The Ozarks Smallmouth Alliance: Get ready for winter River Bronze!

Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths.
~Author Unknown

Winter; cold, snow, ice, Smallmouth? Youbetcha!

Just because the mercury drops doesn't mean you have to drop the gear and wait until spring to chase our Ozarks rivers Smallies. With a little preparation and some good timing, winter can be a great time for pursuing the Bronze Warrior.

Here are some tips and tactics I find useful. Enjoy!

Location, location, location
The dead of winter finds the River Smallmouth holed up in deep water haunts with access to three things: food, cover and current.

Food provides energy
Cover provides protection and stealth
Current can provide both of the above and provides water with a higher O2 saturation
(especially in heavy riffle plunge pools).

Illustration credit to In-Fisherman magazine

Fortunately for the fish, river Crawdads look for the same things. And while they are much less active, 'Daddy's do not hibernate or go dormant. Baitfish also become less active and tend to pod up in similar water.

The cover I seek out in winter is usually big rocks in deep water. Preferably with current close by. Woody cover in deep water will work as well.

Remember, "deep" is a relative term for our Ozarks rivers. In a majority of the rivers I fish, during the lower flows of winter 10' is a deep hole. During our first trip in Jauary of this year, we were catching fish in 6-8' of water. Surface temp was 46 degrees. (Thanks Jackie Wright for turning on your Finder!)

Photo Credit to Smallmouth in Your Soup

Water temp plays a huge role in the daily life of a river Smallie. One benefit to winter is that it's not necessary to be there at sun-up. Winter fish do not have to feed all day, or for several days, as their metabolism is slowed to the point of almost being "off".
In my opinion, the magic hours are from 10am until an hour or so before sunset. A little later on cloudy days, a bit earlier on sunny days.

I do prefer sunny days over clouds. One or two degrees in water temp change can really make a difference in your success rate.

It's all in your delivery

Our Ozarks rivers get very clear between rains so presentation becomes just as important as what's being presented.
Most of my winter fishing is from a kayak, ( if you're wondering, my Yak of choice is the Wilderness Systems ATAK 120).
I always approach a potential spot with as much stealth as possible. Try to skirt around the potential lie and approach it with a down-stream to up-stream presentation, if you are fishing soft plastics or the like.
My go-to in the winter is the Ned Rig. Much maligned, but IMHO, hands down the best river bait for Smallies. My preference is the ZMan Finesse TRD.
I fish three or four colors: Coppertruese, Molten Craw (pictured), Green Pumpkin and Orange/Green Pumpkin. I usually use a 1/16th oz Ned Hed from Solid Tackle.1/8th if I am in heavy or especially deep water.
Line size is critical; I use 4 or 6lb Flocarbon most of the time. Most of my reels have P-Line FloroClear on them. I fish this on either a 6'6" or 7' medium action spinning rod from my buddy Reggie at All Around, and pair them with Ardent CForce 2000 or Bolt 2000 reels.

Molten Craw Finesse TRD on a 1/8th oz Ned hed

Crankbaits are also a go-to in the winter. I fish 1.5's in OSA Craw, Fire Tiger, Blue Craw and Wiggle Warts in Chartreuse and Black, OSA Craw, and Red Craw. The key, in my opinion, is to get to depth and slow down. The more rocks I bump, the better I feel about winter crankbaitn'. And don't forget to pause repeatedly. Many times fish will tail a crank until it stops, and then whack it from behind. These strikes are very subtle, often just a slight bump or your line going slack. Long casts are key to maximizing the time your bait is in the strike zone.

OSA Craw from 19 Delta baits

Jigs are hard to beat in the winter. I have become very fond of smaller jigs from my buddy Paul Preston and Rock Crawler. I fish 1/8 or 1/4oz jigs almost dead stick. Just crawl them along the bottom. I like Pauls jigs because I don't have to fish a trailer. Paul uses bucktail along the hook shank and they have great action.
Strikes are usually subtle here as well; sometimes a bump, sometimes just extra weight...Swings are free, so set the hook on any anomaly.

Rock Crawler!

Don't leave the long Rod at home!!!I approach the river from a different perspective with the fly rod, especially if I am fishing streamers deep on sink-tip. Up to down. I'll stop at the top of a run with deep water below and cast perpendicular to the bank, feeding line to gain depth, and allow the streamer to reach the desired spot. Then start the slow, jerk-jerk-pause retrieve.
Go-to streamers include the Shuttlecock, SBS Streamer, and Clouser. Use colors to match the forage. All white, white/chartreuse and purple/pink are also productive. Not sure why the purple/pink color combo is so effective, but it continues to surprise me season after season.

Shuttlecock

One of my favorite techniques is the FnF ( Float and Fly). It can be used with both gear and the flyrod, but I use it exclusively on the flyrod.
The FnF is a hair jig or jig swimbait fished under a float. It has a popular following in the eastern US and is gaining popularity in the Ozarks.
I fish 1/8th oz jigs under a float, trying to match the feeding depth of the fish. This is generally presented up-stream to down. Make sure to allow enough slack to let the jig float naturally..This can be particularly deadly after extended cold fronts.

I choose to use a 9' 7wt rod lined up to 8wt. My go-to rod is a Redington Predator. with a Lamson Speedster 3. My absolute favorite line is Sharkwave from SA. I rarely use a full sink line for streamers, opting instead for Rio's Versitip solution.

Swimbait hair jigs

Always be prepared
Winter on the river is not for the faint of heart. Be ready for anything. Have a good PFD if you're in a Yak or other watercraft( oh, and WEAR it). Carry a good dry bag with a change of clothes, and always carry your rain gear ( me and 10 Rod Todd can attest to this). Carry fire making materials (magnesium striker,water proof matches, etc) in case of an accidental spill. Always tell someone where you are going ( put in and take out ). Carry a good, FLOATING, dry box for your cell, keys and wallet. Make sure you have high-caloric snacks i.e. Clif Bars etc..
Stay hydrated and always, always keep a keen eye for possible hang-ups (we never know where that new strainer will will end up after a good rain).

In conclusion
Winter on the river is a blessing. I rarely see another angler in late January, February and early March. What I do see is nature; eagles, otters, deer, beavers and the occasional hog-molly Bronzeback. Which is just fine by me....