Fishing in the Central Valley: To overcome the winter blues, focus on the springtime

I really hate cold, short days. So in order to stay sane this time of year, I count down to Dec. 21, which is the shortest day of the year.

In my world, from that point on, each day gets a little longer and I feel better knowing that longe,r warmer days are just around the corner.

Yes, it’s a mind trick but it helps me stay positive and focused on a season I’m looking forward to, while enduring the shorter cold days I would rather avoid.

My love of warmer, longer days revolves around being able to fish as late as 8 p.m. in the summer. In addition it seems like there is always a window of time early or late, where the conditions are pretty comfortable. In contrast, the winter temperatures usually never get into my comfort zone, so I’m always colder than I want.

Another reason I don’t like winter is that as a decathlete I had to train outside all the time as there was no off season.

Have you ever done hard interval training in freezing cold wind – running fast repeat 300-yard runs dressed in just your running shorts and tank top?

It was sort of what it feels like to be a popsicle stick with the faster you ran the colder you got.

In addition, my father loved colder weather, so he would entice me to go night fishing for crappie in the middle of January. He would be sitting in his chair fishing at the front of the boat at 1 a.m. in the freezing cold fog, and be happy as a clam. I would be completely frozen, vowing I’ll never let him talk me into this torture ever again, no matter how many crappie we caught.

Having to leave the lake at 4 p.m. as dusk fell, never left me satisfied because I always wanted to have a long full day to fish. I know, a lot of guys tell me they won’t go out when it’s 100 degrees, but I learned long ago while working on my family’s turkey ranch that I could handle the heat if I just prepared for it.

Back then, we worked and did what we needed to do, then we would find out later just how hot it was. It just wasn’t that big a deal.

I have fished many times on 100-112 degree days. I have also been in extreme decathlon competitions where it was more than 105 degrees and the track had to be sprayed down with water before you could ever put your hands on the starting line.

I guess handling the weather is all state of mind.

But I am just a weather guy, my body just doesn’t work right on cold short days and long nights aren’t conducive to the way I roll.

Following Dec. 21, the next milestone in my journey back to the light is when the time changes and we spring forward. It may not actually lengthen the day, but it sure makes me feel like it does as the light begins to linger longer. And I feel like I can breathe again.

Even during the short dark days of winter, the key for me is to stay excited about the coming spring and a new fishing season. And as always: Never give up.

This story was originally published December 8, 2024 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Fishing in the Central Valley: To overcome the winter blues, focus on the springtime."