January still offers some fishing opportunities
If this January proves to be like last year, maybe we all need to get some 2-foot, ice-fishing poles and some lessons from our northern friends. Wow, what a brutal January 2014 was. I still remember the sting of opening that utility bill to the tune of 600 bucks — Ouch!
As a kid, I didn’t care if it was 20 degrees outside, I’d go fishing, but nowadays, 20 degrees is not so much fun, unless they are biting. Biting fish tend to make any weather conditions better.
Hopefully, last year will prove abnormal and we can get several of those warm days in the 70s like we have in the past, but it pays to have a plan in case it does turn cold.
If it does get so cold that most of the lakes freeze, you will be forced to fish power-plant lakes or plan a trip far to the south. A nice road trip can give you something to look forward to, and with gas prices on the decline, it might be a good time to take that trip to Florida or South Texas. A word of warning though: if the cold fronts extend far down into Florida or Texas it affects those Florida-strain fish a lot more than it does our northern-strain bass.
If you take that trip to Florida, make sure you prepare for the inevitable cold front down there. The best way to catch fish in the South on weedy lakes is to punch mats. The bass get into the thickest patches of weeds and often just suspend right under the mat of weeds, absorbing the radiant heat and enjoying protection from birds. Be sure to stock up on some Culprit Incredicraws and the New IncrediPunch Craws to take with you. Rig these with a 4/0 straight-shank or wide-gap hook, if you prefer, and a 1- to 1 1/2-ounce weight and some heavy braid to begin your quest. I like to seek out isolated mats. These tend to concentrate the fish more and increase your odds.
If you are not so lucky to take that trip to Florida or Texas, you still have options depending on the weather. We have lots of lakes with warm-water discharges that can be good all winter; Hyco, Sutton, Norman, High Rock, Wylie and others offer warm water all year. Do your research and figure out where the discharges are and seek out water that is warmer for more active fish. Sometimes the fish won’t be as big in the warm water, but they will sure be more active.
If we are lucky and get warm weather, the smaller and shallower the body of water, the better, as they will warm the fastest. Be warned; they also cool off faster and shut down quickly, so you have to plan your days based on weather for the best fishing.
Crankbaits are my favorite baits in the winter under warming conditions. Lipless baits can be excellent, as well as flat-sided plugs. I like a subtle bait without massive rattles if the water is clear. The 6th Sense Snatch lipless bait has two versions. One with a faint rattle system (FRS); this bait is great when the water is clearer or fishing around other anglers as it tends to surprise the bass a little more and get more bites under adverse conditions. If everything is perfect — the south wind is blowing and the water is warming — then I like the standard rattles.
The other bait I really like is the 6th Sense flat side. In addition to having a square bill, it does not float up fast, but still floats enough to get in other limbs and other snags, making it great for shallow cranking in the winter. The slow floating is perfect for colder weather, and the flat sides are good for our lakes that have a little color to them. The flat sides put out a lot more flash than a rounded bait.
One very unique thing to consider is if you fish small ponds, don’t overlook topwater. I fish this one particular pond where, under calm, warm conditions, the fish suspend just under the surface. If you ever see a lot of fish spooking as you cast or your boat moves — this is likely what is going on.
The past few years, I’ve seen this under the perfect conditions, and you can’t catch them any other way. It is truly remarkable, and no one will every believe you which makes it that much more fun. You need about three sunny days in a row with 70-degree temperatures to get this going. I’m going to try to film a show doing it this winter just for the naysayers out there. I doubt this situation would occur very often in bigger lakes as the larger volume of water and structure options give the fish a lot more places to be and less sensitive to surface temps.
Seems every year about the time of the fishing show in Raleigh it is either 70 and beautiful or snowing.
Anyway, keep an open mind and a steady eye on the weather and take advantage of the few good days that we should have. Good Luck and have fun!
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