January Jawbreakers Are In The Cards

Norris Lake sits within spitting distance of Caryville, Tenn. The town of 2,300 is home to a small waterfall that empties into a tributary of the waterway where Brandon Card learned to lure lethargic bass from their winter homes. But, while most anglers are picking up a jig and going deep this time of year, Card likes to go shallower, pointing his boat toward the middle sections of creeks and chasing the sun to find fish savoring warm water around the docks.

“Docks are a really viable pattern the entire winter,” Card says. “They have so much habitat, whether that’s wooden piers, pontoons or brushpiles. But fish use docks differently in the wintertime.”

[Tackle Tips]

Rod: 7-foot, 3-inch medium-heavy

Reel: 6.3:1 baitcaster