Winter Trout

[Hawnjigs]

I notice that some JigCrafters are kinda stuck with poor ice conditions and still inactive warm water species open water. Luckily, we have open water trouting opportunity here in Winter due to a spring inflow section of a trout stocked reservoir and running water below its outlet which areas I would enjoy during warm spells.  During my 2 previous Winters here on the Midwest plains there was decent trouting within a quarter mile walk of parking areas with average 12" and 18-20" occasional hooters, but this year even 10" stockers are in short supply.  Luckily I met Master Angler local guide Ric who shared that perhaps I should try walking beyond that few hundred yards comfort zone of myself and most, so I started gradually increasing my trekking range to up to 2 miles.  Suffice to say that even famous gold medal Wyoming waters can't match my experience since our chat a few weeks ago.

Since most of us have some nearby trout opportunity,  I would suggest that this unusually warm Winter could be well spent investigating trout holding open water beyond the beaten path with the bonus of quality outdoor excercise. With the lack of bug activity primary forage appears to be minnows and any mimic lure would probably work. I've already posted the satisfying effectiveness of my choice Gulp! on a jig head in another section of the forum. Sorry, I don't carry an image making device.

 

[AllenOK]

Hawn, my thoughts exactly! I've just found out that one of the holes I would hit last year has Trout during the winter.

Unfortunately, the one thing that's keeping me from fishing is lack of a vehicle. I'm rather impatiently waiting on my tax refund. Should be ANY day now.....

 

[Bucho]

I strongly recommend what´s said above. We have this kind of conditions nearly every winter. Unfortunately state law has been changed and fresh water season opening was postponed to the first of march. Otherwise I would have long filled fridge and smoker with canal trout as I did the winters before when season opened new year.
They get a bit sluggish under 4°celsius but usually keep biting as long as water is open.

 

[Jig Man]

No ice and only stocker trout here, but the crappie are getting an early jump on it... :icon14:

 

[Hawnjigs]

Learned something about Winter trouting last time out at my local reservoir outlet spot. With outflow barely flowing at 27 CFS into the river below, the series of weired current damping pools were partially to mostly ice capped. Arriving at mid-day a group of anglers leaving advised that they had success at the edge of the ice in the pool below the first weir and on my first cast there got a decent 12" jumper. That was it tho as the previous party of three had probably stung the rest in the limited area within casting range.

This lower pool is attractive having deep water below the elevated walk on boulder weir with over half open water. After half an hour of nothing with no better option decided to try the less pressured narrow strip of open water above the weir in the nearly totally capped upper shallower pool. Casting to the edge of the ice a mere 20-30 out from the rocks, got a few 10" stocker dinks then was surprised by a much heftier feeling take. After considerable struggle a gorgeous 8# fat lady allowed herself to be subdued, by far the biggest trout I've ever seen in this area. Another angler metioned that he also targets ice edges for Winter trout.

Not likely to get on it anytime soon, but realizing that ice is my friend.

 

[bucktail]

Great writeup hawn...I'm about 1hr from the adirondack park and about 1hr45min away from my camp ...other than the trips up there I don't trout fish much....good to get out and cast...I might just try my luck on some walleye action tonight

 

[AtticaFish]

I agree, always target ANY edges i come across. Current seams, weed edges, rock ledges.... anything that makes an edge in the water can be a highway for the fish. I have talked to some guys who swear by fishing along the edges that ice shoves make during ice fishing season. I can not attest to that theory, but i have caught several late fall walleye casting right up along areas that get iced up quickly. I can remember once (2 season back) i actually hooked a walleye and my line was laying up over the edge of skim ice and i was working lure right along that edge. Thought for sure the ice might slice through my line or just simply loose the fish when it hit the ice, but some how managed to land it.