If you ask me, spring – and I mean the warm, sunny, birds chirping part – can’t get here fast enough. I don’t mind saying that I’m tired of the cold weather.
Realistically, on most of the country’s bass lakes, we still have a bunch of cold trips ahead of us. There are definitely some strategies that will help you contend with the conditions, but for me, it starts with the mental game.
As a tournament angler, I think you just have to look at it as you have to stay a step ahead of everybody. Obviously, there will be guys who go out and practice on cold days and if you don’t, you’re going to end up behind.
It’s not bad being out there in the cold a few days, but when you have to be out there several days, that’s when it’s not fun. Also, there’s a difference between “cold” and “brutally cold.” For me, anything in the low 20’s or lower is brutal.
I can handle those days when it’s in the 20s and I know it will get up to the 40s. But those days when it starts out in the teens but it’s only going to get up to freezing – man, those are just no fun.
When I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, I can get through the brutal part. But when you have nothing to look forward to, you’re in for a tough day.
The thing that makes a big difference psychologically, as well as physically, is sunshine. For example, the first day of the Classic, the temperature was really low but we had sunshine, so I really didn’t think it was all that bad. But the second day was cloudy, so it felt a lot colder.
On days like this, remember that it’s going to take you longer to do everything, so you have to have a little patience and just deal with it the best you can. Tournament fishing is stressful enough as it is and the last thing you want to do is get spun out because of the weather.
Like I said, the mental game is where I start, by anticipating what I’ll face and preparing myself for the challenges that go along with cold weather fishing. Of course, even with the toughest mental preparation, you’ll do a lot better when you’re also physically prepared.
On these cold days, whenever all you’re thinking about is staying warm, the wheels are spinning and you just have to stop and take a break. When I’m fishing at home, or sometimes during practice, if I get so cold that it starts affecting my focus, I’ll park the boat at the ramp, put the Power Poles down and go sit in the truck for a few minutes.
I’ve found that if you can get your hands warm and get your core warm, you can continue. During a tournament, portable heaters can be a day saver. A couple minutes of warming your hands will get you back in the game.
Also, I carry a thermos of soup and around noon, I’ll have this for lunch. That’s a good way to warm up your core, especially when it’s not convenient to run back to the ramp and sit in the truck.
I like chicken noodle soup because I can drink it from the thermos cap and I don’t need a spoon. I add some water to one can of soup to make it more drinkable.
I learned that deer hunting. When I sit all day in a cold tree stand, I sit there and just fight it. But then I say it’s time to drink some soup and I’m good the rest of the day.
Now, all this is helpful, but the one thing you just have to get right is your clothing. Everybody’s different and you have to base your layering on whether you’re a hot natured or cold natured person.
I start with a quality base layer that locks in heat; add a medium layer like a sweatshirt and then a good outer layer. If it’s 35 degrees or colder, I’ll go with a second layer over the base layer and then add the outer layer.
For the Classic, Gill sent me a rain suit that performed very well. It kept me warm and I had enough mobility to flip and throw a jerkbait.
The best thing is the Velcro cuffs on the sleeves that trap heat. The same type of Velcro seal at the neck went up to my ears and kept all that heat from escaping.
A few more points about cold weather preparation:
– Dark color clothing and rain suits will absorb and hold more heat.
– Heat will escape from your head if you leave it uncovered. I use a stocking cap.
– Carry a heavy set of gloves for running and a lighter set for fishing. And take several spare sets of fishing gloves because you’re going to get your hands wet during the course of fishing.
– Most anglers know about hand warmers, but you’ll also appreciate the larger heating pads sold in pharmacies. I had so many of those things stuck to my body during the Classic; I looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
– Take an extra set of clothes. Accidents happen and if your body gets wet on a cold day, you could have a big problem. Pulling into a dock and changing out everything will help you avoid hypothermia.
Now all this talk about cold weather has me thinking about how I’m so sick of wearing three layers of clothing, not only to go fishing, but even to go into town for dinner. But there is one good thing about these years when we’ve had these winters that drag out and drag out – it’s some of the best spring fishing because the fish are ready for warmer weather just like us.
As soon as they get the opportunity to go, they’re going to go; and when they do they’re all going to go at one time.
I think it’s going to be a good spring.
