As Old Man Winter takes hold of the country, thousands of boats are forced to the backs of garages, sheds, storage units and some even find themselves living under a blanket of snow. Anglers who love fishing out of their boat are forced to resort to ice fishing, building snowmen or even worse-going to Super Bowl parties! Cabin fever may become so severe anglers often find themselves looking through old fish pictures, adding parts to previous fish stories and even considering moving to Texas!
We do have hope though! With this easy step-by-step guide, I will break down how to properly “wintereyes” your boat.
- Attach your boat to your preferred tow rig. You may need to move sleds, snow blowers, or snowmobiles out of the way before doing so.
- Dress warmly. You are not going to Hawaii; it is still very cold out!
- Drive to your preferred location of open water to fish.
- Launch your boat.
- Have fun catching fish.
- Load your boat.
- Exaggerate fish stories to all your friends who were out ice fishing.
Wait what!? The Missouri River reservoirs offer a very unique opportunity for anglers to get out and enjoy fishing out of their boat even in the middle of winter! Throughout most of, if not the entire winter, anglers are still able to launch their boats and fish areas of flowing water below the dams.
The Oahe dam tailrace on Lake Sharpe, Big Bend dam tailrace on Lake Francis Case, Fort Randall dam tailrace on Lewis and Clark Lake and Gavins Point dam tailrace flowing below the reservoirs are often kept open by flowing water coming through the powerhouse. During warmer years, the reservoirs may be open multiple miles downstream.
Not only are anglers able to get out and fish, but there can be some good fishing to be had as well! Warm winter days often turn fish on and make for a pleasant day to be on the water as well. Even shore anglers can get in on the fun by fishing these tailraces or other areas of flowing water such as inlets/outlets between lakes.
Try vertically jigging slowly with minnows in deep areas adjacent to the main channel. On warm and sunny days, don’t be afraid to try casting onto shallow sandbars. Fish will often move up and soak in the heat off these areas.
Shore anglers can find success fishing these tailrace areas, but also other areas of flowing water. The Glacial Lakes region of South Dakota also can offer open water opportunities throughout the winter. Look for culverts, inlets or other areas that remain open for much of the open water season. In addition to walleye, don’t be surprised to find northern pike in these areas as well!
Show Old Man Winter who is boss this year and make fun of him as the long rods bend and you find fish flying over the side of the boat. Take advantage of warm days and make sure your casting skills never get rusty this winter! Good fishing!
Related Reading
Suspending jerkbaits are a deadly weapon for walleyes anytime the water is cold. It is very difficult for a walleye to resist a jerkbait sitting in it’s nose and this results in often biting walleye! Find out how to deploy this presentation in Suspending Jerkbaits for Cold Water Walleye!
While many anglers fish the traditional jig and minnow presentations, large plastics can often help target the largest walleyes in the area. Find out how to target these fish in Upsizing Plastics for Goliath Spring Walleye.
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