Fishing weeds in winter is one of the best ways to catch a multitude of different fish species. The AnglingBuzz crews shares some tips and strategies for locating and catching midwinter panfish in weeds.
Fishing Weeds In Winter
Weed beds and weed lines are one of the best places you can fish as an ice angler. Both bluegill and crappie, are commonly found in weedy areas during the winter months. These species tend to school tightly together moving in or near the edges of weed beds. Throughout the day bluegills and crappies will move in and out of the weeds to find food.
Predatory species like northern pike, largemouth bass, and walleye will move in and along the edges of the weed beds chasing the panfish schools, as well as schools of minnows and other baitfish. Oftentimes you can find a variety of fish species in the same spot on a weed bed or weed line.
Understanding how fish use weeds in winter will ultimately improve your success out on the ice.
Not All Weeds Are Created Equal
Our lakes have a wide variety of different species of aquatic plants. Over 150 different types of aquatic plants can be found in Minnesota’s lakes alone. Fish have a tendency to prefer some species of aquatic weeds over others. The following are two of the best weeds to fish in winter months.
Broad-Leaf Pondweed (Broad Leaf Cabbage)
When fishing weeds in winter anglers should look for broad-leaf pondweeds, also known as broad-leaf cabbage. Cabbage provides excellent habitat for panfish, largemouth bass, walleye, and northern pike.
Panfish, like bluegills and crappies, nest near these plants and eat insects and other small animals found on the leaves. This is one of the best types of weeds that can be found across the ice belt. Broad-leaf cabbage is found in many lakes and streams, growing in depths up to twenty feet. It can often be found near drop-offs. In the summer months the tips of these weeds can be seen at the surface of the water.
Coontail
Another good weed to fish in the winter is coontail. Coontail provides cover for young bluegills, perch, largemouth bass, and northern pike; while supporting insects that fish commonly feed on. On many bodies of water predatory fish like walleyes can northern pike can be found cruising around deep coontail weed beds searching for schools of perch.
What To Look For When Fishing Weeds In Winter
As the ice forms on the lakes some weeds will begin to die off. In most cases dead weeds lying flat on the bottom won’t hold fish. All species like panfish, northern pike, walleye, and bass prefer standing, green weeds. Not only will these standing, green weeds provide vertical cover, but they are also still producing oxygen which can attract fish in winter.
When fishing weeds in winter you always want to pay attention to any irregularities in the weed bed or weed lines. Pockets, isolated weed clumps, any depressions, and anything else that stands out. These types of areas are going to concentrate fish.
Being Stationary When Fishing Weeds In Winter
When fishing shallow water weed beds it often pays to sit still waiting for the fish to come to you. With the advancements in technology many ice anglers prefer to chase down schools of fish. While this is incredibly effective in deep water, it can’t actually hurt your chances when fishing shallow weed beds.
Walking around hole-hoping can spook the fish pushing them away from the spot. It’s much more effective to let the fish come to you.
When fishing a shallow weed bed locate the area with the most fish activity. Drill your holes, and then sit and wait. After the noise has settled down those fish will make their way back to you. This is often the most productive and efficient way to catch panfish, walleyes, pike, and bass in shallow water.
Baits for Fishing Weeds In Winter
The lure you choose when fishing weeds in winter is directly affected by type of fish you are chasing, and what kind of mood they are in. There are a variety of baits that work well in weed beds, but the following are just a couple of staples that seem to work time after time.
Panfish
A small spoon is one of the best ways to target aggressive crappies and bluegills in weed beds. Small spoons, like the Clam Pinhead Pro, give off a ton of flash, noise, and vibration. This helps attract curious panfish in from a distance. More often that not spoons can be fished without being tipped with live bait like wax worms or euro larva. The best sized spoons for bluegills and crappies are either 1/32-ounce or 1/16-ounce.
When the panfish are more lethargic one of the best presentations you can use for them is a small tungsten jig paired with a wax worm. The Northland Fishing Tackle Tungsten Gill Getter jig is a staple across the ice belt. This small tungsten jig is the perfect presentation for finicky panfish.
Its flat body presents a smooth, natural-looking gliding motion and reflects sonar better. The Gill Getter jig can be paired with wax worms, euro larva, or plastics. It’s available in a wide variety of colors allowing anglers to choose the best color for their particular body of water. When fishing weeds in winter the Gill Getter Jig is a must for finicky panfish.
Bass / Northern Pike / Walleye
When targeting bigger fish like northern pike, bass, and walleye in weed beds it pays to use some that can attract the fish in from a distance. The Northland Fishing Tackle Buck Shot Coffin Spoon has all the features you want when targeting predatory fish in weed beds.
Setlines are a must for any ice angler looking to target pike, bass, or walleye. Traditional tip-up allows the angler to fight the fish hand over fist. They are durable, easy to use and perform well on colder days, because the spool is underwater and unaffected by the freezing temperatures.
Set lines allow the angler to spread out when they are fishing weeds in winter. Some good livebait choices for set lines include sucker minnows, shiner minnows, and fathead minnows.
FAQ’s
Do fish stay in the shallow weeds all winter long?
Yes. On many bodies of water fish can be found in the shallow weed beds all winter long. Fishing weeds in winter can be done from first ice till ice off.
What is the best color bait when fishing weeds in winter?
Most ice anglers tend to prefer brighter colors when fishing the weed beds. This helps the fish see your bait from a great distance.
What is the best bait for targeting northern pike in the weed beds?
A live sucker minnow or shiner minnow under a tip up is one of the best ways to catch northern pike.
Conclusion
Fishing weeds in winter is one of the best ways to have a successful day out on the ice. Bluegills, crappies, largemouth bass, northern pike, and walleye can be found in and around weeds. If you can find the right type of weeds that are green and standing it’s a sure bet that you’ll be able to find some fish all winter long.
