This is not a joke. To be fair: I have contemplated creating a satirical article advocating casting across the ice into a small, drilled hole. This is not that article.

This is an article that legitimately discusses fly fishing when there is ice present. It is brief, but it is an overview of what you can/can’t and should/shouldn’t do around ice.

While there are some things I caution against below there are also a lot of opportunities. Ice forming is a natural and normal part of the seasonal cycle of a river. Understanding it, and how fish react to it, is wise and helpful for fly fishing.

Here are five things to think about if your favorite trout stream has ice in, on, or around it:

Ice shows you seams.

While temperature, speed, depth, and a number of other factors in the water will dictate freezing rate, established ice may show variation within a stream. One example that I used to my advantage was a particular stretch of freestone stream that puzzled me all summer. The water looked uniform on the surface in warmer months. As ice formed, it revealed the nature of the the flow of the current. It moved back and forth, dictated by stream bottom structure and other minor influences.

Ice reveals temperature differences.

If there is warmer water – which, in very cold temperatures, includes spring seeps – there won’t be ice there. It could be that it is shallower and the sun heats up the streambank, too. If there is an iceless stretch that starts on the bank or alongside a streamside depression, that might be a spot worth targeting.

Ice limits your casting.

Fly Line matters. So pay attention. Ice is abrasive. It is absolutely abrasive microscopically, but often ice “in the wild” can feel rough. Although fly line is designed to be used and to be durable, the characteristics that make it light and supple leave it vulnerable. Dragging line across ice isn’t a great idea. Pulling line against ice (think torqueing it fighting a fish or a snag) is even worse. Just avoid contact.

Ice impacts your wading.

Ice over moving water is sketchy. It might be incredibly thick, but there are so many variables that could render that thick ice dangerous. Wet or snowy wading boots are also probably the last thing you want to be wearing if you must walk on ice. If you need to traverse ice, consider moving slowly with studs or breaking it if possible.

Ice opens things up.

If you can get out and get out safely, take advantage of the times when others might stay indoors. Use the ice when you can, avoid it when you should, and catch a few fish in the coldest of months.

...of course, you could always just get an auger and tie your leader to a tip-up. But that is for a different article.