Winter Trout, Anyone?
Winter Trout, Anyone?
Mid-teens here this morning and I'm looking forward to it warming a bit before heading out. The 'bows have been biting lately. Anyone else going to be wading through the snow to fish this weekend? I saw that the SBR water temp. flat-lined at 32 degrees the other day. Does it ever get too cold and adversely effect trout feeding activity, I wonder?
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
If it effects the bugs it effects the fish . Not just talking about emergence , just movement or river migration , bugs move . I'd wait til the warmest part of the day .
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Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
In a word, yes. Trout are cold blooded, and that means they slow their metabolism when it gets too hot or too cold. Anything below 50 F or above 70F means reduced feeding. The colder it gets, the less they feed. So water temps at the freezing mark are as tough as it gets fishing wise.MickyFinn wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 7:51 amMid-teens here this morning and I'm looking forward to it warming a bit before heading out. The 'bows have been biting lately. Anyone else going to be wading through the snow to fish this weekend? I saw that the SBR water temp. flat-lined at 32 degrees the other day. Does it ever get too cold and adversely effect trout feeding activity, I wonder?
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
Don't be discouraged though. they still eat sometimes in the cold, so have at it and good luck. Look out west. The Madison river is a bug factory, unlike what we have on the east coast. Guys catch fish on dries in well below freezing temperatures. Not like our NJ streams but the fish are fish and do what fish do. I love winter fishing, no one is around...especially if it just starts snowing while you are out. Remember hand and boot warmers as they will help you enjoy the surroundings more. I wouldn't expect a double digit day, but is that why we really fish at all?
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
In winter fish slow and keep your nymph just off the bottom. You have to hit them in the nose with your fly sometimes to get a strike. I enjoy winter fishing. There are few anglers and sometimes you have the stream to yourself. As has been said, dress warm. I bring a phone and extra set of clothes just in case. Midges work well as do eggs and scuds. If you go with a regular nymph think small. Fish the warmest part of the day which is more comfortable and allows the water temperature to heat up so the fish will be a little more active hopefully.
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Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
oddly some of my worst and best days are during mid of winter, usually always quality over quantity. Ive had some days tho where nothing seems to be alive nor biting in WTS that normally do good for quantity.
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
Ive fished in days that the eye's on the pole freezes up & caught many......
Was known as Troutman1
- BiggerThomas
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Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
If a worm's on the end, it's a pole; if a fly, it's a rod.
"Most anglers spend their lives in making rules for trout, and trout spend theirs in breaking them."
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
And if its bamboo its a stick!
You're NOT worthy
Purveyor of the dark art of the long rod
slingin' cane
Purveyor of the dark art of the long rod
slingin' cane
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
Spinning rod...
Spinning pole?
Fishing rod...
Fishing stick?
Fly rod...
Fly stick?
I have a fly stick made by J.D. Wagner? It cost $750.00 used...thankfully it was a gift...I won't call it a stick!!!;)
I'm just playing here fella's don't get offended.
- BiggerThomas
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Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
I stopped reading after I saw "Spinning"lightenup wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 12:06 pmSpinning rod...BiggerThomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:30 pmIf a worm's on the end, it's a pole; if a fly, it's a rod.
Spinning pole?
Fishing rod...
Fishing stick?
Fly rod...
Fly stick?
I have a fly stick made by J.D. Wagner? It cost $750.00 used...thankfully it was a gift...I won't call it a stick!!!;)
I'm just playing here fella's don't get offended.
"Most anglers spend their lives in making rules for trout, and trout spend theirs in breaking them."
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
You musta been smacked with a "rod" to many times when you was a kidBiggerThomas wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 4:14 pmI stopped reading after I saw "Spinning"lightenup wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 12:06 pmSpinning rod...BiggerThomas wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:30 pm
If a worm's on the end, it's a pole; if a fly, it's a rod.
Spinning pole?
Fishing rod...
Fishing stick?
Fly rod...
Fly stick?
I have a fly stick made by J.D. Wagner? It cost $750.00 used...thankfully it was a gift...I won't call it a stick!!!;)
I'm just playing here fella's don't get offended.
Was known as Troutman1
- BiggerThomas
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- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:44 pm
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Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
Damn TM, I just pissed myselfTroutman wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:16 pmYou musta been smacked with a "rod" to many times when you was a kid
"Most anglers spend their lives in making rules for trout, and trout spend theirs in breaking them."
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
Again, thanks for the input!
Got out on Saturday--the coldest day for me so far this season--and got a lot of practice at dealing with ice in the guides. (Every time out is a learning experience.) Saw some fish, but none of them wanted to take the flies I offered.
Went back out on Monday, same venue but above-freezing air temps.--and I knew where they were holding from the other day. It took a very slow, cautious approach through the noisily-collapsing snow to get near the waters edge--and long casts and drifts from a kneeling position--to fool one of the spooky fish in such thin, crystal-clear water. This was in the first 5-10 minutes of starting to fish and it was the only action of the day. Small flies did the trick, though.
Got out on Saturday--the coldest day for me so far this season--and got a lot of practice at dealing with ice in the guides. (Every time out is a learning experience.) Saw some fish, but none of them wanted to take the flies I offered.
Went back out on Monday, same venue but above-freezing air temps.--and I knew where they were holding from the other day. It took a very slow, cautious approach through the noisily-collapsing snow to get near the waters edge--and long casts and drifts from a kneeling position--to fool one of the spooky fish in such thin, crystal-clear water. This was in the first 5-10 minutes of starting to fish and it was the only action of the day. Small flies did the trick, though.
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Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
I fished yesterday and managed to net 2 which for me is about right for winter fishing. No sun and it felt cold. Next week is going to be cold but I hope to get out again before I have to renew my license.
I was using egg and midge combo.
I was using egg and midge combo.
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
That's the problem with kods today...they need to get smacked with something more oftenTroutman wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:16 pmYou musta been smacked with a "rod" to many times when you was a kid
Re: Winter Trout, Anyone?
thanks for the compliment... I wish I was a kid again
Was known as Troutman1