Early cold fronts affect fishing, but probably not as much as some fishermen think. Unless it stays really cold for several days, the water temperature isn’t going to drop much and the fish aren’t going to move from where they are unless the baitfish move. If they do anything, they’ll hold tighter to cover for a while. For instance, bass around a dock might move from the backside and the corners to deep underneath the dock. I believe that is because typically there’s going to be bright, sunshiny weather after the front goes through. Bass will also be less active. Instead of chasing baits such as squarebills or spinnerbaits, they’re going to want something moving slower. You’ll likely do better with jigs, ChatterBaits or finesse baits.

I believe fishermen also need to pay more attention to post-front wind too. It’s going to change after a weather front – say, from south to north – and it will reposition fish like current does. If you’ve been catching some bass on one side of a cove or creek, and the wind is now coming in on the other side, you might switch to the windy side. Also, fish the windy side of points and where the waves are hitting windblown banks on the main lake.

There aren’t any hard-and-fast rules to catching bass after a front comes through, but one thing that is pretty much true is that you’re going to get fewer bites. Slow down and make the most of the bites you get.

—- Snickers pro Chris Baumgardner, Gastonia, N.C.