Winter fishing methods & safety

The Winter Itch

Depending on your location winter may not be a big deal-breaker for fishing. For a lot of us, temperatures dipping into the 30’s and 40’s can really hamper your ability to get out on the water. This is not a guide to ice fishing. This guide is for those of us who simply cannot sit inside for 5 months, not fishing,  and wait for spring. The task of catching winter bass or any fish, in general, can be extremely difficult as well as extremely hazardous.

Winter Fishing Safety

Before I touch on a single fish habit or technique regarding how to catch fish, we HAVE to talk about the demon in the room. Cold Water Kills. Flat out. It is unforgiving.  No one expects to capsize, flip, or fall out of their boat. No one expects or plans for their car not to start.

I’ve been in my Kayak on New Year's day as it snowed. I’ve fished winter days and nights from shore where I had to remove the ice from my rod guides. I’ve stood on 2 inches of ice on a half-frozen river because it gave me access to a Musky hole surrounded by private land and I’ve done it all alone. I was STUPID. Never fish in dangerous conditions by yourself.

Dress appropriately and have an entire second set of clothes in a dry bag on or near you. If you’re on a boat wear a lifejacket. Not wearing a lifejacket is A) probably illegal in your state during winter, and B) a death sentence in sub 45-degree water.

Have the materials to start a fire with you. Don’t bring matches. When you’re hypothermic you won't have the dexterity to pull that off. Bring a big lighter or grill lighter, coupled with a material that will go up easily like dryer lint, dry paper, pine, cardboard etc. Even a Sterno canister for catering parties will light easily and produce heat and flame for hours.

I’d argue you’re not going to have time or want to gather tinder to burn after the initial start-up so you better have something to burn after the lint unless you want to burn your dry socks. If you do get soaked, get to land, and get naked immediately. While naked and wet, roll around in dirt or snow, as that can actually remove additional moisture. You want to be dry. Put on your dry clothes and build a fire if you’re not close to a vehicle or shelter. Do Jumping jacks, Pushups, run around. Call for help immediately.   

Winter Fishing Tactics

Choosing the right location

 Now that I’m done preaching let's try and catch a fish. Again, for those of you in the southern United States or more temperate climates, things may not be terribly different. For those of us in the middle ground between balmy winters and having to ice fish, things become extremely difficult.

First off I’d recommend rivers and large creeks before lakes. Most fish take to the deepest parts of ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. Reaching these fish from the shore may be very difficult, if not impossible. Typically river-dwelling fish like small-mouth, trout, musky, pike, pickerel, will be a little more active and reachable in rivers during low temperatures. A lot of these fish may be present in lakes/ponds as well and are achievable, however; they may stick to the creek channels and deeper portions where the other fish have gone and may be too far out of casting range.

Approach any location you choose to fish with baits that can be worked extremely slowly. Once you think you’re fishing slowly enough, think again and fish slower. Casts and retrieves that used to take 15-20 seconds should now take 2-3 minutes. Your bait is going to SIT. if it's not sitting, it will be inching along at a painstakingly slow pace. 

Choosing the right bait for winter fishing

When choosing which baits to use for winter fish, you need to base your selection on their ability to be worked slow. Soft plastics are excellent for this. Crayfish slowly dragged on the bottom while rigged up to a football jig are excellent.

The weight of the jig will get you to the deep water, and allows for a great realistic presentation of a crayfish inching along the bottom. There is no time limit on this method.

Fish a Senko, or a soft plastic tube in a similar fashion. Deep diving suspending jerkbaits like the Berkley Cutter are also excellent. The keyword here is suspending. Put yours in the water in front of you to ensure it holds at depth and holds somewhat level in the water. These can be reeled down to proper depth, and then jerked and paused at length, resembling a baitfish slowly holding its position in the water column. The fact that they don't sink or rise to the surface allows for that slow methodical retrieve. Crankbaits and spinners can be utilized as well, as long as the retrieve is painfully slow. 

 Finding the fish will be difficult. As stated, large bodies of water will have the fish stacked up in the depths. The fish in rivers and streams will also congregate in winter strongholds. Deeper water with cover, free from strong currents will be home for the winter. The fish will need to conserve as much energy as possible. While fishing the depths, if you have any prior knowledge, electronics, or any type of visual confirmation, target areas that may hold heat. Large rock piles, underwater structure stumps, laydowns etc. Use the maps feature on Fishbrain Pro to identify these possible holding points. Many anglers suggest going with big baits to present a target worth the effort. I’ve seen this tactic work, but know also that two winter musky I've caught went after a 1.5” crankbait that I allowed to just swim in place in a river current.

Winter fishing open water is one of the most difficult, unsuccessful, and taxing ways to fish. For some of us however, there’s just no other option. Be methodical, and be safe.

Written by David Schaeffer.

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