Bundle-up and take precautions for winter kayak fishing
Winter has arrived and many kayak anglers across the country have their kayaks stored away until spring arrives. Closed fishing seasons, brutally cold weather and frozen waterways prevent them from fishing until the next season comes around. Thankfully, Louisiana ‘yakers don’t have those issues and our most popular species, fresh and salt, can be pursued year-round. (Flounder are the only exception with a spawning season closure from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30) Winter kayak fishing can be safe and productive as long as common sense is used in deciding when the conditions are right.
A bit of good news is that a developing La Niña pattern has the National Weather Service predicting a dryer and warmer winter across much of the Gulf South. Sure, there will still be some cold days and possibly freezing temperatures, but those may be more limited, and the wise kayaker simply chooses to sit those out and engage in other more suitable activities.
Stay dry
The biggest threat to kayak anglers in winter is water contact. Be it getting wet from rain, wind-blown spray, or even worse, overturning or falling from your kayak. All effort needs to be made to stay warm and dry. Proper water and windproof clothing goes a long way in keeping you safe and comfortable when kayak fishing in colder temperatures. Kayaks have no enclosures and sitting so close to the water surface is going to get you wet. Even normal activities such as paddling causes water drips that can soak through regular clothing. Keeping water from your skin is one of the best ways to stay comfortable and even prevent hypothermia.
Of course, entering the water can have grave consequences. Even well above freezing temperatures, the water in winter is cold enough to quickly lower body temperature and onset hypothermia. Sure, there are dry-suits that can be worn, but they are restrictive and expensive and not necessary if you are careful. The best advice for winter kayak anglers is to pack a towel and an extra set of clothes into a dry bag. If you unfortunately have a water immersion, get your clothes changed quickly and call it a day.
Fish become predictable
The best advice for kayak fishing this time of year is to pick your days carefully. Avoid days when fronts are moving through with high winds and rain. These conditions are terrible for kayak angling and also come with low tides that can drain many areas of suitable water. Therefore, give it a couple days after the front for conditions to settle down, water clarity to get better, and tides to come up a bit.
Fishing on cold days can be productive. Fish tend to be more concentrated and predictable. When the temperature is lower, seek areas with deeper water where the fish tend to congregate. Oftentimes, when you find that right depth and area, you won’t have to go anywhere else to have all the action you need. The big key is to find the fish. On warmer days and even days where the sun warms the water just a few degrees, fish usually disperse from their deeper haunts and spread across nearby flats. Rocks and oyster beds can be particularly productive as these solid surfaces help radiate the sun’s warmth and crank up fish activity.
Bait
Live shrimp may not be an option in some areas during winter. However, cocahoes are generally available and make a great bait for winter fishing. They are hardy and can add that extra smell and movement to attract bites from cold, lethargic fish. Dangling under a popping cork or slow crawled along the bottom, trout, redfish, flounder, and even bass, can’t resist a wiggly minnow.
Live bait is not the only option. A simple plastic tail/jighead combination works great for winter fishing. These lures can be worked at various depths and speeds and come in a wide variety of colors. Color can be important sometimes and others not so much. It is all up to the fish and what they are looking for on certain days and conditions. However, the tried-and-true axiom of dark water-dark lures, and vice versa, is usually a good rule to follow. Tipping the jig with a bit of dead shrimp can also add a bit of smell that helps entice a strike.
Winter strikes are generally soft and subtle. Sometimes you may not feel an actual thump, but just notice something feels different. Sure, it could be the bottom or a piece of grass, but whenever your line feels heavy or not quite the same, set the hook. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Slow your roll
Slow down. That applies to your fishing as well as traveling. Paddling/pedaling can be strenuous. Working up a sweat under heavy clothing is not good in cold conditions. Also, working lures too fast may come up empty and make you think fish are not in the area. However, fish are cold blooded and move slower and with less aggression in the winter. They may choose to simply watch a fast-moving lure go by rather than expending the energy to chase it. A slow-moving offering may be just the ticket to entice a strike.
Don’t stay on the couch just because it may be cold. Layer up and head out a bit later as the sun comes up and warms conditions. The fish are more active, and you’ll be more comfortable. Be thankful to know that you can kayak fish while folks in other areas are relegated to sitting around a fireplace or dropping lures through a hole in a frozen lake.
