winter stream fishing

[kc]

Anyone having any luck with stream fishing yet this year? Killed my soul last Thursday / Friday with the super winter weather we had I couldn't get away from work and chase something somewhere. I also noted that some of the streams around Louisville were down and had good color. Made we wonder about chasing some smallies but that is one thing I have never done - chase stream smallies in January / February. Even with the weather is it too early for stream smallies?

kc

[Carter1]

Elkhorn is still up a little but I believe it is on the way down. At least it is not muddy anymore at the Forks.

[Tim_T]

Smallies can be caught this time of year, but imo they aren't real aggressive so you want to downsize your bait and work it slowly, much like you would on a lake.

[MetalFish513]

I agree, small bait and slow presentation is your best bet. Also you need to find deep holes with slow moving water or really nice current breaks. Their metabolism is way down so they don't want to use too much energy fighting current or chasing prey. Its tough to get smallies to bite this time of year but they will. Just remember to have LOTS of patients!

[kc]

I like finess fishing so patience is my middle name. I was just wondering if anyone is hitting the creeks yet. I had a notion to get the canoe out and give it a try but that is kind of a spooky proposition with the water temps. Maybe if I went with another boat and packed dry clothes just in case.

I remember my dad years ago telling a story of catching a heck of a string of smallies out of floyds fork on live minnows fishing late February but I haven't heard many getting out this early. Maybe next warm up...

kc

[MetalFish513]

I've hit the creek near my house twice so far this year. Both times the water was way up, moving pretty fast, and really muddy. I tried both black and bright orange jigs but got skunked both times. You would think with the warmer weather we've had this winter the chances of hooking into some winter smallies would be better. I'll be back at it in the next couple days to try again. Hopefully the water conditions will be a little more in my favor next time. I'll let you know how I do.

[kvonn]

I got skunked at Otter Creek, Thursday Feb 2, using Senko worms & tubes.
I got skunked yesterday at Little Kentucky River using nightcrawlers.
It's rough in the winter.Thankfully, March will be here soon & then there's hope!
Kurt

[coombro]

Been knocking em in the head at Roundstone. Pink Popeye in the riffells.

[kc]

Not speaking from great creek experience but I would think a smallish hair jig would be a good cold water stream bait. That or a tube. I guess I just have kind of a mental block with wading or canoeing cold water.

When I was a teen 4 of us went goofing down floyds fork in february in a pair of john boats and we flipped one. so we ended up on the bank building a fire and drying out our clothes and standing there shivering in our underwear. memories. we did catch a largemouth that would push 5# that day though on a jig...

kc

[kc]

I new a guy from Munfordville years ago that was very fond of Roundstone...

kc

[MetalFish513]

Went out to the creek this morning for about an hour. The water was back down and a beautiful greenish color. The first hole I tried produced absolutely nothing. I was throwing a white twirl tail grub on an 1/8 oz jig head. Just basically bouncing it slowly on the bottom. When I got to my second hole I actually spooked a smallie that was hanging out around the rock pile I was planning on casting from. It looked to be in the 12-14 inch range. I tried the white grub for a while but didn't get a single bite so I switched to a Rapala X-Rap. I was just using the twitch, twitch, pause method and during one of the pauses felt a pretty good thump. I may have gotten a little too excited and pulled a little too hard only to throw myself off balance and almost fall over into the freezing cold water. No fish. After numerous more casts I had run out of time and had to pack it up and mark this day with another big SKUNK. Oh well though. I saw a smallie, I felt a bite, and I got to spend a little time at the creek. Not a bad winter day at all.

Anybody else able to get out?

[Basshunter82]

Been fishing at Floyds off and on all winter with not much luck. Tubes seem to be about the only thing working right now.