| Late Fall and early Winter, before ice covers the water, is an absolutely amazing time to fish lakes for trout.
Often times fish will move into shallow water and will feed very aggressively in preparation for a long winter. Target water that is 10 feet deep or less and try stripping larger than normal streamers, leeches, or flashy buggers on an intermediate or slow sink line. I really like to use yellow or chartreuse crystal buggers, white crystal buggers, red crystal buggers, or patterns like the orange blossom special and autumn splendor at this time of year.
Fall fish are also likely to feed pretty consistently throughout the day if conditions are decent so this is a good time to spend quite a bit of time on the water. Be sure that the fish you are targeting are not Fall spawners. If this is the case they are likely to be in tributaries and not even in the lake that you are fishing.
Be sure to dress for the weather and just get out there. Catching fish can always keep you warm or at least make you forget that you are freezing. |
