Hawnjigs
KISS
Don't ice fish, so wait for warmup windows to access flowing open water. Been sunny enuf to melt some snow from south facing banks and in high 30s temps guide/line icing isn't an issue. Could see it coming earlier in the cold season, river trout appear to be fished out and a 6 mile RT hike few days ago only gave up a single 16".
So with no better choice, this is my first Winter in 8 yrs here targeting warm water species. Lakes & ponds are solidly capped, but luckily the canals are now open water till the next chill.
Altho the pearl BG Baby Shads have been producing a few smallies, occasional stray wally, & apparently hungry enuf to bite jigs carpsuckers or buffaloes (can't tell them apart yet) decided to go with my smallest castable on 4# braid 1/16 #6 plain black head black mink tie jig at 1" long. Canal water level remains low with 40-70 cfps outlet flow release compared to 1,000 during the warm season, so fish are holding in deeper pools generally below bridges.
2 bridges and a whole afternoon later 20 smallies mostly 12" + decent size 3 cats & a wally all jig biters.
Previous years brief cold season canal sessions were generally skunks so really glad to have discovered a reasonably productive open water Winter option. Since the fish are cold water (ice floating) inactive slow as possible retrieves and persistent repetitive casting are necessary to trigger the few biters.
So with no better choice, this is my first Winter in 8 yrs here targeting warm water species. Lakes & ponds are solidly capped, but luckily the canals are now open water till the next chill.
Altho the pearl BG Baby Shads have been producing a few smallies, occasional stray wally, & apparently hungry enuf to bite jigs carpsuckers or buffaloes (can't tell them apart yet) decided to go with my smallest castable on 4# braid 1/16 #6 plain black head black mink tie jig at 1" long. Canal water level remains low with 40-70 cfps outlet flow release compared to 1,000 during the warm season, so fish are holding in deeper pools generally below bridges.
2 bridges and a whole afternoon later 20 smallies mostly 12" + decent size 3 cats & a wally all jig biters.
Previous years brief cold season canal sessions were generally skunks so really glad to have discovered a reasonably productive open water Winter option. Since the fish are cold water (ice floating) inactive slow as possible retrieves and persistent repetitive casting are necessary to trigger the few biters.