How-To

Herren’s top January baits

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Photography by
Kyle Jessie
The month of January can be cold, but the bass fishing can still be hot. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Matt Herren loves to fish the Coosa River during this time of year, and he took time out recently to show his favorite baits to fish in the month of January.
1. Dirty Jigs Luke Clausen Finesse Jig paired with a Reaction Innovations Spicy Beaver.
The Coosa River has a plentiful amount of spotted bass, so Herren loves to target them with a small finesse jig. “Spotted bass are a little more aggressive during the colder months, so I like to target them when fun fishing,” he said. “I like to fish the jig around rocks or anywhere there’s a little current.”
2. Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait
“I like a jerkbait throughout the year, but during the cold months a jerkbait is dynamite,” said Herren. “When I’m throwing a jerkbait in January I’m typically targeting suspended fish or fish that are positioned over brushpiles.”
3. Taddo Designs Maverick Swimbait Jighead paired with a Reaction Innovations Shiver Shot
“I’ll rotate between the Shiver Shot and a small swimbait depending on if I’m dropping on them vertically or making casts to them,” he said. “When the water is super cold in January, a light line finesse technique like this can be deadly.”
4. Damiki Vault Blade Bait
“I love to fish a blade bait when the water gets really cold and the fish get finicky,” Herren said. “There’s just something about a blade bait that those suspended fish that are targeting baitfish can’t stand.”
5. Taddo Designs Flat-Sided Crankbait
“Flat-sided balsa baits are lethal on cold water bass,” he said. “I’m typically throwing a flat-sided bait when the water is in the low 50s or high 40s and when the water is a little off-colored.”
Herren keeps it pretty simple in the month of January with this rotation of five baits.

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