Catching carp in winter has a reputation for being difficult but I believe I've developed methods at Vaux which turn the odds in my favor. Let me give you an example;
On Thursday, 24th November a good helping of mixed giant maize and wheat, cooked and prepared in bulk, were fed to the carp at Vaux over a deep spot in the middle of the lake where they are always fed in winter.
Prior to this and up to 2nd December, this carp feeding spot could not be seen as it is in deep water and there had only been a small amount of carp feces showing in the lake. Carp feces indicate what they have been feeding on; these sausage shapes, bound by a glutinous substance so that they float, are easily recognizable.
Winter fishing in western North Carolina can be as action-packed as skiing, as long as you know where to fish and what to target.
Trout anglers who enjoy catch-and-release fishing can cast a line in one of 26 Delayed-Harvest Trout Waters, while anglers who prefer fishing for walleye can try their luck in many of North Carolina’s mountain reservoirs, where this coolwater species is typically found.
Trout Fishing
Kin Hodges, a fisheries biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, recommends a newly designated Delayed-Harvest Trout Water located in Surry County — the Ararat River in Mt. Airy, between the N.C. 103 bridge and Hwy. 52.
Many crappie fishermen hang up their rods during the cold winter months, winterize their boats and sit back patiently waiting for spring. On the other hand, a lot of successful fishermen continue to fish for crappie all winter long, and for good reason: finding crappie in the winter can be easier than it is in the spring and summer.
1. Water temperature - When lake temperatures rise into the upper 50 to 60 degree range, bass are on the move. This is the time when they begin to move toward their spawning areas.
2. Creek channels are like highways for moving bass. Points on these creek channels are stop over points, fish these with a crankbait for bass. Bounce it along the bottom around points and drop offs. Try green and craw colors.
3. During pre-spawn the water is colder and bass may still be a little sluggish, so slow down your presentation. Whatever lure you use, fish it slow.
4. Fish points, drop offs, ledges, old road beds, rip rap and grassy areas with close access to deeper water, but near spawning areas.
5. Bass love weeds! Find an area with weedbeds adjacent to a channel that feeds from a spawning area. This is a good time for topwater baits, big worms or lizards, or a slow-rolling spinnerbait.
Words travel fast about hot fishing spots and soon the masses hear about it and you'll find that each weekend more and more boats are fishing in that particular walleye fishing hot spot. If you are fishing "new" waters, don't be afraid to muscle yourself into the action.
2. Check out the landscape
Look for long stretches of beach/river front that are shallow with a sudden drop off. Daytime walleye fishing is best in these drop off areas. Don't be afraid to move into very deep cold waters to find your walleye.
Calico bass (also known as kelp bass) live in kelp forests primarily in Southern California and Baja. They are a scrappy fish that averages about 1-3lbs and maxes out in the low double digits. They hit hard for their size and if you aren't careful they will go back in the kelp and wrap up your line. I have fond memories of scrambling on rocks in Southern California and Baja Mexico trying to find good spots to cast for these guys. Later on I fished for them from party boats in Southern California and pangas in Baja.
Smallmouth bass are slightly less widespread than their cousins, the Largemouth Bass. I have caught a few hundred of them in various places but I don't feel I know nearly as much about them as the Largemouth. They tend to frequent colder waters than the Largemouth although in many places the same lake will hold both species. Smallmouth also tend to spawn and generally hang out in deeper water, so perhaps that makes them feel less familiar than the Largemouth. They tend to hit many of the same lures although often you will have more success if you downsize a bit.
Smallmouth Bass do not attain the same large potential size as the Largemouth. A 5lber is a very big one and they top out around twice that. They are scrappier than Largemouth pound for pound and their fight is usually noticeably better.
I have never eaten one, so I don't know how they taste. I always release them.
Anyone who's been out in Ontario fishing one of the many lakes knows that your success will greatly depend on adjusting your techniques depending on the time of year. Although many Ontario fishing resorts are open year round, we will focus on spring, summer and fall fishing. Spring and fall fishing packages are a popular offering at many Ontario fishing lodges. There are any number of Ontario fishing resources that will provide tips and techniques for catching walleye (pickerel) but the basics are fairly straightforward with only a few seasonal adjustments required.
Anglers love nothing better than to fight a winter steelhead on Michigan's Muskegon River in Newaygo. These powerful fish are known as hot chrome torpedoes and can weigh as much as 20 pounds. Just having one on your line is the thrill of a lifetime and most of Michigan's steelheads are wild steels.
The steelhead migration season begins at the end of October, after the Chinook are finished spawning. Peak months for fishing steelhead are November and December when the fish being their spawning migration. These beauties end the migration near the end of February and into early March.
The best place to fish for chrome torpedoes, the Muskegon River in Newaygo is perfect for fly fishing in early spring and late fall.
When it comes to late fall and winter bass fishing, waters can be just above freezing making bass very slow and lethargic. In order to catch bass at this time of year you need to size down and slow down in order to entice them to bite. There are many techniques and lures out there that can be used in order to catch these bass, but one lure that has fallen off the radar over the years and deserves more popularity then it gets is the hair jig. These lures work great for cold water situations and have been know to catch bass in waters with a temperature between 35 and 40 degrees.
Hair jigs are one of the earliest artificial lures used in the sport of angling and was extremely popular when it came to bass fishing. But when the sport of bass fishing took off in the late 60's early 70's, tournament anglers started using jigs with rubber skirts and trailers.
