The Belvidere gauge reads 5.3 feet. Water temps average around 42 degrees. We are in the midst of a milder than normal stretch of weather, which bodes really well for the winter bite. Water temps will not respond a great deal due to the low sun angle and cold nights, but anything above normal means fish will still burn calories and need to eat some. Numbers are usually not high, but large smallies are a good bet. We target wintering holes and throw Don's hair jigs (www.dons-jigs.com) and Mizmo tubes.
An occasional jerkbait fish is possible as well. Slow is the rule for presenting lures. Monday, Chris Gorsuch and Mike Novis fished with me on a real tough bite, even for winter. We caught 6 smallies and had 3 others dropped at boatside. Jake Cole and I boated 15 smallies Tueaday on grubs and Don's Jigs. Bites are very mushy, but distinct when you are used to it. We boated a 4 lb 2 oz brute on a millennium jig. On Thursday, Vince Keiper and I boated 21 smallmouth and a walleye....No I did not bang my head on the gunwale!
The best hair jig bite I have seen on the D, with Vince boating a 20.75. 20.25. 18 and 17.5. These days in the teens for numbers are as good as December fishing gets. Big bass opportunities will persist right through December, and dates are available, so get in on some unusually mild weather/exceptional December fishing!
