It’s never too cold to fish

It was one of the coldest days I’ve ever had fishing plans, and I hoped the two early-morning texts were from Tom and Jason, saying it was too cold to fish.

Instead, they were both excited, and seemed giddy about the cold. I dragged myself out of bed, bundled up and headed out. It was late February, and the mercury had dipped well below freezing. The stripers were running, and that only happens for a short while every year, at least in such numbers, on that river.

The ride upriver was fairly miserable, as expected. No matter how bundled up I get, the bitter cold finds its way to my bones.

Jason maneuvered us through the rocks until he was comfortable with our location, and Tom dropped the anchor.

We began casting hard plastic wake baits, which Jason has a lot of success with here.

An hour in, we hadn’t seen a fish, and it hadn’t warmed up a stitch. We moved a few times, made a hundred casts, and finally hooked into a couple of fish, but they both got free.

Then Tom hooked up to a nice striper. His rod was doubled over, and his drag screamed numerous times during the fight.

Jason had the net ready, but Tom’s fish wasn’t giving up. Then I hooked up on the opposite side of the boat.

This is what we came for.

My fish had just as much fight in it as Tom’s, so this wasn’t a quick process. Usually, I can’t wait to get a fish in the boat, but this time, it wasn’t up to me. The current, the rocks, and the sheer brute of this striper made sure I had no choice but to take my time.

And then I realized, I had no reason to hurry. The only reason I ever hurry to reel a fish in, is so that I can hook another one. And if I’ve already got one on the line, why not just enjoy it?

Jason pulled a double play with the net, scooping both stripers into it with one swoop. A good bit of tangling occurred with the lines, but it only took a minute to straighten it all out.

Then I sat back and watched Jason hook up, then Tom again. I wasn’t even cold any longer.

We didn’t catch a ton of fish that day, but the ones we caught were quality fish that provided the kind of fight that I’ll never complain about facing the cold over.

Spring will be here soon, but for now, get on the water, no matter how cold it is. It’s worth it.

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