Words + Photo By: Kit Belen
Winter is the peak time for fishing here in the UAE and Oman. The challenge is when it gets too cold, too fast.
When the temperature drops, the fish suddenly get a bad case of lockjaw and finding success in these times could be very challenging. This is the time when catch rates just plummet, just as fast as t he mercury!
Fish become lethargic in cold water and oftentimes refuse to feed as they normally do. Although you will still catch fish, the overall catch rate drops. Fish would be most likely be tight on structure and it becomes important to fish closer to cover, closer than you normally would in normal fishing conditions.
As the air temperature drops, the surface water temperature also drops. This will force fish to move into deeper water looking for a temperature range that they are more comfortable in. This would be in places where the water temperature is warmer. Fish are cold blooded and their body temperature is regulated by the surroundings. They become lethargic in cold water, as their metabolism slows down.
Since they will be extra lazy in these conditions, they will not be in the mood to chase fast moving prey. Although feeding won’t be on top of their priority list (since their metabolism is slow, they won’t be needing much food to survive) big meals are not needed, easy meals are! Food that don’t take much energy to catch and consume could trigger their feeding instinct.
With those variables in mind, you can piece together the puzzle that would spell you some success in this challenging time: a snack, instead of a meal, fishing deep, fishing light and fishing slow is the name of the game.
Although there are a lot of specialist lures you can use to fish in these conditions, the easiest to use would be soft plastic lures.
Arguably the most versatile of lures, the soft plastic is probably the most confusing to the neophyte angler! With over a hundred variations and more colour combinations than the most psychedelic of rainbows, the choice to pick one is a daunting task!
To make matters simple, I stick to the three basic ones that catch fish, and use most often: the curly tail, the paddle tail and the jerk shad type. Of the three, I most often use the paddle tail, followed by the grub. When the fish is most active or when I’m prospecting, I use the jerk shad.
Paddle tails are perhaps the most straightforward of all and has accounted for most of my fish in soft plastics. To fish it, you just simply cast out and reel it in. Depending on the fish you’re after, you either adjust your speed by reeling in fast or slow, you can twitch it, jerk it and you can fish it just under the surface or “slow roll” it by reeling it slow just off the bottom.
When the fish are actively feeding or when I’m fan casting an area, I use a jerk shad. It is the first soft plastic I would rig with because it’s a fast-paced lure (although I know some people that effectively fish it slow with great success) I find that this type of soft plastic gets the most reaction bites and is still quite fast even when worked slow.
The grub is my top choice for fishing in the slowest pace and is my top lure for cold weather fishing. The curl tail does its magic even in the slowest of speeds and is deadly when it’s slowly falling towards the bottom after the cast. You get a lot of strikes when fish intercept it while on its slow decent to the bottom. One of the most important things to remember with soft plastics is to use just enough weight to reach the bottom. I see far too many people using a jig head that’s far too heavy for the place they are fishing and is the key to fishing cold weather.
The choice of which colour to use is a matter of personal preference, however, the choice of which type to use is a matter of experience. In cold water situations however, I stick with the curly tail grub and the paddle tail to help me catch my fish.
Fishing with leaders as light as 4 to 6lb (2 to 3kg) breaking strain is not for everyone, but when the chips are down, I would rather have a strike and a chance at landing a good fish, than none at all! In the best of times, the size of the gear you use would not matter and you can catch a whole mess of fish. In tougher times, fishing with light line and with the right rod, reel and lures or bait that goes with it will make a difference. Although fishing with light line will get you most strikes in ideal conditions, it shines its brightest in situations where you require stealth and cold weather fishing.
If you want to try something new or when fishing deep water, don’t miss out on the action and tie on a Japanese slow jig. The Madai jigs are very simple to use, just cast them out, let them sink to the bottom and slowly reel them in, hopping them occasionally or just reel them in with a slow straight wind. They are very effective and consistent producers the world over. There are a few places in Dubai that sell them, all of them work, just remember to fish them slow.
The winter gives us some great fishing days, but we already know that the best fishing time for us isn’t always the best time for fish to bite. It is up to us to find a formula that works. Flexibility and a little bit of patience goes a long way in our sport and before you know it, there will be a few things you will learn to apply to your regular routine by fishing slow and light. We still have a few months to go before the heat starts creeping in. Make each outing count!
Till next tide change,
Kit
