“I really like a 6-inch plastic worm in red shad now,” Jones proclaimed. “I like to experiment with my lures, and the worm has really performed well in the wintertime for me. I know a lot of fishermen don’t use worms anymore, particularly in the wintertime, but worms are just as effective now as they were years ago when everybody was using them.

“On the James, I like to let the worm sink to the bottom and then just drag it along. Sometimes, I will lift it slightly or make it twitch or maybe even shake it in place. But most of the time, I am just dragging the worm very, very slowly. A cast could take as long as one to two minutes to complete.”

A key to the guide’s worm success is his use of 1/8- or 3/16-ounce tungsten bullet sinkers, made by True Tungsten. Jones is not just using tungsten weights to be more environmentally conscious. Tungsten weights are more compact than lead ones are, which the guide believes results in fewer snags. The largemouths are also less likely to detect a smaller weight he speculates.

Finally, Jones has had some wintertime success on a lure that goes well beyond conventional wisdom.

“Some years, January can be quite mild and the water temperature can warm up quite a bit, especially if we have three or four days in the mid-50s,” he said. “About four or five years ago, that was the case, and on one trip I caught two or three really nice largemouths on a buzzbait. Now I know this is a once-in-a-blue-moon pattern.

“But my point is that you never know what the fish will want in January. Experiment, be open-minded, and see what happens. The James was a little off at the beginning of this decade because of some poor spawns. But the fishing really picked up last winter, and I am very optimistic about this January.”

For guided trips with Roger Jones, contact him at (800) 597-1708, HookLineAndSinkerGuides.com.

Wintertime bass fishing in Virginia and Marilyn Monroe aren’t often paired in the same magazine article. But some of us do like it hot, or at least warm, relatively speaking. (Editor’s note: Bruce Ingram is the author of the following books (cost in parentheses): The James River Guide ($15), The New River Guide ($15), and The Shenandoah/Rappahannock Rivers Guide ($18.25). To obtain a copy, send a check to Ingram at P.O. Box 429, Fincastle, VA 24090.)

Find more about Virginia fishing and hunting at: VirginiaGameandFish.com