Pro Rusty Salewske of Alpine, Calif., finished in eighth place overall after the first day of FLW Tour competition on Lake Ouachita. Photo by Gary Mortenson. Angler: Rusty Salewske.

January 21, 2011 • Rusty Salewske • Archives

You hear a lot of guys say that in the dead of winter, you’ve got to fish really, really slow on the bottom in deeper water. Often that’s correct, especially on the West Coast, but it’s not always the case back East where I catch lots of fish on shallow-running crankbaits by going down a bank and covering water.

I don’t know why it is exactly, but I think there are always some bass up in the shallows feeding, even if it’s just 2 feet of water. When I look for these active fish, they’re almost always associated with shorelines where there are a lot of rocks or other junk. Maybe they’re looking for crawfish.

I have my best luck when the water is dingy or stained. I use Typhoon sunglasses with amber lenses to find the stretches that have stuff, which stands out as shadows or color changes. The shallow diver I use most often is a Lucky Craft RC1.5, which has a mid-range wobble. I go with bright colors because of the water color and fish with a 7-foot Powell cranking rod and 10- or 12-pound-test line. The crankbait has a stubby, square bill, and it really deflects off the cover well without hanging up. I think that’s what triggers the bites.

It doesn’t work all the time, because the bass are just there along a random stretch of bank temporarily. When it does happen, though, it’s magic. Otherwise, it’s back to the really, really slow fishing.

— Evinrude pro Rusty Salewske of Alpine, Calif.