What do you hope to learn this winter?

[Drew03cmc]

When I can't fish this winter, I hope to learn more about open water fishing. I can normally find fish on cover, shallow, weeds, rocks, timber, docks, etc. I don't have a single, solitary clue how to find fish in open water. 

[Bird]

How to stay warm in a tree stand 😄.

 

Water temps drop below 50* , I never do well, never have for LM bass.

[softwateronly]

1 hour ago, Drew03cmc said:

When I can't fish this winter, I hope to learn more about open water fishing. I can normally find fish on cover, shallow, weeds, rocks, timber, docks, etc. I don't have a single, solitary clue how to find fish in open water. 

 

Same boat and I'm no expert, but I am a couple years into trying to figure out my open water.  Putting together topwater bites that migrated away from any known structure, surface busting and bird activity over the abyss, and the realization that my shad move through choke points daily has opened up a semi successful world for me out there that isn't dependent on electronics.  But I am fishing 300 acres of natural lakes, so my fish have less room to hide.  That said, it's what I'll still be working on this winter and probably many more.

 

scott

[king fisher]

I hope to learn how to say no to the Bait Monkey.

[softwateronly]

9 minutes ago, king fisher said:

I hope to learn how to say no to the Bait Monkey.

 

unpossible

 

[papajoe222]

I'll continue to learn what makes women such complex creatures. I've studied my wife for 55yrs and I'm still only halfway into the forward of that book.

[MN Fisher]

@papajoe222 - you're not giving me any hope here, man. I've only had 34 years of study and I'm still on page 1....it's so confusing.

[Drew03cmc]

1 hour ago, softwateronly said:

 

Same boat and I'm no expert, but I am a couple years into trying to figure out my open water.  Putting together topwater bites that migrated away from any known structure, surface busting and bird activity over the abyss, and the realization that my shad move through choke points daily has opened up a semi successful world for me out there that isn't dependent on electronics.  But I am fishing 300 acres of natural lakes, so my fish have less room to hide.  That said, it's what I'll still be working on this winter and probably many more.

 

scott

When they're busting, I can find them, but it's the days where they aren't active in the shallows, but they have to be biting somewhere. 

[DaubsNU1]

Yea @Drew03cmc, fishing open water confounds me! I have caught a few fish working off-shore brush-piles this summer...but in general, I'm in the same boat as you. I am going to spend some time researching and thinking about fishing open water. 

 

Another plan for this winter is to really dig in to this project....It's a 1972 K-20 I picked up almost 20 years ago. 

 

[Susky River Rat]

I want to learn to catch fish. Other than that I am hoping to be working all I can between thanksgiving and April 

[Swamp Girl]

I keep trying to think of something I want to learn this winter, but I can't and I think that's because I learn on the water. I learn about a new technique and then try it to see if it works for the bass I catch and from my canoe platform. It also has to work without adding to the load I already carry to the water. I'm willing to carry a new lure, but not much beyond that. 

[Mike L]

Try harder to get out of my comfort zone when warranted

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Reel]

Everything 

[TnRiver46]

11 hours ago, Drew03cmc said:

When I can't fish this winter, I hope to learn more about open water fishing. I can normally find fish on cover, shallow, weeds, rocks, timber, docks, etc. I don't have a single, solitary clue how to find fish in open water. 

Open water is awesome! You just gotta get a few bites to trigger your confidence. Some of my favorite days are like the one in my avatar, wide open water in December with no one around 

[Pat Brown]

Definitely going to try to get better at fishing a bigger reservoir in the winter time.  Last year I leaned heavily on my shallow ponds and probably will do that again because it makes it harder for fish to hide in the cold when they don't have a lot of acreage.  That being said, I am definitely excited to get into it and try to figure out the winter thing on the big lakes.  If anything probably gonna be doing more map study and camping on structure.

[A-Jay]

What do you hope to learn this winter?

Do I have what it takes mentally, physically, spiritually & emotionally

to keep this going for a 46th consecutive year ?

 

 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[BrianMDTX]

9 hours ago, king fisher said:

I hope to learn how to say no to the Bait Monkey.

Winter is worse. 
 

Spring/Summer/Fall it’s “buy what I need”. Winter is “Oh look! I should try those! And those! And new line! Maybe a new rig!”  
 

The BM is relentless in the off-season when we are at our most weakest. 

[Pat Brown]

@BrianMDTX - and the sales/discounts are actually good 😂😂😂

[Functional]

11 hours ago, Bird said:

How to stay warm in a tree stand 😄.

Heated vest, heated socks and fleece pajama pants over my long johns but under my hunting pants. I'm going to incorporate a muff this year too with the battery powered heated hand warmers. Trick is to turn the heated things on about 30 minutes before you step out of the truck. If you get cold first they are useless. 

 

 

We dont get hard water here so its just learning winter fish patterns for me. Didnt get out much last winter due to some last minute surgery but hopefully havent lost my touch this year. 

[gim]

Intend to join a second pickleball league so I can muskie fish for longer periods of time next season. 

[Reel]

1 hour ago, Functional said:

Heated vest, heated socks and fleece pajama pants over my long johns but under my hunting pants. I'm going to incorporate a muff this year too with the battery powered heated hand warmers. Trick is to turn the heated things on about 30 minutes before you step out of the truck. If you get cold first they are useless. 

 

 

We dont get hard water here so its just learning winter fish patterns for me. Didnt get out much last winter due to some last minute surgery but hopefully havent lost my touch this year. 

Try putting one of the battery hand warmer in your breast pocket over your heart.  That's where the blood congregates and it helps a lot. 

[GreenPig]

50 - 75 more vertical spoon fishing spots

[Rockhopper]

My goal is to start working on higher vertical drops up skiing.  I have the sub 10 footers down.  Can't muster the balls yet to just send it on the big stuff.

[bottom_dollar]

I’m looking forward to getting better at winter time structure fishing, specifically ditches and deep water flats.

[Bankbeater]

If the water around here doesn't freeze, I'm hoping to practice with the drop shot since a lot of the vegetation will be off of the water.