Improving Your Fishing Success During Frontal Approach

Winter is in full swing with frequent changes in air and water temperatures, and also wind direction. These changes create the need for adjustments in our daily fishing plans. I have always felt that the best anglers always adjust according to conditions, allowing the changes to play to their advantage rather than disadvantage.

I was diligent in recording the conditions of each day when I first started fishing; wanting to know why I caught or did not catch them, along with where we caught them. Cold fronts affect not only air and water temperatures but they also influence tides, create wind-driven currents, and produce barometric pressure changes that signal the coming changes to the fish we are seeking.

In all the bay systems I fish, we will normally see some increase in feeding activity as these frontal systems approach. It’s not magic, nor does it mean you will catch fish anywhere you might choose to fish. We must still be in areas that have the requisite needs for the fish in that bay system.

I know you likely get tired of me mentioning the importance of having a reliable food source present, as well as suitable bottom structure in the same area. In the winter months I also like to add quick and easy access to deep water. However, with that said, many of the fish we seek do not live where there is quick access to deep water. This is proven over and over when fish kills occur repeatedly in the same areas where fish do not or cannot access deeper water when the mercury plummets.

Over my guiding career I have witnessed three very major freeze events and, in every instance trout and reds were killed in the exact same areas. This can only mean that these are areas were fish live out their lives and do not move or know to move when water temperatures drop to dangerously low levels.

Prior to forecasted freezing temperatures, I find myself placing my groups in areas I believe will incur a fish kill. Sounds terrible, right? But you cannot believe how accurate that assessment has been over the years. Enough talk about deadly freezing temperatures and fish kills, let’s get started talking about the days we get prior to fronts and how we can improve our success.

At the beginning of each winter season I start mapping out areas that have good stands of bottom grass. Depending on the weather pattern for each year, the areas that hold and maintain good areas of bottom grass will change to some degree. Fixed structures such as oyster reefs, shoreline points, and coves stay pretty much the same as long as we have no major weather events such as a hurricane. In the past, the commercial oyster fleet did tons of damage to our middle coast reefs, but new regulations have been enacted to prevent this and there are also now oyster farms popping up with promise to relieve the pressure on natural reefs.

I fish submerged grass more than I fish shell. I catch good fish on both types of structure but the fixed structures typically receive more fishing pressure on a regular basis, so the population of larger fish is naturally smaller there. On submerged grass, the fish tend to move more, as does the bait. So, this in a way helps protect the population.

Small areas of scattered grassbeds are my favorite types of grass structure. The very fact that they are scattered actually helps concentrate the trout more effectively. The scattered nature of these beds also allows for pinpoint casting and a more deliberate approach, which produces predictable strikes and, in my opinion, strikes from better trout. Fewer trout, for sure, but definitely better quality.

When fishing scattered grass beds, don’t be afraid to change lures after multiple casts to a specific patch of grass fail to produce a strike. A different lure profile, color, and action can produce a strike when the first lure did not. I see this happen often when fishing with slow-suspending lures and switching to one that works best on a more aggressive presentation.

The Texas Custom Double D is a great choice in a situation such as this. Many times, the ability to allow this lure to hover in a slightly higher portion of the water column will produce strikes when a lure that is falling toward bottom will not. And it can work both ways; which is the reason why lures are designed to match specific applications.

Most everyone who reads my column regularly or has fished with me knows that a topwater is seldom my go-to lure. That said, topwaters can be exceptionally effective for locating and reading the attitude of big trout. Many times we see larger trout come up and eat or take a swipe at an erratic or aggressively worked floater versus a slower more methodical presentation. We refer to this as a reaction strike and many times the fish will completely miss the target. But that’s OK; we learned something. Knowing that good fish are present is critical to catching big fish.

Soft plastics work the same way. Many are the days that I switch lures to locate fish or gain a better idea of their feeding attitude. Knowing and believing that fish are present is huge. This knowledge then allows us to go about the process of discovering what they are most likely to eat.

I have become a big believer in picking areas based on the presence of what big trout need, and then slipping into the area and slowly allowing the pattern for the day to develop around us. It can be a gamble at times, but more often than not the knowledge we gain, whether we catch them or not, is priceless to the future development of my own knowledge as well as the clients I have with me.

There is no replacement for a true learning experience, and we learn best by observation, and this requires that we spend a good amount of time in an area. I don’t keep my boat close to me most days. On occasions when I have clients that need numerous breaks during a wade, I will drift it down closer than I might want to.

I am of the belief that today’s trout, especially upper-slot trout, are very aware of our presence. I also believe that these trout, even though aware, will eat for us if we approach in a manner and fish in a manner that allows them to accept our presence. There is no hard data to prove or disprove my beliefs. What I will tell you is what I observe on an almost daily basis, and that is that upper-slot trout will move a great distance away from boat pressure.

I am certain of this because it has become a game with me and my clients when a boat runs or jumps up in an area we are fishing. Depending on the location of the disturbance, I can accurately predict which angler will be getting the next strike. Sounds like a tall tale, I know, but it happened three times just today.

If recording data equates to science, my records of these happenings become more scientific every day. This private study of mine started many years ago on the outside beach of Traylor Island during the peak of trout season for that area. It still works today in the exact same areas.

This winter my clients are seeing tremendous success with the Custom Corky Fat Boy and Soft Dine in Boogeyman, Gringo, Bay Mistress, Pistachio, Pure Silver/Blk Spots, Crown Royal, and Pearl Harbor. The same colors have been effective in the Double D family. Some of the water we are fishing has somewhat of green algae hue, so colors such as Texas Turnip, Double Bubble or the new Copper series have also been effective.

We have also had good success with the MirrOlure Lil John, Lil John XL, and 5” Bass Assassins. Watermelon Red Glitter, June Bug, Molting, and Black have been good as of this writing. I still recommend the Texas Custom’s 1/16-ounce 2/0 jig head in all the colors they offer. I prefer Watermelon Red Glitter, but they all work very well.

On a different note, I want to comment on TPWD’s decision to adopt a three trout daily bag limit with 15- to 20-inch retention slot. I am 100% in favor! I am also very hopeful they will create a tag system to allow one fish per year of 30-inches or greater length during the March commission meetings. I firmly believe these actions will have a great impact on the future of our trout fishery.

May Your Fishing Always Be Catching! -Guide, Jay Watkins