I love fly fishing in the winter. I love not fly fishing in the winter.
Sound a bit confusing or contradictory? Well, it isn’t. You see, both the river and the hearth have their advantages and disadvantages in the coldest months. It is usually a fish plus discomfort versus a no fish plus comfort equation.
Today I’m sharing three practical articles on cold weather angling.
- How to ensure you can fish dry flies year round.
- Why we endure the frozen extremities.
- Where you can find open water when everything else is frozen.
Read each article by clicking on the title or image below:
Winter Rises: Midges in the Cold
More often than not, the trout sipping midges in the winter are not going to take you into your backing. But these fish offer a great change of pace from normal cold weather techniques. Instead of bouncing nymphs along the bottoms of the deepest holes in the river and methodically targeting every hole in the river, you can see the fish and see what the fish are eating. Small insects, in colors like olive, cream, and gray, will hatch throughout the winter. Even when there are feet of snow these little bugs will be buzzing around. All that is needed is a little sun. Depending on the river and the trout population, midges will be a consistent food source for fish. Here are three things to consider when you see fish sipping something you can’t see in the middle of winter.
The streambanks, even the stream bottoms, are mostly bare. There might be snow and ice. Days are short but the cold weather lasts for a long time. Overall, things are gray, It isn’t the same as fishing in the spring, summer, or fall. But it is still fishing. Guides and fingers freeze. Fish, and most fishermen, don’t have the same motivation. So what is the solution? How do you get up and get out when everything is gray? It comes down to making a choice. The fishing will be slower and the conditions will be less than ideal, but it will still be fishing. Time in front of the television is fine. Time behind the tying vise is good. A good fly fishing book by a warm fire is excellent. But none of those experiences will put you in direct contact with a fish.
If you choose not to get out, you don’t loose your angler credentials. There might even be some benefits in taking a few months’ sabbatical. And let’s face it – it is cold and the fish aren’t terribly cooperative. But if you want to get out, that is another thing. There is nothing saying you can’t fly fish in December, January, and February. As long as local regulations allow it, and you can ethically pursue fish, you aren’t limited to drilling a hole in lake ice if you want to get after some trout. Here are three spots you can target if you want to optimize your cold-weather angling. They vary from amazing to, well, odorous. Irrespective of the scenery, all three of these spots attract fish and should attract fly fishers: