The Open Water Fan Club
By Mark Strand
Even
in the very early spring, even in the north, even when most anglers are
still jigging through the ice, there is this open water fan club. Gotta
launch the boat, even if you’re going against the grain and rushing
the season.
The secret to finding open water is finding moving water, says Brian ‘Bro’ Brosdahl, a guide who doesn’t seem to mind whether he’s fishing through the ice or over the gunwale as long as he’s fishing somewhere.
“Major river systems almost always have some open water in the winter,” begins Bro, “and it’s a blast to fish out of the boat on a fairly nice day.”
You can tell Bro did not grow up in Florida, because his definition of a “fairly nice day” is temps in the 30s without too much wind.
“You’re out in the elements, no doubt,” says Bro, of winter fishing from the boat. “You have to be dressed for it, that’s for sure. I use my Ice Armor suit, the same one I wear ice fishing. They have waterproof gloves now, too, so you can grab a minnow or reach into the water to land a fish and stay warm.”
This late winter/early spring river fishing can be great for a variety of species. Major river systems, notes Bro, contain practically every freshwater fish, “so you never know what might bite.” Walleyes and saugers, though, often dominate the bag. Key presentations include a jig-and-minnow, tube jigs, and jigging spoons.
Finding & Catching Fish
Getting on fish will always be the biggest key to catching them. Bro offers
the following tips for tracking down fish during this time period on flowing
open water.
* Tailwater areas around dams are the ‘community spot’ because
many fish winter there. Deep washout holes and nearby wing dams create slack-water
areas and current breaks that allow fish to hold and wait for food to tumble
by.
* There are more fish farther downstream, in lesser-known haunts, than the
crowds realize. Especially if you want to target big walleyes, you should
fish shallower water, too. Current tends to rule over all fish in rivers.
Seek areas of slower current and you’ll find more fish.
“Basically,” says Bro, “you have to see
what the stage of the river is. If the water is rising and the current is
really ripping (out of the dam), that will force those fish farther downstream,
into places where most people don’t look. If the water is steady or
dropping, that can mean more active fish closer to the dam area. (Winter
can bring steady or even dropping water levels, but as spring approaches,
it’s common to see melting snow put enough water into the system to
flood the banks.) You’re looking for enough current to maintain a
healthy situation for those fish, but not so much that it drives them out
of there.”
Rules of thumb can be hard to articulate, but river rats like Bro often
say that if they can’t comfortably hold and control their boat with
the electric trolling motor, there’s too much current right there
to make a good fishing opportunity.
* River fish will pick up and move, sometimes long distances, in reaction to changing current conditions. “You have to pay close attention to the flow,” says Bro, “and never fish a long time in one spot if you’re not catching fish. Just because you think the fish are supposed to be in a certain spot doesn’t mean they will be. The current has to be right. After you catch a few fish, study the current. You’ll learn what the right amount is.”
* During years of extremely heavy spring runoff, when the river rises and tops it banks, look for walleyes, bass, pike and other species to use flooded backwaters. “It can feel weird to fish what used to be a grass field,” says Bro, “but if the fish are there, you might as well go up there after ‘em.”
* During periods of high levels, rivers often get so dirty
that the water looks like ‘chocolate milk.’ In situations like
that, seek out any places where the water is a bit clearer, such as where
smaller feeder creeks, or even larger lakes, meet the main river. “If
you can find a transition line between the clear and dirty water,”
says Bro, “that can be the key, too. Run your baits just inside the
clearer water.”
* The shallower the fish, the farther you should stay away when presenting
baits. In deeper river holes, you can often vertically jig right over the
top of fish. But in shallow slack-water areas, you should keep your boat
away from the fish and cast to them. Land the bait upstream from where you
think the fish are holding, and let it tumble to them.
“That’s how they’re used to seeing their food show up,” says Bro. “The more natural the drift, the better your chances of getting bit.”
Notes: The blue suit, so commonly seen on the ice, is gaining a reputation as the ultimate outer layer for cold-weather fishing in the boat. The waterproof, windproof, breathable Ice Armor gloves are a great choice for keeping your fingers warm. Look for the Ice Armor brand (which also includes hooded fleece jacket and windproof fleece hat) in stores, catalogs, and at www.clamcorp.com.
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