With the temperatures dropping, fish seem to disappear. Fishing in cold water can be hard, but it’s also a very rewarding experience. If you’ve tried it before, you might remember the frozen fingers and icy winds. But with the right techniques, knowledge and patience, cold water fishing can be fun! Here are three things to do different next time you go cold water fishing.
Fish in a different place
If you usually fish in the summer, you probably like to stay in shallow waters. In the winter, fish tend to migrate to deeper water, it’s their way to combat the cold. The temperature of deeper water is more stable and the chance that the water will freeze is smaller. Drop-offs and underwater channels are the best fishing places in wintery times. Try to find a spot where the fish can easily migrate to those deeper waters.
Fish with different bait
Fish are a lot lazier in the winter compared to the summer. This makes it harder to get fish to bite during the colder months. In the summer, brightly colored topwater baits and spinnerbaits are most popular, but in the winter, muted colors are the way to go. If you have trouble catching the attention of the fish during the colder months, try to use bait scents and salted plastics.
Use a different technique
Good, now you’re in the right spot with some new bait, but the fish still won’t bite. Something that works well for fish in colder waters is dragging the bait along the bottom of your fishing spot and popping it up sporadically. This will allow the slow fish to catch the bait anyways. This technique requires a lot of patience, but it’s very rewarding when the fish finally bite.
With the right bait, location and amount of patience, cold water fishing can be a fun challenge. Good luck!
