Page 23 - Discover Winter 2023
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Use your depth finder to look for fish on Spoon-Bill Rebels work well also.
an underwater hump about 35 feet deep Running long lines allows the lures you
and jig there. are pulling to reach the 30' -35' depth.
I used to fish with a friend from The weather can be very cold and not
Harrisonburg, who would go into the very friendly, so it’s wise to invest in a
coves, following the moon phases, good snow suit or blizzard suit. There
and find most times just one fish on are also several portable propane heaters
his graph (he used a lowrance paper available that are designed to be used on
graph). He would go after that one your boat. These are especially good for
fish, and after he caught it, he would keeping your hands warm.
not move. He would fish that same Using a good depth finder will
spot for a while, and he would usually help you avoid the areas where the trees
catch several, even though he had only are. It's no fun catching a tree. I strongly
marked one on his graph. He would recommend Having a "Plug-Knocker"
use a buck-tail or a hopkins spoon. on board; it’s a sinker that slides down
The lesson here is that you may catch your line and bumps your plug. Working
more than one fish in a given spot, even your rod tip up and down uses the
though you may only see one. weight of the plug knocker to “knock”
The other thing to do in cold the plug loose.
weather is to troll, as slowly as possible. Remember to follow the moon
I suggest pulling a double rig off a phases so that you will be most
three-way swivel with a jig and a spoon. productive! Moon Phases for these
You may want to use down-riggers and/ months are:
or out riggers, and/or lead-core line. Dec. 7, 2022: 11:08pm-Full Moon
My preference is to troll with lead-core Dec. 23, 2022: 5:16am-New Moon
line. Lead-core line makes it easier to
Jan.6, 2023: 6:09pm-Full Moon
pull your bait at the desired depth by
Jan. 21, 2023: 3:55pm-New Moon
counting the colors on the line(fishing
Feb. 5, 2023: 1:30pm-Full Moon
just above the fish). Each color gives you
Feb. 20, 2023: 2:09am-New Moon
somewhere about 10 feet of depth.
Trolling is very productive when
Remember: when there is a moon
the fish are in the deep water and
at night, don't fish the first 3 hours of
moving a lot. You can also pull 20 lb.
daylight, fish the next 3 hours skip the
line, running the line long behind the
next 3, etc.
boat, and pull Magnum Helibenders,
No moon at night: fish the first 3
Waterdogs, Big Macs, Little Macs
hours, skip the next 3 hours nd fish the
or other deep running lures. Jointed
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