WINTER RIVER FISHING FOR EYE'S!! WORTH IT OR NOT???

[JERRY/PA]

FIRST LET ME THANK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED ME GET STARTED MAKING MY OWN HARNESS....NOW, I DO HAVE THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER WEST BRANCH BEHIDE MY HOUSE AND I HAVE GOTTEN A FEW EYE'S IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TRY AND FISH FOR THEM NOW IF IT'S WORTH IT???WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR THE SOME THING I WOULD WHEN THE WATER IS WARM OR IS IT A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME IN THE WINTER?? SHOULD I JIG OR USE HARNESS.
WHAT SHOULD THE WATER DEPT BE..ANY GOOD JIG COLORS..ECT,,ECT,,WHAT ABOUT FEEDER CREEKS SHOULD I FISH BY THEM..I WILL TAKE ALL THE HELP I COULD GET..MANY THANKS TO THOSE THAT HELP...AGAIN...JERRY..

[Sluggo / NY]

Jerry..I fish the Susky here in NY all winter (as long as I can get the boat in). This time of year I go to jigs and minnows. I go small and very slow! I use worm rigs a lot on Erie, but don't do well on the river with them even when the water warms. We've got a dam near us that creates an ideal spawning area, so right now we just fish the slack water areas below and downriver from the dam. I think the key is to stay on the bottom and fish SLOW. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[Cangl]

Winter fishing rivers is lite biting, slow presentation especially with a jig. As far as trolling or drifting harnesses, the fish tend to lip a smaller bait more often. Trolling cranks has been more effective for me than rig's.

This time of the year ice flows moving in current at high speed are destructive.

Try GPS =Go Places Slowly it's easier on holding fish anyhow. Look for groups of fish or bait near bottom for a good jig bite. Fishing upstream of the ramp is always a good idea with ice flows or trouble other anglers are few and far between! Ditch the long runs and pay attention to your electronics, running slowly will read more of the bottom. Ice flows are fishable.

So much for my New Years resolution ;)