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stuck in a rut
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:58 am
by CheeseburgerFly
Venting on a Monday morning. I have been skunked the last 3 times I was out, but was having a very good winter fishing season until then. Streamers, pheasants tails, stoneflies, and egg patterns had been working well and all of a sudden they were not. Maybe my technique has been off? Streams flows and temps were consistent.
Re: stuck in a rut
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:04 am
by njcatchrelease
Except for the last brown I caught I have noticed that the trout have been only taking my flies when fished on the bottom and extremely slow. I checked the water temp on Saturday and saw 42 at the bottom about 4' down but closer to 38/39 near the surface. I think the snow melt is causing the upper temps to be colder.
Re: stuck in a rut
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 11:20 am
by BiggerThomas
CheeseburgerFly wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:58 am
Venting on a Monday morning. I have been skunked the last 3 times I was out, but was having a very good winter fishing season until then. Streamers, pheasants tails, stoneflies, and egg patterns had been working well and all of a sudden they were not. Maybe my technique has been off? Streams flows and temps were consistent.
Recently, how has your fly-fishing confidence been? I remember reading here years ago that if your confidence is off, your game is going to take a while to return. Apparently not feeling confident on the river will subtly invade your technique in ways you might not consider (especially in your drifting technique).
Or, perhaps it's just slow out there right now
Re: stuck in a rut
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:51 pm
by Jaybird
Confidence is key , but the bottom line is you got to go where the fish are , you always increase your chances when you go some where you know the population of trout is high. Yes that sounds simple , but it might be a factor .
Re: stuck in a rut
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 3:11 pm
by Twism86
Jaybird wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:51 pm
Confidence is key , but the bottom line is you got to go where the fish are , you always increase your chances when you go some where you know the population of trout is high. Yes that sounds simple , but it might be a factor .
Very true! I learned to nymph at the KLG. Lots of hungry fish there most of the year.
Where did you get skunked? Sometimes experimenting with flies can hurt you too. Stick with the ones you know work and focus on finding the fish. Hit those fishy looking runs a few times and move to the next one. They wont be in the fast water this time of year so slow down your drifts and get them deeper!
Re: stuck in a rut
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 4:17 pm
by CheeseburgerFly
Twism86 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 3:11 pm
Jaybird wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:51 pm
Confidence is key , but the bottom line is you got to go where the fish are , you always increase your chances when you go some where you know the population of trout is high. Yes that sounds simple , but it might be a factor .
Very true! I learned to nymph at the KLG. Lots of hungry fish there most of the year.
Where did you get skunked? Sometimes experimenting with flies can hurt you too. Stick with the ones you know work and focus on finding the fish. Hit those fishy looking runs a few times and move to the next one. They wont be in the fast water this time of year so slow down your drifts and get them deeper!
Thanks. That is why I was venting. I was on the south branch, in the same places and runs where I was catching decent numbers all winter. I was also using the same flies, but coming up skunked all of a sudden.
Re: stuck in a rut
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:50 pm
by Drossi
CheeseburgerFly wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 4:17 pm
Twism86 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 3:11 pm
Jaybird wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:51 pm
Confidence is key , but the bottom line is you got to go where the fish are , you always increase your chances when you go some where you know the population of trout is high. Yes that sounds simple , but it might be a factor .
Very true! I learned to nymph at the KLG. Lots of hungry fish there most of the year.
Where did you get skunked? Sometimes experimenting with flies can hurt you too. Stick with the ones you know work and focus on finding the fish. Hit those fishy looking runs a few times and move to the next one. They wont be in the fast water this time of year so slow down your drifts and get them deeper!
Thanks. That is why I was venting. I was on the south branch, in the same places and runs where I was catching decent numbers all winter. I was also using the same flies, but coming up skunked all of a sudden.
The SBR gets more traffic than most even in the winter. Maybe changing up streams will get you out of the rut. Or you can go slump busting. There's this place in Palm Beach.......