WINTER, WINTER – IT’S TIME TO PREPARE FOR WINTER FUN!
While winter is time for family indoor fun for most of us, it’s a great time to get outdoors and enjoy a new type of beauty. There are many types of winter activities and winter sports to take part of and freezing to death doesn’t have to be part of the equation if you plan accordingly.
One of my favorite winter activities which just happens to be my favorite spring, summer and fall activity is fishing. As we approach the winter months and in some areas, ice and snow, be prepared to take advantage of less anglers out fishing and fish slowing down- focused on survival.
Cutthroat Trout caught at Strawberry Reservoir, Utah
Early winter is a great time to head to a shoreline and fish slowly to entice a fish to strike at the energy source you are tempting them with. This time of winter still allows an angler to try out different methods and rigs to trigger that strike. This time of winter, fish are still active trying to build up energy reserves to get them through the hardest part of winter. Depending on where you live, winter still brings plenty of interested fish, granted, you may have to dig through layers of ice to get to them. Trout are a cold water fish and remain active near the surface throughout the winter months. This cutthroat trout was caught last year around this time with an imitation prey fish. The area had already seen some snow and snow was still in the air.
Winter brings a new look to an old area in addition to a different type of fun. I enjoy late evening/night fishing for several reasons.
First of all, it’s a great time to be alone in the elements with your thoughts. When it’s below freezing or near it, you are more than aware of the elements. Second, the cold crisp air and snow on the ground adds to enjoying winter. It’s funny that during the summer, we strive to stay in doors and out of the heat with the a/c freezing us to death while in the winter, we stick to the indoors with the heat cooking us. Summer is a time to be hot and winter is a time to feel the cold and to remind oneself of how grateful we should be that we have the ability to get out of the cold while so many don’t. Lastly, the cold night air is a second thought to fishing. I have spent many hours in the middle of winter standing by a shoreline catching and releasing trout at night with my primary thought being on catching trout, not feeling the cold. Once you feel the cold, game over!
I love watching it snow and accumulate on me while fishing. Dealing with freezing lines and ice build up between every cast and having to cautiously and very carefully remove the hook from a catch so that your hands don’t get exposed to the water is a different type of fishing fun in the winter. Don’t be reluctant – give it a try. Check out this post from last year which shows a friend of mine enjoying the cold while fishing- Click here. She was definitely a trooper, she didn’t complain once even while the other cold weather, winter anglers were leaving for the warmth of home.
You can’t go wrong by spending some time outdoors this winter. It only comes once a year and provides a new look on things and hopefully an appreciation of what you got. If you live in bass country, fish deep and slow by structure and cover. If you live in trout country, fish at all levels of the water column with a slow to moderate retrieve.