Cold weather angling offers solitude and success
by Jim McCarty
Those anglers who hang up their poles in the fall are missing out on a key truth about fishing: It’s a year-round activity. From catch-and-release trout to ice fishing on farm ponds, the fish continue to bite even when the mercury drops and the days grow shorter.
“Winter is definitely a good time to catch fish,” says Andrew Branson, a fisheries programs specialist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. “I think most people don’t fish in the winter because it’s not as pleasant for us.”
He says fish slow down in the winter, but if you are patient you can catch your limit just about anywhere. “Fish are cold-blooded, so that means as the water gets colder their metabolism slows down,” Andrew says. “They’re not going to be as active as they are during warm weather, which means they may be a little harder to find. They may not be actively out there searching for food. But if people fish the typical hot spots for fishing, the fish probably are going to be hanging out there.”
Andrew says the advantages of winter fishing are less competition from other anglers, no bugs and fewer weeds to snag lures. Here’s where to dip your lure this winter while you wait for warmer weather to return.
Ice fishing
While Missouri’s warmer winters wouldn’t seem to lend themselves to ice fishing, it can be done when the temperature drops in January and February. Multiple days of below freezing temps will harden the ice in ponds and lakes enough that you can give it a try if you are careful.
“With ice fishing, you want to make sure the ice is safe before you venture out on it,” says Andrew. “Ice fishing is just another little component of wintertime fishing that some people might want to consider.”
Missouri’s Department of Conservation (MDC) recommends testing the ice in shallow water a few feet from the bank, then drilling a series of holes while moving farther from the bank to determine the freeze depth. Never do this alone, and steer clear of rivers where springs and current will leave weak spots.
Once you have your hole, follow these tips from MDC to land winter panfish:
- Start by placing your bait 6 to 12 inches off the bottom. Keep the bait moving with subtle twitches of the rod tip. If a fish is close, they will bite. If you fail to find fish in the deep end of your pond, check a little shallower, or drill a hole next to your favorite brush pile.
- Although not a requirement, modern ice fishing sonar flashers like the Vexilar and portable LCD fish finders allow anglers to easily check the depth and find concentrations of fish, eliminating the guesswork that often comes along with any type of fishing.
Trout fishing
Trout are one of the most rewarding fish to pursue, no matter the time of year. But as long as you don’t mind releasing what you catch, winter offers solitude not available when fair-weather fishermen crowd the banks of Missouri’s trout streams.
By far the most popular spots for trout angling are Missouri’s three state parks where rainbows are stocked: Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River. Add to that list Maramec Spring Park near St. James, which is operated by the James Foundation. Catch-and-release fishing is available at these parks from the second Friday in November through the second Monday in February.
But the parks aren’t the only option. Many smaller city lakes are stocked with trout by MDC beginning in early November. “We’ve got a little over 40 areas in the state, mainly the northern part of Missouri, that we stock with trout in the wintertime. We stock those lakes because those areas normally are too warm for trout,” Andrew says.
After Feb. 1, anglers can keep what they catch. The exception is some of the lakes in Kansas City and St. Louis, where anglers can keep their catches throughout the winter season because stocking is ongoing. A Missouri fishing permit is required, and a trout permit also is required if trout are harvested at these lakes.
Regulations such as limits and tackle will vary based on the lake. There are also privately owned trout parks in the state that offer guides and other services such as cleaning and packaging your catch. Two favorites are Westover Farms near Steelville and Rockbridge Trout and Game Ranch in Ozark County.
As if that isn’t enough trout options, check out the water in Neosho, which offers trout fishing at Hickory Creek in Morse Park. The stream is stocked with rainbow trout and can sustain trout year-round.
For the serious trout angler looking to land a record fish, Lake Taneycomo is one of the great lunker trout fishing destinations in the country. The spring-fed lake is stocked annually with 750,000 10-inch to 12-inch brown and rainbow trout.
Missouri’s state record brown trout was pulled from this lake in 2019. The 40-pound, 6-ounce fish caught by Bill Babler measured 41.25 inches long with a 28-inch girth and was caught using a pole-and-line. His fish shattered the previous record fish that also was taken on Lake Taneycomo in February 2019.
Fishing the big lakes
Don’t let cold temperatures keep you away from your favorite big lake. “When it comes to these big lakes the water temperature isn’t going to be as cold as people think,” says Jack Uxa, a Lake of the Ozarks fishing guide. “There’s a lot of guys from all over Missouri who will only come to Lake of the Ozarks this time of year and they love it.”
He says colder water causes the fish to congregate, so if you find one you are likely to find many more nearby. The trick is to locate the fish, then slow down your technique.
“At 42-43 degrees is when they really slow down,” he says. “You have to milk them more and slowly twitch your bait.”
You can leave your top-water lures and buzz baits at home in favor of deep diving lures or Alabama rigs.
In the winter crappie and bass will hit the same types of lures. If you use a fish finder to locate their lairs, you are likely to take home a mess of fish. Consider hiring a fishing guide, as many of them run boats that are equipped with the latest technology for finding fish.
“You see the fish, you throw at the fish, you get it down in his face and you shake it,” Jack says. “You get the right school you can sit on one spot and get your limit right there.”
Don’t forget the rivers
Missouri’s clear, spring-fed Ozark streams remain open except for the coldest stretches of weather. Winter river fishing offers the opportunity to catch fish that are harder to find in the summer months. For example, the best time of year to fish for Current River walleye (known as jack, or jack salmon, here) is February.
“Late February is when spawning season begins for walleye,” Andrew says. “They’re needing food just because their activity has picked up. But they’re also spawning. They’re defending nests and fighting off other fish.”
Billy Smith, a Current River fishing guide, says walleye fishing starts heating up as soon as the leaves drop in the fall. “There’s a handful of these guys all around this area that target and go after the walleye in November,” he says. “It is a fishable population, that’s for sure. There’s guys who are catching good messes or limits of walleye. I start going about the first week in December.”
He says tying into a big walleye can be an exciting experience. “I’ve caught some pretty decent ones, 11 1/2-pound type fish, and when you catch one where it’s pretty swift, it’s a battle. They’re strong. They don’t fight fast, like a smallmouth bass does, but they have that power.”
These tasty fish can be taken in a number of ways, ranging from trolling with big lures to bouncing lures off the bottom or jigging with a heavy lure or minnows. Walleye can travel long distances to their spawning water. Look for males to arrive early and hole up in deep water while they wait for the females.
You can find walleye in Current, Black and Eleven Point rivers. Best places to fish are in the deep holes and also at the end of shoals.
Email Jim McCarty at jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop.