Winter has arrived, and the temperature has dropped down really low for the year.
For most anglers, this is enough to dissuade them until spring comes, because of the overall difficulty that fishing in the winter presents thanks to cold, uncomfortable temperatures making staying out for too long undesirable and fish activity not as pronounced (if at all) making them even more challenging to catch.
However, what most people won’t tell you is that there is also an upside for fishing during the winter.
As mentioned earlier, less anglers will be out on the waters, so you won’t have to worry as much about fishing spots being overcrowded or potentially having the fish inside being scared away by inexperienced anglers.
This is also the time where most freshwater species start grouping up, which is great as it gives you a better chance to catch more fish, especially if you hit that sweet spot.
With all that said, if you do choose to start fishing in the winter, here are some tips that you should keep in mind.
Sleep in
You don’t have to get up and about too early here. Fish are active the most between 10am and 4pm during winter, as this is the time when the sun is out and warming up the area, at least during the days when the weather calls for sunny skies.
This is not to say that it’s impossible to catch fish earlier or later than these times, but it’ll certainly be much more difficult, so if you want the most optimal time when fish are more likely to be active, sleep well and go in during the day.
Maintain your gear properly
Sure, you might be safe all bundled up in your winter wear as you wait for the fish to bite, but what about your fishing gear?
That’s right, you’re not the only one in danger of freezing over. The cold temperatures of winter means that the stiff bearings of your reel will freeze up and your oil and grease will thicken. Hopefully, you know a little bit of rod maintenance, or at least are able to keep in touch with a repair shop or two.
Your line is also susceptible to freezing, as water that collects on the line will eventually freeze thanks to the cold temperatures. Once this happens, the line will not be able to move through the eyelet. To avoid this, use line conditioner to ensure that your line remains straight.
Slow your pace as you fish
During the winter, you might feel tempted to want to show your bait as alive and active, especially if you’re using an artificial one, to make it endearing as food for the fish.
Unfortunately, this won’t work.
As the water will likely be extremely cold during the winter, fish, in turn, will be more lethargic, as they try to conserve their energy, meaning that their metabolism slows down and they won’t need to feed as often.
They won’t be too active, unless they see bait that is particularly easy to nab.
This is why fast bait will not be enticing but may in fact discourage them from approaching, as it won’t be worth the effort for the energy they have to spend.
Instead, try to calm your pace and slow down as you fish.
Adapt to the weather
Winter presents new and different challenges that you may not be used to in the summer or spring, which means you will need to keep an eye out for things like a cold front and when the sun is out. Fish activity is low enough as is, even with the sun warming the waters, but what if the weather forecast calls for clouds? Or even rain or snow?
Ideally, you would always keep yourself updated on the regular with the expected weather patterns for the day that you decide to go fishing.
One thing you might want to keep an eye out of, however: Cold fronts.
To keep a long story short, cold fronts are both the best and worst times for you to fish.
The best time is before it passes, as fish are basically on a frenzy and feeding. This is usually the time where a lot of activity not normally seen in the winter occurs in the waters.
The worst time is after it passes, as fish are basically in the same scenario as they normally are in cold waters: lethargic. Except this time, they are even more unwilling to move, and instead will choose to conserve their energy while hiding in shelters. It takes around at least a day after a cold front passes before fish activity starts picking up again
Use live bait
If you aren’t too picky with what you catch in the winter, using live bait like worms or minnows will net you better results than using artificial ones. You have a higher likelihood of attracting fish, as the bait will react to the water naturally, attracting fish to prey on them.
This isn’t to say that you can’t use artificial lures, though. But if you want to use artificial lures, you will need to change your strategy. As mentioned earlier, fish during the cold months are lethargic and move much slower than normal, so artificial lures that move unnaturally fast won’t entice any predators to approach. This is something that inexperienced anglers might have difficulty doing, especially as you would need a lot of patience as you slowly reel in the lure, which is not easy to get right.