The Challenges
The water is still clear and cold at less than 50°. But now you may have a better chance. The combination of clouds and wind give you double cover. Keep the bait moving super slowly so that wind does not create slack in your line. With slack, you will never feel the bite. The fish may be a little less finickly, but still mighty slow. Stick with finesse.
The Bite in Winter: The bite will be subtle. You will only feel their mouth close on the bait. One little thump is all the indication you will get. Set the hook. For weedless baits, set the hook hard. Otherwise, the weedguard will do its job and prevent you from snagging the inside of the fish’s mouth! Braided line is your friend here because it is the most sensitive. Be prepared for frustration. Winter bite is hard to detect. Besides, your hands are cold and numb!
The Gear: Use spinning gear with very light lines
Rod: 7’6″ to 8′ medium/light or light power. I’m using a 7’6″ St Croix Eyecon medium-light power extra fast rod. It is a walleye rod that works great for casting light lures.
Reel: Use a quality 2500 size spinning reel. I’m using a Shimano Vanford 2500HG.
Line: 4lb or 6lb test line. I’m using 6lb Berkley FireLine in the crystal color, with a 6lb Sunline FC Sniper fluorocarbon leader. 6 feet of leader. I use a double uni knot to join lines because it is the easiest for me to tie, it casts great, and it is strong.
The Bait
Jigs: Downsized Arkie style or structure jigs with a downsized crawfish trailer. Try the Strike King Bitsy Bug black/blue and green pumpkin/orange colors. The trailer color does not have to a perfect match. Cut the trailer down to size with scissors. Big meals are hard for fish to digest in cold water. Give them something small and easy to eat. Something they don’t have to work too much for. Work it super slow with long pauses.
Mini Jig
Strike King Bitsy Bug in black/blue with green pumpkin trailer. Trailer is cut to size.
Mini Jig
Strike King Bitsy Bug in red/orange with red trailer. Strike King 4″ Rage Menace trailer is cut to size.
Grubs: 3″ or 4″ Kalin’s Lunker single tail grubs in dull colors like green pumpkin or smoke. Use a downsized finesse jighead. Reel it back super slow, letting it tick the bottom and any cover.
Finesse Grub
3″ Yamamoto single tail grub in green pumpkin on a Z-Man mushroom jighead.
Bottom Dwelling Grub
4″ Kalin’s Lunker Grub in green pumpkin on a Great Lakes football jighead. Football jig heads are good resting on the bottom and swimming cross current.
Dropshot: This technique puts a small bait right in the nose of hungry fish! Present ZOOM Fluke or Tiny Fluke (3″ to 4″ minnow) 1′ to 1.5′ off the bottom. Use a translucent minnow. Monkey milk, albino, or ghost colors. Fish are dull in winter. Drag it super slow with pauses.
Dropshot Arsenal
Fluke inn albino color, 2.5″ Mister Twister grub in pumpkin, 2″ Kalin’s Lunker grub in salt and pepper, 3″ Yamamoto grub in green pumpkin. Eagle Claw #6 bait holder hooks (these are very sticky). Owner dropshot weights (these are easy, to use/reuse, and they come through all kinds of cover).
The Technique
Visibility is now slightly in your favor. Long casts are less important. The wind is covering some of your splash. Try shorter casts and see what happens. The spook zone can still be quite large even with clouds and wind. If short casts don’t work, go long.
Put the bait where they are. The dark cover has not warmed because it is cloudy, and all the shallow water is a little chillier because of the wind. Go deep.