Winter Fishing Presentation
A quick slide show: the best species for the season, how to fish them and lakes to try.
Max Creel presents
Winter Fishing: What's Biting and Where
Slow, deep, patient. Cold-water fish feed in short windows, and ice opens up new water in the north.
Use the arrow keys or the buttons below.
Winter · Top pick
Yellow Perch
In winter they travel in schools over basins and flats at 15-40 ft. Spoons, jigging raps, and small jigs with minnow heads or wax worms are staples through the ice.
- Live minnows
- Small jigs with wax worms
- Jigging spoons
Winter · Top pick
Northern Pike
Winter pike hold on points and the edges of weed beds in 8-25 ft. Tip-ups with large live baitfish are the classic ice method. Mornings and evenings are best.
- Bucktail spinners
- Large spoons
- Jerkbaits
Winter · Top pick
Bluegill
They gather in deep basins and under ice at 10-25 ft, mostly suspended. Ice jigs tipped with wax worms or spikes fished with tiny movements are best.
- Worms and crickets
- Wax worms
- 1/64-1/32 oz jigs
Winter · Top pick
Walleye
In cold water they hold deep near structure and baitfish, often 20-40 ft in reservoirs. Vertical jigging spoons, jigging raps and minnows or small jigs on a light line are standard. Dusk and dawn are best.
- Jig with minnow
- Nightcrawler harness on a bottom bouncer
- Crankbaits
Winter · Top pick
Rainbow / Brown Trout
Cold-water lakes remain productive. Trout feed at 10-30 ft under ice on small spoons, jigs and bait. Midday is the best time.
- Small spoons
- Inline spinners
- PowerBait
Winter · Top pick
Lake Trout
They stay active under ice. Jigging with tubes, large minnows or spoons at 40-100 ft is common. Midday is effective.
- Jigging spoons
- Tube jigs
- Cut bait
Winter · Top pick
Crappie
Under 45F they gather in schools in deeper basins, brush and channel edges at 15-30 ft. Slow-fall jigs, minnows, and tiny spoons are best, and fishing is best on bright, stable afternoons.
- 1/32-1/16 oz jigs with soft plastic bodies
- Live minnows
- Small spinners
Before you go
Pack it, check it, fish it
- Check your state's regulations, because limits and seasons change.
- Open the lake page for the map, ramps and nearest bait shop.
- Run through the trip checklist so nothing stays on the kitchen counter.