By David Hulsey
Mid-winter days in the southern mountains are usually quite tolerable, temperature wise, as long as an angler can find a little sunshine. Cloudy and cold days don’t quite get me or the trout too excited about making an appearance, especially when the water temperature is in the 30’s and slushy with ice. The midday sun usually gets a few midges stirring around and the fish will normally follow suit. Water temperatures in streams will usually move about three to four degrees during the day and you want to be there when it is on the rise.
Falling water temperatures during the winter are better spent tying flies or some other similar required action. Fishing late morning, around 10 or so until the sun slips behind the ridge or trees, can be productive as long as you fish low and slow. Nymph rigs, slow swung streamers, or wet flies are the usual suspects that produce fish. Hitting the strike zone accurately is very critical at this time of year due to the normally tiny distance that a fish will move to take a fly. Most fish will be hugging bottom in spots that require very little movement to maintain their position. Heavy nymphs that get down and dirty will produce fish. Rubber legs or marabou, in addition, will give flies a little more attractive action. Sometimes the fish will get on the tiny, shiny bite, as we call it, and small flashy nymphs will out-produce any other fly pattern so have plenty of both. Due to the fact you will be dredging bottom, losing a few flies will be in order. Using fluorocarbon tippet will get you more strikes. Fluorocarbon sinks better than nylon and it also is more difficult for the trout to see. If you can get close enough to the fish to watch its reaction to your fly, you can see more fish eat your fly than you realize.
Strikes during this time of year will be very subtle. Oftentimes just seeing the ‘’wink’’ of the trout inhaling your offering is about all you’ll get out of these fish. Being fast on the draw is of upmost importance. Check out our website for information on our many different classes and guide trips. We make it easy and fun to learn to fly fish!
Give David Hulsey a call at (770) 639-4001 to book a class or a guided trout trip. See his website at www.hulseyflyfishing.com.