1. A few years ago someone wrote a blog piece on winter fishing. I expected a piece on flies, lines and technique. What we got was a winter clothing shopping list right down to the PFD (personal flotation device). I don't believe the author even mentioned fishing!! I know that buying things is a big part of this sport for some people but I refuse to insult the rest. You already know how to dress - light and layered. You don't need me regurgitating any manufacturers Kool-Aide over the merits of one pair of fingerless gloves over another. You know what to do.
2. Stick to Tailwaters if you can. Tail waters are actually as important in the winter as in the summer. Their water temperature will be 5 to 10 degrees warmer than your average freestone which are down to the 32 degree range by now. Freestone fish are stressed fish and many will succumb if we have a bad winter. I leave them alone until the ice is off the rivers.
3. When to fish - I used to hit the river at sun up to be greeted with single digit temperatures, iced guides and lethargic trout. Yesterday I was in the water at NOON. The air temperature rose from around 12 degrees at 8am to the mid 20's by early afternoon. It was actually pleasant as I walked to my spot.
4. Where is the best water to fish? - The best water is the warmest (relatively speaking) water. Remember, in the summer the "top" of the river is the coolest and it will begin to warm up as one goes downstream. In the winter the opposite happens. That will give you a hint about where I was on the Swift yesterday!!
5. What technique to use? - Fish low, fish slow and fish small. You have to bounce small flies right off their snouts to get any action. I imagine a grid over the river surface and my goal is to fish that entire grid before moving on. No rocket science here, just keep your line short and cover the water. I find that bouncing your offering on the bottom is more effective than suspending it in the water column at this time of year. And don't go light with the tippets either. You don't want to play these fish to exhaustion. 5X is fine right down to size 24. I know some fish hawks who use it right down to size 30!!!!!
6. How did I do? - 4 bows and two brookies in about an hour. I had dinner plans latter that evening and I really wanted to be home by 3pm but I also wanted to go fly fishing so.....
Ken
23 comments:
Ken,
Great post. Question for you. I've played a bit with what I call "drop shoting". Placing a shot on a loop with the fly tied above it. I can tick the shot down the river hitting botttom, and if it snags, and you pull, it will most likely fall off and you dont lose a fly - just put on more shot and go from there. Ive used tungsten putty and split shot to do this.
That said, for no good reason, I've never tried during winter (that I can remember) to do this. But I'm envisioning something like a 5-8" long drop shot with a #18-24 scud could be really solid on the swift in winter.
Have you tried that? Curious of your thoughts?
Will,
I've started to use that rig this year but not with a loop but with a 4 inch tag end above the fly (12-18 inches). No more lost flies, well almost!
Ken
You are right about the trout not wanting to chase things when it gets really cold.
Allan,
Hmm, sounds like a job for a Euronymphing setup! Dropshot works good too.
Do you put the split shot right on the tag end? Then when you get hung up the split shot slides off or do you pinch it tight enough that it breaks off, small knot at end of tag end, etc...? I feel like I never fish small nymphs deep and slow enough and this is very intriguing, especially during the colder months! Almost reminds me of a slinky weight for steelhead.
Patrick,
I put the micro shot on the tag end. The shot pulls off because it's not on too tight to cause a break off. I saw this rig years ago and use it when I remember to. When I get the shot hung up I suddenly remember. Using it more and more this year.
Anonymous,
Not really!
Ken
Ken,
What is your take on Bondsville in the winter? Do you think the water gets too cold that far downstream that any fished hooked will be too stressed and will not survive the release? I have never taken the water temp in that area in the winter, but I would think it has to be colder than close to the dam.
Thanks, Sam
Sam,
I've seen the river ice over at the first cul de sac down in Bondsville. Now, a trout will not necessarily succumb if landed down there if they are brought to the net quickly. The question is will trout actively feed enough in that cold water to make fishing it worthwhile. Probably not. When you say "close to the dam" are you talking about Quabbin or the dam(s) in Bondsville?
Ken
Ken,
I meant the dam at Quabbin where the water is warmer than downstream at Bondsville. I have caught a few in Bondsville in winter, but you're right, they are hard to come by in the cold water. I try to bring them in quickly, but if I am doing them harm I would rather just leave them be. I need to get more familiar with the upstream zones near the Quabbin dam anyway and winter would be a good time to do that.
Regards, Sam
Over the past few weeks I've noticed a huge change in the amount of takes I've had when fishing at first light. With the colder temps consistently setting in at night it's not worth freezing my guides off at first light for one or two takes haha. I have been very curious about Bondsville, but fear it may be too cold now for those sections.
Ross,
Good to hear from you!
I think that Parachute Adams, AKA Sam, the "Boss of Bondsvile" may feel the same way. I've seen the place freeze over. It's not much of a "tailwater" in the dead of winter.
Ken
I got a little guide book from fly fisherman around 2003-4 with my subscription...lol...the author, Larry Tullis called it "bounce Nymphing"-it was developed on the Provo river in the 90's. Of all the split shot incorporating nymph rigs I think its the best I have found. You don't need a bobber but you can use one if you want-it actually works with an in line sighter (colored mono or a 6-8" piece of colored flyline backing....you'll lose fewer flys and the strike detection. I find it particularly effective in medium depth riffles to pocket water such as sections of the Millers and Housatonic that have those 2-3ft diameter boulders spaced a few feet apart. I don't know that the Swift flows fast enough to make it as effective as sight nymphing or tightline/euro nymphing but I still learning.
FYI....if anyone is going to the Marlboro Show Ed Engle is doing his small fly presentation. I have been guided by Ed once and have heard some of his presentations and of course read his books. He is a master of the little fly given his home waters , the South Platte; whatever he has to say about fishing little bugs applies equally to those who fish the Swift, Farmington and Deerfield - so its probably one of the more worthwhile presentations in Marlboro.
BobT,
Thanks for the advice. I skip the Marlboro show ever other year. I'm due to go this year. I'll check our bounce nymphing. Maybe I know it by another name.
Ken
"Boss of Bondsvile"....Ken, that gave me a laugh when I read that just now. Thanks for the chuckle! I do like that zone there, no doubt about that.
Best,
Sam
I think bounce nymphing and dropshotting are the same... weight on the bottom of the leader butted up to a stopper knot at the end of the leader then..one or two or three nymphs on droppers spaced about 10-16" apart......the best part of it in my opinion is that there is no weight to get in between the fly thats been taken and your leader/line/bobber/rod so seeing/sensing a take is not delayed or dulled by the split shot.
If you think about it...drop-shotting is very similar/probably better than Czech or Polish nymphing; instead of an anchor fly,you have good old splitshot that is much easier to add and subtract weight to so you can control you drift more precisely than having to change to heavier or lighter flies..
BobT,
Looked up the Bounce Rig and yes, I've built one and tried it out a half a dozen years ago. I didn't really like it because 1. I don't fish multiple flies very much and never three flies 2. I don't like those tag ends we tie flies to. My top fly is always tied "in-line" or directly to the tippet. I will pinch a micro shot on a tag end going forward but will not knot the end of the tag. I want that shot to pull off if I'm really hung up.
Ken
Speaking of winter fishing, does anyone have any tips on gloves/keeping your hands warm? I can keep everything warm enough to stand being out there in 20ºF temps except my hands. Tying a blood knot in the cold with wet hands is just about the worst, and if you're catching fish your hands are going to get wet!
Book_Trout,
As I said in THIS blog post I'm not going to run off a list of glove styles to use in cold weather. After 40 years of cold season fly fishing there are few if any cloves that give you warmth AND finger dexterity. I fished Western NY in late November where we had ice in the guides all day long. My fingerless wool gloves didn't get the job done so I went with a thinsulate full finger glove that kept my fingers warm but changing a fly meant taking them off. It's the sacrifice that had to be done. And guess what - really no problem!
Ken
I second this. Go full finger and just take them off to tie line or change flies. No glove will give you the feel of the line or fly in your fingers that you need to comfortably tie in cold conditions.
How about bringing a hand towel with you and stuffing them in your waders, dry your hands off whenever they get wet...it works - I never wear gloves
My hands can't take the cold so I rarely fish in winter. More power to those that can. I will live vicariously through your posts this winter.
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