Wild Fact: Winter Fishing

Although Georgia’s lake fish are most active in spring and fall, you can hook one in the winter with a little patience. Fish are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature matches their environment (in this case, the cold water). Although colder fish are a bit sluggish and don’t require as much food to survive, they may still bite. Many fish huddle close to the bottom of the lake during the cold months, so try using a weighted line to fish deeper, and slowly drag your bait along the bottom. Good-sized largemouth bass and crappie may be caught this way in the winter.

WILD Facts is a regular feature written by Linda May, a wildlife interpretive specialist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division based at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, Georgia.