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F&G: Here's why you should keep fishing in
winter (Part 1) |
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December 2, 2015 |
By Roger Phillips
Idaho Fish and Game
People may see hearty anglers wading streams or
staked out on banks during winter weather and
wonder "what are they doing?"
The short answer is "probably catching fish."
Late fall and early winter are overlooked times
for the simple reason most anglers don't want to
deal with the cold temperatures. Ice anglers
love frigid temperatures because that's what
forms ice, but we will save ice fishing for
later.
Many fish species remain fairly active in cold
temperatures, and there's no reason not to fish
for them. In fact, late-season fishing has its
advantage. Many streams are at the lowest levels
of the year, which concentrates fish in smaller
areas. Rivers and streams are often empty, or
have only a few other anglers, so you have your
pick of prime fishing spots.
Two of the most popular late season fisheries
are for basically the same fish: rainbow trout
and their ocean-going cousins - steelhead.
Steelhead anglers are used to fishing in cold
weather because the fish don't arrive until late
summer and they're gone by spring, so most of
the season involves cool or cold weather. Winter
steelhead fishing has some advantages over
warmer months. Steelhead are migratory, but they
tend to hunker down during winter, so you when
you find fish in a certain spot, chances are
good they will be there again next time you go.
Steelhead don't feed like other fish because
they mostly stop eating after entering
freshwater, but they will bite a lure or bait.
As a general guideline, steelhead like stable or
warming temperatures, and a rise of a few
degrees will often get them active.
Rainbow trout are another favorite winter
quarry. Where you find them, you will also often
find whitefish, which are also fun to catch and
many anglers' favorite fish for the smoker.
There's no secret to winter stream fishing for
trout. Look for them in the same places you find
them other times of year. They often favor
deeper, slower water, but you can still catch
them in riffles during winter. Drifting bait or
fly fishing with nymphs are often your best
tactics. The fish are unlikely to chase lures or
travel far looking for food, but they will take
food, or a good imitation of it, when it's
placed in front of them.
Whitefish can often be found in riffles, and if
you wear polarized glasses and watch closely,
you can see a flash of silver underwater when
they're feeding. Whitefish school during winter,
so where you catch one, you're likely to find
more.
Regardless of what you fish for during winter,
it's important to remember the basics of
fishing, such as figuring out where fish are and
what they're likely to be feeding on, and adjust
your tactics for the conditions.
Here are some tips:
- Sleep in. There's rarely a need to be there at
first light. You will usually have better
fishing late morning to early afternoon when
things warm up a little bit.
- Stick close to home. No need to spend hours
driving, except for steelhead. Winter is a good
time to explore your local trout fisheries, or
rediscover them.
- Seek out warmer water. Spring-fed rivers and
streams often fish well during winter, and same
goes for dam-controlled rivers.
- Plan short trips. There's no getting around
the effects of cold weather, and eventually it
will take its toll. Plan to fish for an hour or
two and call it good.
- Bring hand warmers. Your hands are most likely
to get wet, and they can easily get chilled. A
hand warmer will quickly rewarm them. An extra
pair of gloves is also a good idea because one
pair usually gets wet.
- Wading boots with cleats are a good option.
Rocks are slippery when wet, and more slippery
when there's a layer of ice on them.
- Check the regulations. Some rivers and streams
have different rules for winter, such as
catch-and-release fishing only, restrictions on
bait, or they may be closed to fishing. |
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