wh e i ns m o re
WiNter smallmouths
le ss
by marc marcantonIo
Winter Smallmouths in the Pacific Northwest
I
n the Pacific Northwest, many put away their
boats and fishing gear during the winter,
thinking bass are difficult if not impossible to
catch. What they don’t realize is that some of my best fishing days have come in the winter on
lake Washington and lake Sammamish, where
the water doesn’t freeze. Sure, the weather leaves
a lot to be desired, but the scenery is exceptional,
and you never have to wait at the launch or share the water with anyone. although bass feed less when the water temperature is low, they continue to dine because prey are available and easy to catch. This is especially true of trophy size smallmouths, and nearly every bass you catch will be in excess of 3 pounds.
30