Crappie Fishing in the Winter

Many seasoned crappie fishermen mistakenly believe that catching crappie in the middle of winter is absolutely impossible. While this may be the case for a less adventurous angler of the north, it simply is not for the one that will face the fish head on through the ice. If these anglers have the ability to hook crappie below a frozen surface, then it isn’t very hard to imagine that the crappie anglers of the south need only a select few crappie fishing tips in order to reel these swimmers in as well.

If you are looking to experience some winter crappie fishing in the south, the first thing you need to be sure to do is to glance along the creek and river channels for anywhere that might appear to be between 15 and 30 feet deep with a depth finder. You will also need to be aware of any brush or vegetation along these channels. If you happen to detect any areas fitting these descriptions, this is where you will want to begin fishing for your winter crappie.

Landlocked anglers can also be in a position to catch winter crappie as well. The only difference is that it will require a little more dedication and effort. The first step of fishing from land is to scout out any marinas that might be in the area. As soon as you have found one, determine whether or not that marina also has slips that are over rather deep water. If you have a portable fish finder device, you may want to test it out at this time. Be sure to look for any drop offs from the banks to the slip since this will be the place you will want to look for the crappie.

Also, if you happen by a structure over the water such as a bridge, this can be another perfect hiding place for these fish at this time. The best bridges you will want to fish for crappie around are the ones with piers or parts that extend out into the actual water itself or along the edge of a channel. As soon as you have decided on a promising spot, begin with some jigs or minnows, dropping them into the water at different depths. Thankfully, crappie feed as hungrily during the cold winter months as they feed in the springtime. Since this is the case, remember to fish slow enough to feel their light bites.

Fishing Paradise is as Close as Ontario

The fishing opportunities that you can find in Ontario are so numerous that some lakes and rivers have never even had the company of a human being. Even so, no matter how many rivers, creeks, streams or rivers a single angler could try to fish here, it is literally impossible for one fisherman to visit each and every one in just one lifetime.

This is the attribute that makes Ontario one of the planet’s most sought after fishing destinations for avid anglers all over the globe. Because of this, there are a number of outfitters situated here that are ready and willing to show you the fishing experience of a lifetime as well as seasoned and experienced guides, and a variety of choices in lodgings in case you are looking to stay for a while.

The North Eastern part of Ontario would likely appeal to the fisherman who doesn’t mind sharing his experience with others as this is the region that is less remote then some of the others. Regardless, don’t be surprised if you find yourself the only soul on the entire lake you choose to fish on even here.

Eastern Ontario is overrun by a vast amount of rivers, canals and lakes. Any angler who knows this area already likely comes here for the beautiful scenery as well as Rideau Canal’s sparkling waters. Being able to get to this are, however, is no easy task since not many fishing locations here can be accessed by a normal road. But what you can expect to find waiting for you once you make your way is plenty of walleye, bass, pike and muskie.

Ontario’s Southwestern region is another great destination for the angler looking to share some experience with the locals other fishermen as this spot is a great place for tourists. In fact, Southwestern Ontario is considered the wine country and besides having great wine, the fishing here is great for catching salmon, walleye, smallmouth bass, and trout.

If you are looking for an exciting place to spend your vacation, Ontario has something for not only the avid angler, but the entire family as well. If you find that you need to get out into the woods and get in some quality bass fishing while forgetting about the daily grind, all you need to do is pack up the family and head for Canada. Don’t forget your fishing gear! You are going to need it.

Choosing Carp Bait

Being that fishing for carp has recently become rather popular in the United States, there are now a variety of fishing spots that are full of anglers all after this very fish. Because of this, there is now a great deal of choices for the carp to select from as each angler has a different opinion of which bait works the best. As long as the carp are presented with this many options, they will naturally learn to choose the baits that are the freshest as well as the most nutritious.

Does this mean that the poorly made, cheaper boilies will have any effect in this scenario? Yes, these lures will likely still catch a few fish, however, any bait that is fresher will produce better results, particularly when the fish are presented with enough options. While a bait may smell alright to us as fishermen, we are not fish. Only the carp will be able to determine with their sense of smell which bait is truly appealing.

Whenever you can, choose carp fishing baits that you are certain have high nutritional content that correspond with the needs of the fish. Although carp will initially respond to any kind of attractor bait in the beginning, if that bait has too strong a flavor or is strange to them, they will likely not pursue much further which could mean they never even reach your lure. Obviously, this could result in a serious loss of fish. Your best bet is to make sure that you are acquiring the very best quality bait that you can provide the carp if you find yourself in situations that are rather competitive.

If you believe that you have accomplished your own stash of high quality, fresh carp bait, then you are already on your way to catching as many of these fish with the absolute best fishing gear that is possible. Now all you need to do is rely on your favorite carp fishing tips as well as your experience and technique in order to land yourself some of these impressive fish.

With the benefit of quality fishing gear and confidence in it on your side, you won’t need to worry if the fish aren’t biting that it is because you selected the wrong bait. Instead, this may mean that there is a different element in your method that may need a bit more attention.

Where to Find Crappie In All Temperatures

Many seasoned fishermen believe that the best of all crappie fishing tips is that the temperature of the water itself happens to be the absolute most important element that determines the behavior and whereabouts of crappie. If you are an angler that agrees with this statement, this quick reference will help you to better determining where your fish are most likely to be at any given point during the year. This way, you can focus more on crappie fishing and less on looking.

35 Degrees

Look for crappie to be holding between 30 and 50 feet deep. Use a vertical presentation, fishing straight down with live minnows.

40 Degrees

Schools can be found at depths between 20 and 30 feet deep since they will be starting to migrate towards their spawning grounds in larger tributaries.

45 Degrees

Migration towards spawning areas has begun. Look for the crappie to be lingering in deep banks off of channels or around sunken wood or tree stumps in depths between 10 and 20 feet deep.

50 Degrees

With spawning preparation fully underway, most crappie will be headed for the arms of the tributary. Aim for migration paths in the channels of creeks and never pass up a channel bend or an area that seems to have rather convenient cover for these fish.

55 Degrees

Now your bites will start to seem rather aggressive as crappie are fueling up before the spawn. At this time you will be able to fish for crappie as shallow as 1 to 3 feet along their structural hideouts.

60 Degrees

This is when the males will tend to the nest and the females will linger beyond the cover as they wait for the water to continue to warm a little. Some will already be spawning in the shallower areas.

65 Degrees

You are now in the midst of spawning. If you are having difficulty catching fish, try and go for the crappie that are still in the pre-spawn stages by backing off a bit.

70 Degrees

While some fish will have completed their spawning, continue to treat the waters as if spawning is in full swing. You may need to head to deeper water if the fish you are catching are rather small however.

75 Degrees

Post-spawn fish will now be easily located in around their bedding locations until the temperature of the water rises a bit further. Some of these fish will be found around cover that is near to where they spawned.

80 Degrees

Once the spawn is over, many anglers retire their fishing gear until next year. However, if you aim for the zone of between 6 and 18 feet along the ends of some flats, you could be lucky at this time.

Catching the Elusive Steelhead

Steelhead trout are an evasive kind of fish largely due to the extreme weather conditions that they seem to thrive in as well as their unusually unpredictable spawning cycles. In order to catch these magnificent fish, you need to be prepared with the right fishing gear and the right knowledge to get started.

Fishing Gear

If you intend on catching some large steelhead, you may want to consider the use of a two-handed fishing rod instead of the more conventional rods. Choose one that is at least 9 feet in length and be sure the weight of your fishing line is between 7 and 9. Two handed rods can reach as long as 15 feet.

Fly-Patterns

Conventional salmon streamers will typically get rather good results with steelhead since they are both so closely related. Nymphs and egg patterns will also produce positive results as well. Many of the most coveted steelhead flies consist of the egg sucking leech, Kaufman’s Stone and the woolly bugger. However, your best bet would always be to stop in to a local bait and tackle store for the latest water conditions and fly patterns since no one will know the fishing conditions better than someone who lives and fishes locally.

Fishing Upstream

If you are fishing in a river that meets with the ocean, these fish will start to head for the streams immediately following the season’s first big storms. As soon as the sandbars begin to break free, the fish will be able to get to the areas that will take them right to their spawning locations as they start to head upstream. The best method is to follow the path of the steelhead beginning at the mouth of the river and onward upstream to the spawning areas and back. Fish will usually be facing upstream so if you are fishing from behind them, they are less likely to be spooked.

Move

If you aren’t having any luck in a particular area, move on. Steelhead will often hold to one spot so if you are not getting any bites after you cast your lure a few times, continue on upstream until you start to get some action. Steelhead will often linger in stacks around pools so once you have a bite, you are likely to get another real soon.

Release

Steelhead will usually head back to the ocean once they have completed their spawn. For this reason, it is usually a good idea to return your fish to the water so that they can continue with the spawning cycle.

On days when you are unable to make it out to the water, try out some great online fishing games to keep yourself entertained and your skills sharp.