February’s Foolish Fly Fisherman
By Ryan Wilson
What kind of moron looks at sub-freezing temperatures, gray skies and wind chill and decides to put on a pair of plastic pants and go stand in the water? The kind of moron that understands that while winter fly fishing presents a set of unique challenges, it offers outsized rewards. Cold weather means numb toes, fingers that won’t work and incredulous stares from our friends that don’t fish. It also means gin-clear water, small flies and a stretch of river all to ourselves.
The key to appreciating fly fishing in February is properly managed expectations. The same stretch of stream that, in mid-November, made you consider ditching your day job to take up the professional fly fishing circuit, now has you scrolling EBay to see how much you could make hocking your used gear. Due to fishing pressure, predation, weather systems and fish movement, our Delayed Harvest trout populations will have experienced a natural matriculation, wherein we can count on fewer and more educated fish being in our favorite spots.
So why bother? Well frankly, if the only thing that drives you to the river is raw numbers, maybe you shouldn’t bother. That’s okay, no one else should judge your motivations or what qualifies a great day on the water for you. It’s your hobby, so enjoy it as you like. However, for those of us looking for something else, late winter fly fishing has a world of experience to offer.
Challenge. Catching trout this time of year requires proper presentation, fly selection and those other angling skills like stealth, the ability to move and reading water. The accomplishment rises in concert with the difficulty. The challenge of targeting more educated fish will force you to improve as an angler. Forcing yourself to do it right here, will build muscle memory and encourage proper technique during the rest of the fishing season.
Solitude. Fly fishermen love to meet other fly fishermen, except of course when we’re actually fly fishing. The cheerful bearded guy wearing the Fishpond hat, whom I’d spend half an hour chatting with while waiting for a flight, is the same dude that I curse not quite under my breath when I see him splashing around in MY dang spot, downstream of MY dang bridge, spooking all of MY dang fish! Well if I’m fishing in February, there’s a good chance that bearded dude stayed home and that run beneath the bridge is really all mine. This relative lack of pressure allows an angler to find a little peace and quiet, along with an opportunity to properly work a stretch of stream, rather than simply spot hopping.
Time on the water. Folks, we are only allotted so many tics of the clock in this life to chase trout. Those seconds pass by whether you use them or not. Who cares if the bite is slow and the weather sucks? If you’ve got the time and the passion to be outside appreciating our wonderful natural resources, why in the world would you be doing anything else?
The trick to loving this month is learning to appreciate what you have. Every fishing excursion is its own unique experience and it is unfair to the experience to compare one day to the next. If you approach your late winter day as an opportunity to learn, challenge yourself and find joy with each cast, your fly fishing experience will be thoroughly enriched – and that full bodied, colorful bow that you finally enticed to rise will be all the more rewarding.
Ryan Wilson – Writes about fly fishing and responsible fishing
www.carolinaflyfishing.com ~ 704-896-3676
Ryan Wilson is the Owner and Operator of Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters in Cornelius, NC. Whether you are new to fly fishing and looking for some practical advice, or an experienced angler, looking for the latest gear and apparel, Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters has exactly what you need to get out on the water. They offer a world-class guided service, as well as all of the gear that you need to get outfitted.