When winter settles in, it’s easy to think fishing is over until the warmth returns. But if you know what to look for, winter can actually be the perfect time to prepare for a successful summer season. Here’s a smart approach to scouting your fishing spots during the colder months.
Spotting Key Structures
Out there, you can really get a good idea of where the fish might be after winter’s over or even during that late winter period. With the water levels down, you can see so much more: the exposed grass, the layout of the bottom, and natural features that you usually miss when the lake is full.
One of the best things to look for is where the grass is now, because that’s going to be the first place that new grass grows again next year. Knowing these areas gives you a serious head start when the season changes.
This is a great time to come out and mark everything important. Use your GPS to pin locations, or even better, take some video or snap a few pictures. These visual references will be invaluable when the water rises again and all those details disappear underwater.
You’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to find the prime spots if you’ve taken the time to document them during the winter.
Focus on Precision
When scouting, it’s not enough to make general notes like, “There’s a couple of stumps on this point out in front of the bay.” You need to be precise.
Mark the exact locations of stumps, logs, and other structures because those are often the key spots where fish will hold—and where you can almost guarantee a catch or two.
Precision pays off big time. It allows you to pull up to a spot, make the exact right cast, and be highly efficient with your time on the water.
