Carefully choosing the days you fish during the winter months can make the difference in catching a few small ones or a boat load. For that reason, savvy anglers prefer to fish in advance of an approaching cold front, not the twenty-four to forty-eight hour period after it passes.

 

Those fishing the day before a predicted cold front find the skies cloudy, a southerly wind, and milder than normal temperatures, all of which are considered angler and fish friendly conditions. Conversely, the day or two after a frontal passage brings colder temperatures, clear skies and wind.

 

If you are like many, choosing the days you fish are not an option. And so it seems more times than not, extreme winter conditions are the norm, particularly if you are fishing in a tournament. If you must fish, regardless of weather conditions, consider the following:

 

• Assure that trolling motor batteries are fully charged.

• Fish the warmest water you can find, whether it’s deep, a hot water discharge or a sunny afternoon shoreline.

• Down-size baits and tackle

• Slow the retrieve.

• Make multiple casts to the same spot.

• Fish live bait when allowed.  It’s easier to feed them, than to trick them into biting.

• Spray lures with smell attractants. The best   scents are shad, shrimp and garlic.