Winter Fishing: Its Advantages and Benefits

OK, I'll admit it can get a tad annoying to have to be wiping tears from your eyes at the same time (and please forgive me for tossing political correctness out the window here) you're wiping snot from the end of your nose. Then there's the matter of probably having to dig through three or four layers of clothing intermittently (and yes, age has a lot to do with it), just to heed the call of nature, which is precipitated, of course, by having to pour cup after cup of coffee down your gullet to help stay warm.

If you can get past these minor annoyances, however, it is possible to go out and have a fun winter day on the water. If you don't want to take my word for it, maybe you'll listen to my kayaker buddy, Charlie.

As revealed in an email I received from him this morning, he went out yesterday and had a real nice day. Caught several bass, including a 2-2, 2-1, 1-6, and a 1-11, "all thanks to a Yo-Zuri 3DS, my new favorite lure," he said.

Equally important, though, as all the fish he caught yesterday, Charlie discovered the same benefit I've been enjoying this winter--traveling light. Instead of carrying all the usual gear, he decided to "go commando." Only took one plastic box of lures and one camera. Besides not having so much stuff around you in the boat or kayak, there's less unrigging to do at the end of the day, when those Wheaties you may have had for breakfast (unless you swore off 'em after Bruce became Caitlyn) aren't really helping so much.

Another advantage of winter fishing is the considerably reduced number of anglers on the water. After all, some guys would rather hunt than fish this time of year. And yet others would rather just sit home by the fire. Either way, that means you normally can fish where you want without having to share the water with anyone else. An additional benefit for those of us who fish the tributaries off the North Landing is the distinct reduction in "big boy" traffic on the river this time of year. You're apt to see a few tugs with barges from time to time but not much else.

Personally speaking, winter fishing helps me deal with my propensity to keep one foot on the trolling motor all day. You simply can't go "steaming" down the shoreline and expect to catch anything. You either slow down and fish deliberately, or thrash the water for a few hours and go home with nothing to show for it. That's not to say you can't throw a spinnerbait or crankbait, because you can; it's just a matter of doing so ever so S-L-O-W-L-Y. And, too, you need to get off the shoreline and fish deeper water.

While we're talking about the advantages and benefits of winter fishing, what list would be complete without mention of the fact you don't have to contend with those pesky little critters otherwise known as mosquitoes? I've watched anglers do everything from dance a jig to nearly scratch themselves raw in those o-dark-30 hours when we're staging for another summer bass tournament. For some reason, those blood-suckers don't cause me a lot of discomfort, but it seems like I'm an exception to the general rule.

Something else that's also noticeably absent from winter fishing is all that sweatin' you do during the summer months. We all have had our share of those mornings when the temps already are in the 70s before the sun first peeks over the horizon, and by 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, it has climbed close to or already has reached triple digits. Only a fool leaves the dock in summer without enough water and/or other liquids to keep hydrated throughout the fishing day.

Winter fishing admittedly isn't for everyone, but if you're willing to go to the necessary lengths to stay warm and deal with a few little annoyances, you very well may recognize a reward for your efforts. That reward can run the gamut from a simple tug on the line to a hefty limit of fish. Good luck to everyone who gives it a try.