Why Winter Fish Follow but Won’t Commit (Try This!)
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing, Tackle & Gear, Artifical Lure Tips
Winter fishing messes with your head.
You find the fish.
Sometimes you even watch them follow your bait… and still get nothing.
No thump. No eat.
So anglers start changing lures, colors, jigheads, retrieves, or leave to find “feeding fish.”
But in winter, that may not be the real problem.
Cold, clear water changes the rules, and something subtle starts working against your presentation.
I made this video to explain why winter bites seem to disappear and what actually helps turn follows into commits.
Featured Gear:
Key Takeaways:
- Winter fish are reacting to something most anglers never adjust
- Clear water changes what fish notice long before they decide to bite
- The problem usually isn’t the lure, even when it feels like it is
- Small details matter far more in winter than any color or profile change
- The difference between follows and bites is often invisible above the surface
Final Thoughts:
Clear winter water changes how fish move and how closely they inspect what’s in front of them. Colder temperatures slow everything down, giving fish more time to evaluate your entire presentation, not just the lure. In those conditions, downsizing line can be one of the simplest adjustments that makes a real difference when bites are hard to come by.
So when the water gets cold and clear… how light do you actually go?
IMPORTANT REMINDER
The 2 core benefits we promise to Insider Club members is to be able to find and catch fish easier than ever before while saving money on fishing equipment.
So I am including links to the quickest ways to achieve each:
1) Finding Fish System
2) Insider Club’s Group Discounts
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Another good video, Pat!
Thanks Pat. Good stuff again.
Thanks Pat, great info as always
Can someone please send me the link to the hook sizing chart.
Hey, Pat. Do you have rods set up for winter fishing that you only use during winter, rather than having to spend extra money re-spooling again in the Spring?
Great question!
I look at it this way, I have some finesse set ups for smaller lures that I will use when the situation calls for them. These are the ones I have 6 pound braid with light leader. But I will use them year round.
I am going to try downsizing and see how it goes. Thanks Pat
Let us know!
My Winter go to has been 6# test with 10# leader for years & GO SLOW !! Great tutorial Pat, thanks !!
Thanks George!
That does make a lot of sense. Thanks Pat
It has made a huge difference in my bites!
Great info. Thanks Pat.
Thanks for watching Troy!
Pat: great info and going to try this coming week. That being said do you have any concerns with breaking off the leader and how long do you think the leader should be? Thanks, Jon
It’s very rare that I have any issues. You just have to remember not to horse the fish in.
Leader lengths are usually longer, minimum 3 foot but typically around 5-7 foot.