Fishing Report 1-26-2022

The Bite Is Tough, But Fish Can Be Caught.

By Bret Amundson and Dan Amundson, Sporting Journal Radio

We’re getting to that point in the winter that fishing can start to slow down. The weather is cold, the hot spots have been pressured and fish are getting spread out and lethargic. But that doesn’t mean you can’t catch them. The old adage about “not catching them on the couch” rings true this time of year, meaning if you put your time in, you should catch fish. If you don’t have much time, but still want to feel that tug, heading out at the best time of day can be the most successful. When is that? It depends on the species.

In Panfish Paradise, bluegills and perch can be found during the day, when the sunlight is brightest. For bluegills, find structure such as weed beds or rock piles. Small tungstens tipped with spikes have been our go to. When the bite is lite, it helps to have an underwater camera if possible. If not, using an ultralight rod with attention paid to the slightest movement of the rod tip is key. Spring bobbers can also be handy in this situation. Perch can be found in moving schools and you can either chase them or wait for them to come through. Tungstens and spikes have been the ticket for perch as well.

If you’re looking for crappies or walleyes, the sunrise and sunset windows have produced the best. Starting deeper during the late afternoon and moving up shallow after dark has been our approach. Suspended crappies are the most likely to play nice and we’ve found rattling spoons tipped with a minnow head to be the best. If they get finicky, try a tungsten and minnow head with a less aggressive cadence.

As far as walleyes go, set lines are a must. Whether it’s a dead stick or a rattle reel, tipping a plain hook with a full minnow is a good plan. With your other line, using a rattle spoon with a glow color tipped with a minnow head can trigger aggressive walleyes or attract slower movers who might then go for the set line. This one-two punch is necessary for successful walleye fishing this time of year. There are times however when they will bite just about anything when they turn on, as was the case recently when I hooked into fish after fish with a perch colored lipless crankbait. About a half hour before sunrise a switch was flipped and it was chaos until about a half hour after. Then it was cards and pizza while we waited for the next bite window, which happened at about 3 am.

Bottom line is: fish can be caught, even when the bite is slow. You just have to spend time on the water and try different presentations until you find the right combination.