It is that time of year again; the smells of warm grass and dead leaves are behind us. Gone are the days of shorts and flip flops and dangling your toes in the water. It is time for that very special season we know as bass fisherman to be winter. That’s right; most of the northern states are in the beginning stages of a deep freeze that will last for months. Most of the casual anglers have long since put their boats in storage and stored their gear until spring, but some are already biting their nails in anticipation of the season to come. If that nail biting, manic depressive is you, silently wandering the fishing aisle at Meijer on a cold winter night, here are a few things that might ease the winter chill.
January generally starts off the consumer fishing show season. This corresponds with the public release of all the great tackle and gear we have read about in the latest issues of fishing magazines. These shows are a great way to soothe your need to battle those beasts of the deep. Most of the dedicated fishing shows, such as the Showspan Ultimate Fishing Shows, have good selections of new products to get your hands on. This may also be the best time to find that new piece of equipment you need. Showspan consumer shows also have multiple vendors on hand allowing you to compare prices or combine purchases. Many will even offer discounts for multiple items, include free lures or will have combo prices on rods and reels not available in stores. Fishing line manufacturers will often match purchases with complimentary product. However, this is not even the best reason to attend. Generally, a good customer based company will be well represented with pro-staff or factory reps to explain and highlight product features and other information that most salesman and big box chain stores may not be familiar with. These factory set-ups are the real gem at a consumer fishing show. Most of them offer extensive knowledge and customer support, product demonstrations and new product displays. To a consumer, this is the best place to get the most value for your hard earned dollar. Don’t be afraid to compare and inspect products thoroughly. Ask questions about what you are looking at and take advantage of the opportunity to talk to your peers; knowledge is buying power.
Some may scoff at this next suggestion while others may wretch and moan like the undead, but all should at least consider it. Without argument, the best way to keep your game sharp this winter is to keep fishing, and for a great deal of people it means “Ice Fishing”. Though it sounds contradictory to bass fisherman, there is much merit in this cold and blustery activity. The seasoned fisherman will agree that the toils and troubles associated with drilling holes and fishing with tiny gear in the dead of winter is beneficial to an angler’s skill set. Fishing for bluegill and other panfish through the ice helps to develop and extend abilities in key areas; locating fish, reading sonar, relating to depth, adjusting for weather conditions, and feeling light bites to name a few. All of these are big players to a bass fisherman and can help bridge a gap in knowledge from September to April. By knowing the location of the panfish (bass forage), a fisherman can narrow down a starting location in spring. Information about forage can help with lure selection and presentation when the ice comes off. Being able to make subtle adjustments to presentation due to sun, clouds, wind or pressure helps to create logical reasoning patterns. Using electronics to locate, target and entice finicky fish through the ice gives a better understanding of how to read and use sonar when in the boat. Most importantly, what better opportunity will a serious angler have to examine the lake and plot an attack than when standing on it? Someone new to ice fishing can get involved for as little as $100. All one really needs is an appropriate rod ($15-19), a small reel (which some already own), and a way to make a hole (augers can be purchased for as little as $50). Truly, ice fishing can be an asset to a serious fisherman offering multiple avenues to increase knowledge and skills.
Finally, the most obvious way to keep your wits about you is to hook up and head south for better conditions. Depending on your relative location to the “freeze line” there may not be much travel involved. One can quickly determine how far to go by using satellite imagery or simply calling some tackle shops in the selected area to be sure the water is clear of ice. It will still be winter bass fishing, but most tackle shops in the area should be able to give you a fishing report, and will likely point you in the right direction. Winter trips can be fun, and it can even be a good way to get in some pre-practice for an upcoming championship or summertime trip. Impoundments will often be drawn down during winter months allowing you to see cover and structure that is normally submerged during the prime fishing season. This is a great time of year to burn up some of last years boat fuel using a tool like the Lowrance Structure Scan Imaging (LSSI) to see details that will attract and hold fish in months to come. These trips may not always be the most productive for catching fish, but sometimes reconnaissance is a better reward. Any information gleaned during the “off season” is priceless if it puts you ahead of the crowd when the ice is gone.
So you can put together a car load of your best fishing buddies and head to the Bassmaster Classic in February, where you will find enough bass fishing stimulation to keep you going long into spring. You can head out and see all the new products at the consumer shows or hit the ice for some bluegills, but don’t waste away thinking about what is to come. Get out and enjoy yourself, learn as much as you can, and get prepared for the season to come. After all, it will be here before you know it.
By:
Bass fishing is more than just a hobby for me, it’s a way of life. I love to fish bass tournaments. I think those anglers who enjoy fishing tournaments enjoy the competition like I do. I like matching my skill against someone else. The money when you win makes it all the better. With so many tournament trails it’s hard to know which to fish. 
