Winter 2019
®
A
s one year ends
and another
begins, the California Delta sees its coldest
months. Winter is, indeed, a
challenging time in any fishery
— especially tidal waters —
but western standout Jimmy
Reese knows this is also a time
of great opportunity.
Breaking down a handful
of key elements essential for
Winter success on the Delta,
Reese offered a list of do’s and
don’ts. Adhering to this advice
will facilitate your search
during the times of layered
clothing.
DO…
…look for warmup spots: Daytime highs aren’t getting very high this time of year, but overnight lows are the real buzz kill. When mornings dawn stark and chilly, bass want the quickest route to raising their body temperature.
That means parking over, under or next to something that’ll absorb the sun’s heat and radiate that coziness back
into the water.
Good examples
include heavy
vegetation like
hyacinth mats and
dense tules or the
many miles of Delta
riprap.
…go where it’s slow: Reese also knows the wisdom of working in areas of less current, like the connecting sloughs. Here, water temperatures tend to fluctuate less, and that stability is a difference-maker for winter fish.
As for his depth preference, Reese said that’s a moving target, based largely on the weather patterns; however, proximity to deep water makes any spot more favorable. Again, stability matters.
“Generally, for wintertime fishing, I’m looking for rock and vegetation, but if there’s eight-feet of water nearby, I like that,” Reese said. “Does it have to be deep? It can; maybe 1- to 20, but again, it comes down to not a lot of current.”
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