Dialing in on whitefishes

[MuskieBait]

I've tried stream fishing here and there during winter, mostly for steelhead...

I find that fish are usually relating to deeper pools in the winter, unless it's a steelhead on the move. Winter is already a lean time for fish. I would think they relate to deeper pools because:

1) Slower current = less energy expenditure
2) Deeper pool usually don't freeze to the bottom during cold periods
3) Oxygen level isn't an issue in winter (unless the head and tail of the pool freeze to the bottom and stop water flow / exchange)
4) Sometimes there is a spring at the bottom of the pool that delivers warmer ground water

Fast-flowing water has little to offer fish in the winter, even for smaller trout, especially in smaller streams. A large river, however, is a different story.