# Big Winter Trout...How Too



## wharfrat (Dec 5, 2014)

This years cool weather trout bite has been pretty darn good and a lot of folks always ask me about it, especially with artificials. I do target them with live shrimp and float rigs too, but here's an old blog on chunkin' fake baits...

Winter Reds and Trout

I love winter fishing. I don’t know if it’s the solitude, the challenge of the elements, or maybe I am just a glutton for punishment. More than likely it’s a risk vs. reward type scenario. While the risk certainly isn’t life threatening if you don’t mind frostbite or the occasional skunk, the rewards are well worth it. Often, when you crack the code in cold weather, red fish and trout are schooled up and can be downright aggressive. 
There are a few things I do differently in the winter that helps me trigger bites and find fish. While it’s nearly impossible to bring every color in the spectrum on board I do mix it up pretty good. I generally start off with natural colors such as white or translucent shades of natural hues such as olive, brown, clear, or grey. If these are not producing I’ll do a 180 and go bright orange or chartreuse.
I am guilty of slow fishing or finesse fishing most of the year, but in winter if I think I am going to slow, I go slower. I want the bait to stay in the strike zone as long as possible. I use a combination of slow hops, drags and simple lift and drop presentations with my plastic bottom hugging baits. There are times when I will lighten up my plastics to nearly weightless and go to one of my favorite retrieves, which is one or two sharp twitches and a pause. With light plastics this usually is a deadly presentation, and the pause is critical. There are times when I will pause as long as 5-10 seconds. One of my favorite baits for this technique is the D.O.A. ¼ ounce shrimp. One thing to remember in deeper water is to allow time for the bait to sink all the way to the bottom. This may be as much as 8-20 seconds in some cases. As a rule, I count at least a foot per second. All baits sink at different weights depending on current, salinity, profile and weight, so take time to dial in the countdown process, and to REMEMBER the process!
While I will throw soft plastics two-thirds of the time I still love plugging in the winter. Over the years I have refined my baits to sinking twitch baits like MirrOlures, suspending baits such as the Bomber Long A’s, and Rapala Count Down lures in a 9 or 11 size. While my retrieve never varies much on the Bomber, two twitches and a pause, I work the MirrOlures and Rapala’s a tad different. Both the MirrOlures (TT and 52) and Rapala’s are countdown lures and actually need to be allowed to sink to the desired depth before retrieving.  After counting down the MirrOlure, I usually impart a slow pull or drag followed by one simple twitch. I will vary the length of the pull at times and the sharpness of the twitch. I have found that slower is better with the MirrOlure and that it is critical to remember the retrieve which triggers the bite. In the winter it’s very important to let the fish tell you how they want the presentation and try to REMEMBER what retrieve triggered the bite. The Countdown Rapala’s are a tad trickier, but I tend to get bigger fish on this bait. I usually mix it up with a slow swim, twitch, pause, swim, twitch repeat. The lip on the CD’s combined with the sinking action can often send this bait to dragging the bottom, so I generally keep this bait moving slightly quicker than other winter baits.
Depth is relative in different areas, but I have found trout and red fish in waters up to 30 feet throughout the year throughout the marshes of the southeastern United States. I generally fish in water 6-18 feet in the winter. I look for isolated deep water such as smaller creeks, canals, industrial docks, and deeper bends with debris. One of the most important ingredients I add to these structures is heat. I am looking for areas that stay slightly warmer due to protection from the wind, or exposure to the sun or areas that heat up faster or are just a few degrees warmer than others. Many man-made structures made up of rip rap, concrete, metal, wood and PVC will often hold heat.
Along with remembering exactly what it was that triggered the bite, location and depth will be critical. More than likely, once you get bit you are going to find a lot more in the same exact spot. If it appears that you whacked the one suicidal loner, keep your same retrieve, depth, and target similar structures and depth. For a lot of anglers willing to brave the elements, slow down and cover water, the winter months will be very rewarding.
...and a few from this week...


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## Labhunter71 (Dec 6, 2014)

Thanks, Wharfrat. These posts are very much appreciated. Being a recent transplant to the coast and still trying to learn the basics of fishing around here (but having so much fun doing it!) your "how to's" are excellent and help me along the learning curve so much. Unfortunately, it's always disappointing to see the attitude of others that results from not having enough sense to avoid drinking the Gulp juice.


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## Dominion (Dec 6, 2014)

Thanks for the post Capt. 

For winter time fishing in your deep holes, do you find that the trout bite is still relatively associated with a certain stage of the tide each day? Or, does is tide stage (outgoing, incoming, etc.) not matter per as much compared to a typical shell drop?

I ask because I have one deep hole that I fish on the bottom of the tide curve, but I know others who sometimes fish it on the top of the tide curve, and I'm wondering how typical that is of deep hole mechanics. Your post makes me think the productivity of this place depends on the tide curve for a particular day relative to the temperature that day, and the sun's effect on that spot.


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## wharfrat (Dec 6, 2014)

robertelee said:


> I can't read that much poor grammar.



Unfortunately I spent many days on the river when I should have been in English class, so I concur. I knew it would come back to (bite) me.


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## trippcasey (Dec 6, 2014)

I would love to go out and try these techniques if the darn fog would go away. Im loaded up and ready, but cant see my hands in front of my face hardly. 

Great post. Thanks!!

As for the grammar police, well, God bless you and your need for feeling superior. You must not know how to fish.


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## wharfrat (Dec 6, 2014)

Dominion said:


> Thanks for the post Capt.
> 
> For winter time fishing in your deep holes, do you find that the trout bite is still relatively associated with a certain stage of the tide each day? Or, does is tide stage (outgoing, incoming, etc.) not matter per as much compared to a typical shell drop?
> 
> I ask because I have one deep hole that I fish on the bottom of the tide curve, but I know others who sometimes fish it on the top of the tide curve, and I'm wondering how typical that is of deep hole mechanics. Your post makes me think the productivity of this place depends on the tide curve for a particular day relative to the temperature that day, and the sun's effect on that spot.



I definitely prefer low, around midday if possible. Some days it's the last 2 hours out, others, the first two in. Some days both.


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## Jimmy Lee Armel (Dec 8, 2014)

I'd rather be a fish whisperer  than Shakespeare any day. Wharfrat we ain't got no time to be worrysome bout that there English. There be some fish that need a catching.


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## shrimpinainteasy (Dec 8, 2014)

Great article. I wear em out on soft plastics but havent had as much luck on the hard stuff. Can't wait to try out some of your techniques.


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## declemen (Dec 11, 2014)

nice article, thanks capt.


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## wolffbuster (Jan 3, 2015)

Great info


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## Uptonongood (Jan 3, 2015)

Excellent thread. Thanks for starting it.


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## hollandae (Jan 3, 2015)

Nice post.

MirrOlures are awesome. The 52M is my favorite and most productive. The Catch 2000 is good too. 
If you've never felt a trout or red slam one you are missing out. 
I even caught a big fat slob flounder on the 52M this fall, which was a first. 

I hesitantly bought some gulp shrimp for the first time this past summer, but now will not leave the dock without them. They stink but trout and reds find them delicious. They are great under a popping cork.


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## shallowminded (Jan 20, 2015)

Hey Wharfrat - what brand of jigheads do you use? I remember you posting it once but I can't find it. What weight do you find gets the most use?

BTW - I don't remember ever reading a how-to or tip from Mr. Grammar so from the rest of us, thanks for all of your great posts!!


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## BriarPatch99 (Jan 20, 2015)

Great writeup Capt. Tim !!  After having to take a three/four year hiatus from coastal fishing due to my wife's health ... I am really hoping to hit the water this year!   Hoping to see ya at the docks at Hampton soon ... Thanks as always!


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