Wild About
by Nate Skinner
Winter Structure
T
he frigid air felt like sharp,
stinging needles during our
short trek across the bay. At
the helm, my eyes watered
as the windshield just seemed to be
doing absolutely no good. The
wheel felt like ice through my
neoprene gloves, and, although we
were nearing our destination, the last
few miles seemed like days as the
cold wind engulfed the boat. Finally,
the throttle found neutral and it was
as if someone turned the heater on
as the vessel came to a halt—it was
dead calm.
“Remind me why we are out here again?”, I muttered as
we began to thaw out. My counterpart seemed to have much
thicker skin. In the time it took me to get the feeling back in my
hands, he had already shed gloves and a heavy coat and was
now casting towards some wooden pilings. A few, slow handle
turns later, he hooked up before I could even grab my rod.
“Now, I remember,” I chuckled, netting one of many overfive-pound trout that were brought to the surface that day. That
narrow strip of wood and shell laden water was wall to wall
with solid fish, taking advantage of an easy meal, ambushing
from structure.
Structure made the trip that day, and it’s what will make
many between now and springtime. Once again, it’s time to
pull out heavy jackets and to dress in ensembles suitable for a
snow skier when preparing for an on-the-water adventure. The
harsh elements of winter can be just that, hanging over our heads
as a reason not to get out and pursue the salty creatures we love
during the coldest months of the
year. Fortunately for us, the entire
Gulf Coast is chock full of honey
holes and hot spots that can make
some of the most fair weather of
fishermen (and women) forget about
the extreme conditions. Every
winter gold mine has one thing in
common, drawing fish from miles
around - structure.
Identifying Winter Structure
Areas that hold fish during the
winter provide a refuge for fish to
take shelter during extreme cold
snaps. Strong cold fronts and gale
force winds turn bay waters upside down and inside out, leaving
fish fleeing for a place to weather the storm. Just like you and
me, they need an area not only to protect them from the weather,
but also one that will provide sustenance in the form of an easy
meal. Therefore, winter hotspots are not just mass expanses of
deep water. Deep water is a key ingredient, but there is so much
more to the recipe.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologist, Bill
Balboa, most fish are “opportunistic feeders,” and will take an
easy meal over one that will require more effort at any given
moment. Try offering your best friend the option of ordering a
steak at a restaurant or giving them a healthy cow that needs
butchering and processing, and the instant gratification of a
grilled steak will win every time. Fish are the same way—they
prefer to spend their time in areas where prey is easy to catch.
This is even more so the case during the coldest periods of
(Continued on page 22.)
The author with a trout found feeding along pier pilings which provide fish some of the
best winter structure for ambushing prey.
10
GULF COAST FISHERMAN
Photos by author.
W W W. G U L F F I S H I N G. C O M