By Aaron Kephart
As I write this, parts of the state are bracing for what could be absolutely historic snowfall (although who knows what will happen). As you read this we are weeks removed from that event, whatever form it takes, and I hope everyone makes it through alright.
With that said, winter fishing is most assuredly here, and we have been catching a lot of really nice fish. Depending upon which lake you are on and where you are at on that lake, water temperatures and clarity are varying widely. However, most lakes are currently clear to stained, and in the 48-54 degree range. The creeks and upper ends of the lake will gradually start to gain more color as winter, and the increase in precipitation that comes with it, drags on. The two primary species that we have been targeting are stripers and smallmouth, and we have been having a ton of success with both.
Stripers have been found from one end of the lakes to the other, but the most numbers have been occurring from the dams to the mid-lake regions. However, while the numbers have been down in the creeks and rivers, the fish seem to be bigger in those locales. The fish have also been showing a marked preference for gizzard shad over herring, as their diets tend to shift when they move into the shallows. January through March ought to see a continuation of this pattern, with things only getting better as we go forward. This is big fish time, and the next couple of months will see some of the biggest stripers of the entire year landed. We have already landed a number of 20 to 30 pounders in the last week or so, and I am expecting 40s to start showing up any day.
Smallmouth fishing has been exceptional. We have been having a lot of 30 to 50 fish days, as we do every winter, and the fish are set up in their winter holes. The awesome thing about winter smallmouth fishing is the predictability: barring a massive warm front, a frozen lake, or super high pressure, the fish should stay put, and they should be eating. Quite frankly, winter smallmouth trips, from my perspective, are the easiest trips I do all year, simply because there typically isn’t nearly as much pressure to have to hunt fish; you simply go back to where you caught them last trip, and catch some more. If you would like to get on some big, beautiful brownbacks, now is the time.
Regardless of weather conditions fish still bite in the winter and, in fact, it is my favorite time of year to fish simply because the fish are heavier at this time than any other. If you want the opportunity for the fish of a lifetime, give me a call at 865-466-1345, and I will be glad to do my best. If you hit it on your own remember to layer up, exercise caution, and have fun!
Aaron Kephart is the Owner of Mountain Lakes Guide Service. To book a guided trip on one of the Murphy area mountain lakes, contact him by phone or by email at mtnlakesguide@outlook.com Check out his website at http://www.mtnlakesguideservice.com and catch him on facebook@mountainlakesguideservice.