Winter fishing tips......

[elnutsmalljaws]

Off to Dale Hollow with Chunknwind for a couple of nights playing Tug O' War with a few Brownfish. Been thinking more and more about FNF season, which is only 106 days away to December 1, and can't come any sooner for me. We have several people on here that do not FNF much or fish in the winter period that may just start this season so I thought about a starting a thread on Winter fishing tips. These can be general tips or specific fishing tips so here goes. Read along and add your favorites please for certainly we all won't remember them all as we type.

General:

Ramps will freeze instantly with water on them if the air temp is cold enough or if the ramp is in the shade. After you launch your boat, pull up the trailer slowly to let the water drain from your trailer back in the water and not on the ramp. Let you trailer sit on the edge for a couple of minutes to completely drain.

Don't unlatch your boat until it is backed down to the waters edge. The running boards on your trailer will get wet and freeze and if you unlatch it on a hill, down the boat will slide and ruin your fishing trip instantaneously.

After you are done for the day fishing, pull your plug, drain what water is out and then re-install your plug. If you don't some water will sit in the threads of your plug and freeze over night making it very difficult to get your plug in the next morning and you could strip the threads in the process. Make sure you drain your boat for the water left inside could freeze and bust your bildge pumps.

Tilt your motor all the way down after it is back on the trailer to get any and all water out of it so it does not freeze overnight. I have seen some that crank it for a split second and it will spit it out (I have never done this but I guess it would work)

Use goggles, a helmet or some other face mask when driving in the winter for your eyes will water up very quickly and the sun is extremely bright making driving very dangerous.

Fishing

Keep a little pink color in your FNF jig when it is high blue skies and some chartruese in your jig on overcast days.

Pick whatever depth to start fishing your jig, then if no results, move your depth shallower before going deeper. The fish will come up for a bite more readily than go down for one for they are suspended and looking up more this time of year.

If you can pick the nastiest, overcast, rainy, sleety, snowy day of the week to go, that is the best for the bite. Not the best on the fisherman but the best for the bite. I will take a full week of these days versus any high blue skies anytime.

Focus on your cadence, how far from the bank, how deep or what you was doing with the jig at the time of the strike and try to repeat it for Brownies will get set in their ways and want a specific retrieve or depth.

Use the FNF bobber, Bob's Bobbers, or make your own. You will not regret it in any way. The bobber will tell you so much information that a normal plastic bobber can not. Use this bobber and you will not be disappointed. You can learn to make your own in no time at all. I can make up 20 of them in a couple of hours with no problem, versus paying $4 for a pair. Easiest way I learned was that I stepped on one in my boat one day by accident and saw what the secret was and nothing to it.

You can fish the jig up to 14-16 feet deep if necessary. The reason people don't is they can cast it with this much line out. The secret to making a cast with a leader this long is make sure the jig is fully suspended below the bobber in front of you, BEFORE, you make the backswing. The tension immediately on the backswing will load up the rod early making it easier to cast. The jig actually squirts out of the water heading back before you change direction and the rod loads up the other way to cast. It can be a little dangerous, for the jig is flying around your head but it can be done, glasses may be a good item to wear if doing this as well for protection.

I have the best results with the 8lb Fireline leader, 3-way swivel, and 6lb or 4lb XPS Bass Pro Flourocarbon leader setup. I used 6lb P Line straight for a couple of years and then changed and will never go back. The 3-way setup is so much better. I get a much better hookset, better casting distance, and better overall performance with the 3-way system.

Fish Dope the head of the jig in December but leave the hairs alone, Fish Dope all the jig and twist the tail to a point when the water gets to its coldest and the fish are the least active. I like the moving hair early in the season when fish are still active but calm it down later in the winter. (But do not blow your nose on the rag that you use to remove the Garlic Fish Dope from your fingers, for your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, Dog or any other creature on the planet (except maybe a Smallie) will not like you for several days, especially if you have a mustache or full beard.)


I am sure there are a million more but no time to type for I am packing for Dale Hollow. The only thing I could add is that I have a 12 spot milkrun that I make every morning I fish Dale in the wintertime and I would appreciate if you would not fish these spots. I will do the same for you, all you have to do is tell me the spots and I will make sure to mark them on my map as NO FISHING. Now add some more tips so all of us can learn some stuff about winter fishing in general or specific. Have a nice day for 12 hours from now Chunknwind and I will be dragging a couple of big old spinnerbaits on a few of my favorite night spots looking for a 12 pounder.

[fisherman0625]

Dont Forget about the yellow Jig..lol....

[Dave Stewart]

This won't help you catch more fish but it may allow you to fish again if you run into problems or have an accident on the water in winter:

1. Let someone know where you are fishing, when you are launching, where you are fishing and when you are going to return...let them know you will contact them when you are off the water so that they will know you are missing if you don't call.

2. Carry a survival kit with you in waterproof bag. Matches or lighter, fire starter, freeze dried soup, extra set of clothing, cell phone, first aid kit, flashlight, flare gun.

3. Wear your pfd (all the time).

[Rangerman]

I might add an extra set of clothes, boots, socks and possibly a towel, just in case you get wet or fall in the lake. Also, a good propane heater comes in mighty "handy" when it is really cold out.

[mhall]

All good stuff fellas. On the fishing don't forget not just that ole fly will catch'em when it's real cold. Jerkbaits, traditional jigs, including slow rolling sometimes large hair jigs, crankbaits, just to name a few. SLOW DOWN, WAAAAY down at times to get bit. One of the heaviest bags of smallies I caught this year was at the end of January slow rolling 1/2 oz bucktail jigs back to the boat. Best five that day would have been about 19lb or so. Take your cell phone if you have one and as Dave said have somebody to worry about you if you don't check in by a certain time, this is crutial.

[bigwormy]

i envy you guys that get to fish for them brownies all the time. REALLY I HATE YOU!!!

[Cobra190]

Add in a good pair of neoprene gloves.

[MsgMills]

I also carry an emergency Thermal Blanket, to wrap someone up in, in case they fall in the cold water.

[mhall]

i envy you guys that get to fish for them brownies all the time. REALLY I HATE YOU!!!

Dang it Wormy put some gas in that truck and come'on down.

[dmase]

I still like the ol' reliable hair jig and a 1/2 oz gold silver buddy in the Winter.
I have been float & fly fishin and did catch a 4 lber. On a hair jig not a F & F. I will still work the F&F this Winter though. I think the weather was too mild last winter.

[fishincreek]

All I need for winter fishing is my (badluck) mad bomber hat and Andrew!

[Cobra190]

A filled hot thermos makes for a good fishin' buddy also!!!