Who else wants to go out trying their luck to catch fish in chilly weather?

The truth is it is not easy to grab the fishing reel during the winter months.

As the temperature drops low, it is obvious that you will start to feel lazy.

And, we can’t deny that winter is not the year’s most convenient fishing time.

Fair enough, but, then it overlooks the fact that winter is a common season for hunting and many anglers trade fishing for hunting during this period.

That effectively means less competition and you might catch more fish on your lures than you could expect from a summer fishing trip.

Moreover, let’s not forget that most freshwater species group up in cold water.

So, consider this rewarding possibility and don’t just pack the fishing gears away.

The good thing is, with the right gear and winter fishing tips you can load your fishing bag with your desired winter fishing species even when the weather is not very welcoming.

And, this is where this web page comes handy. Because today I am going to figure out the best winter fishing tips to help you utilize the noteworthy opportunity that winter provides to cold anglers.

So, What Is The Best Time To Go For Fishing In Winter?

Well, if you decide to trade cold weather for fishes the first thing you need is research and a bit of preparation to make an educated guess.

And, knowing the best time to go fishing in winter, is one of the significant parts of that preparation.

Otherwise, you could be annoyed just sitting on the lake waiting for a nibble.

Saying that there is no hard and fast rule that is certain to be the best time for winter fishing.

And, most winter fishing species like the human, stay lazy and inactive until the sun comes to raise the temperature.

Therefore, you shouldn’t dream to be the same lucky person every time you get up early to catch some instant fish.

That’s why I don’t hurry and I am happy to grab my fishing equipment when the sun begins to wake things up later in the day.

According to experts you are likely to catch a fair amount of fish later in the morning when the air temperature has started to climb up. Following my own experiment, I often find that early afternoon is the best time to go fishing in winter. If I am more specific, the best chances are available between 12 pm to  4 pm with enough sun to create a pleasant climate for your fishing trip. Add to that, more light brings in more active fishes. So, you can expect a bunch of good bites without having to wait much longer.

However, when you opt for ice fishing, the best time of the day is early morning and late afternoon if you’re up to bring some bass or trout in particular.  

Why Deciding The Best Time For Fishing Is Important In Winter?

To improve your likelihood of success it is essential that you know the best time for fishing in winter for a number of reasons:

• Fish habits vary upon the amount of sunlight and the water temperature
• Their metabolic rate and feeding time changes during different parts of the day
• Varying wind triggers water current that affects fish feeding and their movement through the reservoir
• Moon phases play a significant role as it influences the fish activities

So, before going out to fish make sure you are mindful of the above factors and have a check on changing tides, time of the day and the direction of the wind to nail fish behaviors and the possible depth at which they can be.

Also, don’t forget to give an eye to the weather forecast and signs that indicate the presence of the feeding fish.

Evaluating all of these will help you to take a precise decision about where to fish and when to fish. Thus you are ready to pick up your fishing rod to bite the water and catch a limit.

Now, in the next section, I am going to discuss the above factors in detail together with some effective winter fishing tips for cold weather angling.

Effective Winter Fishing Tips [Things You Should Consider]

While winter fishing does have its advantages you should follow a few tips to get the most of it.

Finding The Perfect Location

When you go out on a winter fishing trip, the worst thing you can do is sit on the wrong lake and waste time where there is no fish around to bite your baits.

Since fishes have to adjust to the drop in temperature, their seasonal behaviors may change and perhaps they will choose to temporarily relocate their living area.

So, carry out enough research on which lake to go fishing at this time of year. You can easily obtain a range of useful information from your local or state fishing website.

You can check this resource to find the major fishing areas and additional winter fishing tips.

However, before you make the final decision, make sure that you have access to a road that goes to that lake or river and whether the condition is safe to fish.

You can go one step further if you are able to determine the water level and current flow condition for your fishing destination.

Barometric Pressure Might Be Decisive

If you’ve never heard this before, better check this out now since barometric pressure will play an important part in making it a good or bad day of fishing for you.

But don’t feel overwhelmed by the word because it just refers to the weight of the air.

It is the movement of the earth and the aggregate force of the planet that maintain the cycle of the high and low atmospheric pressure.

You might seen this in a weather forecast report that high air pressure forecasts dry and comfortable weather, whereas low air pressure is often described as a windy and cloudy condition.

So, you can now understand that varying barometric pressure is responsible for changes in water temperature.

The most important thing to know is that the fish feeding activity tends to change depending on the condition of this barometric pressure.

Often time it is the middle of the transition that fishes prepare themselves for the forthcoming changes and you should prepare yourself to take the advantage.

Saying that it is not advisable to fish when the air pressure just starting to rise again. The reason is, fish are likely to take time to adapt to the rising pressure after a bad front.

And that means the best time to plan your trip could be right before the preceding of a front(falling barometric pressure). During the time the fish will often feed actively, as they will be less able to feed when it arrives.

Use Seabirds To Find School Of Fish

If you are a smart fisherman you know where to cast your fishing line once you ride on your boat. Yeah, it is the place on the lake where a flock of seabirds such as cormorants and seagulls hovering above the water to snatch baitfish.

And, the interesting thing is that you are very likely to get some sportfish such as stripers just around that school of baitfish. So, look for a group of flying birds if you want to grab some quick fish in winter.

Have An Equipment Check

This the most basic step for fishing regardless of the season. To catch a handful of fish you must make sure that you have gathered all the necessary gears around. Check out the following list to compare this to your equipment set.

• Fishing Pole
• Fishing Rod
• Reel
• Fishing Line
• Fishing Hooks
• Bait or Lures

After you have grouped up your fishing gear now make sure they are in good shape.

Otherwise, line twists, backlashes, and tangles are some of the likely outcomes as winter places additional strain on your gears.

To avoid this, confirm if your fishing reels are rusty or you have a ripped fishing line to tackle.

Take a good few hours in cleaning and lubricating the reels and if you need a line conditioner can help ensure that your fishing line works 100 percent fine.

Select The Right Baits

Both live and artificial bait can be used to entice fish. However, I believe live baits such as Minnows, shiners, and worms encourage more fish on the lure. Because those predators are used to the fresh forage smells and with live bait it is easy to maintain a natural pace under the water.

But, if you want to cut costs artificial bait is perfectly okay as well. For this, you have to realize that fish are sluggish and so you need to move slowly with your artificial bait to make them willing to chase for it.

Additionally, hard bait that comes with hair and feathers will work for your advantage as they float in the water to provide natural movements.

Downsize Your Lure

Fish except those mammals are cold-blooded and their feeding metabolism reduced drastically making them feed less under cold water. As they become lethargic they are not willing to chase bigger prey. So, the trick is to scale down to a tiny jig spoon and reduce the lure presentation to mimic the natural feeding habits during this time of the year.

Dress Properly

This is not the last but one of the most important bit to include in this winter fishing tips since winter is cold, especially if you urge to go for ice fishing. So, ensure that you have a good set of wintertime gears to protect your skin and the feet.

For my winter fishing adventure, I want an ice fishing bibs to cover my inner clothing and prefer a pair of calf-long fishing boots for my feet.

In addition, you will also want to invest in tools like hand warmers, a waterproof coat, and a thick beanie to tackle the winter.

However, you don’t have to be too vigilant and overheat your body with heavily layered clothing.

Ensure Your Safety

Winter is unpredictable and that is why you have to ensure your safety regardless of the location you are going to fish.

There are some basic safety measures that we all need to set up before we proceed. One of them is to check the weather updates so that we don’t end up being in the middle of a blizzard or snowstorm.

Also, you should inform your partner or mom about the details of your trip.

If you are heading for the first time in a new place or if you are ice fishing, there is some element of danger involved. So, it is advisable that you bring yourself a buddy to support in case of an emergency.

Moreover, if it takes a bit walk to get from your vehicle to the fishing spot look around and find shelter in case you need a cover over your head.

The last but the most important thing is to ensure that fishing is permitted to your intended lake or river. It is illegal to fish in certain lakes when others may have restrictions for anglers.

Also, there could be issues with your fishing license. So, update yourself with information so that you are secure from overriding local regulations.

Winter Fishing Species

A good way to target the best winter fishing species could be to:

• determine which fish species are most tolerant of cold water.
• find fish at the bottom water and deeper grass

Now let’s take a short look at my top four winter fishing species that you can bring one home for a delicious pan this winter.

Trout

Trout is the first choice on my list. Because their metabolism helps them to remain active even in colder water trouts are an excellent quarry for the winter.

This coupled with the fact that the water current affects this species more than the weather condition, trout is my obvious selection.

A lake with creeks and spring-fed streams is the most likely place to find trouts where the water remains the same modest temperature year-round.

So, give your fishing hook a few floating baits to win a successful trout fishing challenge this winter.

Crappie

Crappie is a freshwater fish that are found in large number in North America, Eastern half of the USA and Canada. They are ideal particularly when you target them for ice fishing.

Crappie don’t go into the hibernation state during a cold snap, and thus you can expect them to be fairly active especially later in the day.

However, one downside to note is their biting metabolism slowed-down during the coldest hours and that’s the reason why they might not chase your baits as quickly as you expect.

Having said that, it doesn’t imply that they are not in the feeding behavior due to lower temperatures. Instead, it just that they could be feeding less this time of the year. So, don’t turn your back if you are not catching crappie in an hour or two.

In winter, Crappie usually lives in muddy or sandy conditions about 15 to 20 ft deep inside the water.

So, put in the hours and keep your movement a bit deep to catch a few bites earlier. And, it is better if you downsize your bait offering like I mention earlier.

Perch

Cold weather is perfect for perch particularly the yellow jumbos. They often seen to be biting the ice and could be your favorite winter fishing species to target.

For successful angling, the first step is to select a reputed lake with gentle water that hosts a good number.

If you live in Minnesota’s you know your favorite one that offers perch fishing.

Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, Winnibigoshis, Ottertail Lake and Big Stone Lake are some of the big names that you might also be familiar with.

After you set your desired lake the next bit is to drill holes around those basins and flats until you find the school of perch.

In addition, the key to work on increasing the chances is to go for a small jigging spoon-type lure with colorful glass or plastic bead on the hook.

The jigging action will allow the perch to eat and this is one of the most deadly perch fishing rig that has been highly praised by expert anglers.

Northern Pike

If you head out to the north for winter fishing, Pike is an excellent species to aim for.

Their physical adaptation lets them remain aggressive in nearly every lake and rivers throughout the north.

However, if you want to get a plethora of pike in winter you have to set aside a few times to research where they might be found.

Therefore you need to understand the lake’s ecology to know where its forage species will grow in plenty.

In addition, pike likes to actively feed in lakes that get more light. So, if you want to catch some pike you should find a lake with clearer water.

Also, if you don’t know, pikes are ambush prey and that is why they patrol along the steep break lines and underwater structure where the baitfish fly.

Let me also inform you that, pikes dig deep as the winter gets colder. So, the trick is to place your spearing shack next to deep-water holes to generate a good result.
 

So, there you have it.

It is all about doing proper research on your local map to determine the best time for fishing in winter in your native lakes or rivers.

And, the purpose of this blog post was to assist you in this study and help you find the right winter fishing tips at your fingertips.

Finally, I hope you are happy to get some useful information here and I believe this will encourage you to hold your fishing rod until you get the desired bite.

Now, let’s take a few of them to the dinner party today.