Wintery Mix

By Randin Olson, Lock Jaw Guide Service

We are now in our 4th winter of the season and things are progressing slowly.  Fishing has been decent but with the warm weather in the forecast things will pick up!

 
Panfish are still staging outside of spawning areas.  The 8 to 12ft range seems to be holding allot of fish.  My go to is a small hair jig under a bobber and popped through the weeds. Vegetation is a key part of the pattern. It doesn’t have to be green and healthy but it does need to be standing.  
The rough fish are running in rivers and they give us another opportunity to get the rod bent.  Think simple.  A crawler on a hook with a weight.  That’s all you need.  

With opener right around the corner,  now is a great time to prep gear and get things ready! If you can’t wait, try finding some panfish to hold you over. As always stay safe and get out on the water!