Winter
in the
Great Lakes
Story and Photos by
Rick Kustich
Winter comes to the Great Lakes region without any fanfare or warning and it can set in well before the calendar says its time. It can hit all at once when cold moist air moves across the warmer lakes picking up more moisture and depositing it inland in the form of lake effect snow. Or it can overtake the landscape slowly as each day temperatures lose a few degrees until one morning the air leaves fingertips numb from the chill.
In the Great Lakes region it is important to take advantage of fall-like conditions when available, utilizing warmer water temperatures to encounter aggressive steelhead in a wide range of holding areas. But when winter hits it is time to switch gears in order to fully enjoy the experience.
Winter represents a time for solitude. Even some of the region’s most popular rivers will be markedly devoid of anglers when conditions become challenging. Rivers take on a different appearance in the winter as gentle flows cut through snow-filled banks. The water looks dark in contrast to the snowy banks and flows are often gentle as the cold temperatures have choked excessive runoff.