and then use a cadence of short jerks with long pauses...sometimes super long! Most strikes come when the bait is stationary. This works over submerged grass, along bluff banks, or even around docks."
2. Rapala X-Rap Shad
"This bait is like a jerkbait/crankbait hybrid. It suspends and I can cast it a really long distance. I like the size 6 model because it matches so many types of forage at this time of year. Either give it a straight retrieve, or work it like a jerkbait. I try to let the fish tell me which they prefer."
3. Hildebrandt Drop Dead Fred
"This is a very unique spinnerbait. It features a hinging wire frame that swivels upward, so the blades will continue to turn as the lure falls, which is ideal for sluggish wintertime bass relating to vertical cover, like standing timber or bluff banks."
4. Kinami PsychoDad
In the extreme south, bass hide beneath floating vegetation like hyacinths, water lettuce and matted hydrilla. I like punching for them with the new PsychoDad. Its big claws wobble as the lure moves, which helps call bass in cold water. It also holds a 7mm glass rattle securely if the fish prefer some noise. I rig it on heavy braid with a big weight. Flipping a PshychoDad is one of the best techniques I know for wintertime trophy bass.
5. Yamamoto Swim Senko
"Weather permitting, fish in the South will move shallow onto flats where there’s grass, stumps, or flooded brush. That’s when I like to swim a worm over their heads in 2 to 4 feet of water. I’ll Texas rig the Swim Senko by itself, or fish it as a trailer on a swim jig, ChatterBait, or with a hula skirt (shown). It’s a fun way to cover a lot of water and the fish can’t stand it."
