Turn Up the Heat on Winter Fishing at Lake Arlington!
Turn Up the Heat on Winter Fishing at Lake Arlington!
This time of year many anglers take some time away from fishing to pursue other outdoor activities. With fewer daylight hours and colder temperatures, even indoor pursuits may be far more attractive for some. But, winter fishing can be some of the most rewarding opportunities for anglers who are willing to brave the elements and take some time to understand what is happening to the fish this time of year. Believe me, they are still there, still eating, and still catchable. In fact, some of the largest fish on record in Texas were caught during the winter.
Here are a few examples of Texas state records:
- Bass, Largemouth 18.18 lbs. Jan 24, 1992
- Bass, Largemouth 13.38 lbs Feb 4, 1994 (Lake Arlington Lake Record)
- Bass, Smallmouth 7.93 lbs Mar 13, 1998
- Bass, Spotted 5.62 lbs Jan 15, 2011
- Bass, Yellow 3.46 lbs Mar 12, 2009
- Bowfin 17.65 lbs Feb 21, 1993
- Buffalo, Bigmouth 58.75 lbs Jan 29, 1994
- Bullhead, Black 5.15 lbs Mar 18, 2007
- Carpsucker, River 3.39 lbs Jan 25, 2010
- Catfish, Blue 121.50 lbs Jan 16, 2004 (Was also a WORLD RECORD!)
- Catfish, Flathead 98.50 lbs Dec 2, 1998
- Crappie, White 4.56 lbs Feb 14, 1968
During the winter when the water temperatures get colder and we experience a large number of cold fronts that wreak havoc with the barometer, a fish’s metabolism slows way down. They tend to suspend a little bit deeper, and they don’t feed very often. Because of this, trophy fish in particular become opportunistic. They aren’t going to chase aggressively to catch a meal. They are looking for easy to catch slow moving meals. Injured or dying shad and minnows are ideal sources of easily caught food. And, when they do feed trophy fish tend to want a larger offering. Now, imagine the end of a typical crappie angler’s line during the winter. They will be fishing with live minnows, often using two hooks at a time, in deeper water. It’s a very slow, still presentation. That slow still presentation is very attractive to a large slow moving lethargic trophy fish.
In fact, that is exactly how the largest bass on record in Texas was caught. Barry St. Clair, with whom I have had an opportunity to visit with several times when I was a Library Director in the Cedar Creek Lake area, caught that record largemouth bass while crappie fishing on Lake Fork! He was using live minnows fishing in deep water. What that fishing technique doesn’t do is move very much. It’s painfully slow fishing. And, fishing slowly is the key. In fact, fishing slowly has been a key for me in catching bigger fish all year long. Many fish, especially largemouth bass, are beginning to grow eggs in their bellies during the latter part of the winter in preparation for the spawn. This, too, contributes to the increased weight of the fish caught.
Bank fishing, especially for pan fish like crappie and bluegill, can be more difficult to be sure. The primary challenge is that many of the fish are suspended in deeper water. Not all is lost for bank anglers, and in fact, it should be noted that the Texas state record blue catfish, which also held the world record title for a few years, was caught at Lake Texoma…fishing from the bank!
So, dress warmly, fill a thermos with hot coffee, and head out to Lake Arlington this winter. And, remember to keep the Texas Parks & Wildlife phone number for the Toyota ShareLunker Program. If you catch a 13 pound-plus largemouth bass between October 1 and April 30th, you can lend or donate the fish to Texas Parks and Wildlife for spawning purposes. The 24-hour pager number is 1-888-784-0600. Check the following website for more details: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/sharelunker/rules/
Oh, and be sure to call The Fishing Librarian, too. I’ll be asking you for fishing lessons. Be safe, be Naturally Fun, and I’ll see you on the water!
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