Winter doesn’t suck. It’s the not fishing as much because those warmwater fish have fled for deep holes that makes it suck. It’s the not wanting to stress a fish that is trying to survive another Midwest winter that makes winter fishing these creeks seem criminal. Just like fishing for them when the water gets too warm. I might put (barbless) hooks in their lip, but I try to respect the fish when weather deems it so.
With that I’m left with few options. Long drives and long walks, sit at home, or go walk the dog along the creeks that make life awesome. I’ll take two of the three. Yesterday my friend and I went and walked the dogs. Honestly they walked themselves while we enjoyed not being anywhere in particular. We can all use more days like that in our lives.
Nice.
(Winter still sucks, though. And I still intend to catch a smallmouth before it’s over.)
It could happen.