He uses a small but sensitive 6-foot rod so he can feel the slight difference between the tick of his line when his tube lure is inhaled by a smallmouth and the lure hopping over a stick on the river bottom. Reidenbach notes that winter bass tend to strike more subtly than summer smallies. Warmer is not necessarily better and most bass are caught in zones where the water temperature is around 55 or so, often 70 feet or so from shore, anglers report. The misty water can be lulling, but never forget that you are fishing in harsh, dangerous conditions, veteran Brunner Island anglers caution. Fishing tandem is encouraged.
Most anglers keep a dry set of clothes in their vehicles in case they get wet.
Wading sticks are used by some. And watch the ice buildup on rod eyelets. Reidenbach got a little careless the other day and when he cast, the ice sliced through the line and his lure sailed into the drink. Dipping the rod into the warmer water is a common technique to avoid icing. For scores of anglers, smallmouth fishing has become a year-round passion.