I was invited back to speak with students from Winona Senior High’s Fish and Wildlife class. I did my previous presentation with alittle bit of new information that I have added since the last time I gave my trout dork speech. This time, however, I found I had to fight alittle to get students to respond but they came around towards the end when I got into tying. 

I discussed trout in Minnesota ranging from species, location, and behavior including spawning and feeding. We also discussed habitat, conservation and my desire to start volunteering for the MPCA which I plan to begin spring/summer. 

I tied two flies for the students explaining how each would be fished under different situations. The PT nymph because of its wide range of application. I explained how it is fished is related to the behavior of the trout and the habitat in which they live, understanding both will enhance your fly fishing. I also tied a size 20 Midge Larva to explain how trout will take such a small meal when that meal comes in large quantities and requires few calories to acquire, but that at the same time (as I learned with the Marabou Leech) when the fish are holding and there is no single food item they are keyed into, that fishing something larger providing more incentive to a holding trout may be better, maximize calorie intake while minimizing output. 

I hope I left a few with something they will want to look back on, if anything perhaps they will think about the area they live in a slightly different way, I know when I began to fly fish I began looking at this place in a different, better way. 

Liz and I decided to drive south to a trout stream that I wanted to see again. Knowing I couldn’t fish the stream I brought only a camera and the dog. We left at 8am with an air temp of probably 20 degrees, we didn’t park until close to 10am and the air temp was no more than 26. The sun was shining though and despite the wind it was a beautiful day and I was glad to be up and outside early. We hiked a route I had taken in the summer and I guess I was curious to see if I could find one, just one fish. The reason being: this summer none were to be found and in water that looked perfect for trout. 

We started and immediately I noticed that the water was clearer than I remembered it, an advantage of the winter season. I was hoping this would help me find where the trout were that I was missing this summer. We walked and I thought I saw a few move in a large 6-10ft deep pool. This was a very slow moving section of the stream requiring the wind to cooperate if I was to see what was on the bottom. After my initial thought we pressed on due to lack of wind cooperation. Moving on the next section for sure produced trout, I got excited and then confused. I was seeing in a section that I had witnessed no trout in during the summer almost teeming with them, I had to have seen 20 trout hold up in this hole.

Now, I know that they stack up in the deeper holes during the winter but do they migrate up/downstream and then hold up? Was it possible I was blind this summer and either the water was too murky for me to see them or I was so poor a fly-fisherman that I couldn’t catch even one? I’m not sure, the area they were hold up in was more of a long, slow, flat 4-8ft deep section, not a 10+ft deep hole. 

We hiked further than I had in the summer, after using Google Earth to map my route I was much more confident in my assesment of the easement boarder. Interestingly enough I thought I would see more fish further downstream but as we hiked I saw nothing. I’m not saying they wern’t there, I just couldn’t find them. After a few hours we hiked back to the car and as we did I stopped to look in the initial section of water that the wind had kept me from seeing more clearly in. At first I thought I saw one or two, and then I moved and saw more fish in this one section of water than I had in any other. I was awestruck. The only time I’ve seen more fish in one spot is in the hatcheries. 

I watched, they were deep. Holding, still. I sat and wished there were winter regs here. After ten minutes or so Liz and the dog got me moving back to the truck. I’m glad I came back, I might have unfairly judged this section of water writing it off as a barren wasteland when in fact it might hold some sweeeeet trout. I will be making another trip here in a few months.

Think about this:

Started the day on the water at 10am. Took the day slow and enjoyed every moment. Caught no fish but after quite a hike through some rough woods came to the stream and found midge rising later in the day as the water temp rose to almost 38 degrees. The trout were hard to find for some reason today, walked more than fished, searching for them… Had a good day, explored new water.

Slide Show

No midge, no rising trout, just pureed peas and diapers. Liz and I spent the warmest day of January and my first real opportunity to fish in nice weather again watching my niece Chloe. We had a good time but a 7 month old is a challenge and Liz and I, well we don’t have much practice so we decided that we needed to spend the time just focusing on the little one. That left me pouting basically, swinging from frustrated looking out the window to smiling when I hear the Clover spout “ma-ma-ma-maaaaa!” I took the dog out for a while which was excellent, this was the first time I let her run off the leash. She took a few diggers but walked them off and limped on her bad leg only a few times. All in all, no trout but an excellent day. 

So when I pulled off the water this morning I noticed the nice beautiful sun. I decided to get some coffee at the Blue Heron in town, which by the way is a good place to get the ever important coffee and sit in the sun. After a few minutes my phone rang…”Have you been out yet today?” I thought about the amount of sun and the wind. The forecast predicted much stronger winds which is what pulled me off the water earlier, and now they weren’t too bad. So, how could I say no to that.

We hit a tributary of the Whitewater River and then stopped at the main branch on the way out. No midge again today but defiantly saw more fish today than in previous days. The wind was biting at times and guides froze quickly today but all in all it was very enjoyable. I’m still fishless this winter season but I’m in no hurry. 

We found a hole that contained easily thirty trout, unfortunately my approach still needs work. I ended up casting a #14 tato scud with a #20 pt trailer once and then on the retrieve getting it stuck right at the water line. My only option to salvage the hole for another cast was to crawl on my belly in the snow to the bank. I managed to pull it off only to break the line due to ice but I recovered both flies. After tying them back on in the cold I tried again only to get two casts before they were on to me. Difficult. Still, alot of fun!

So what better reason to set your alarm for 6:45am on a Sunday than trying to catch the only decent hour for winter fly fishing? Looking at the weather the night before the air temp was scheduled to drop while winds picked up after 9-10am this morning so I decided that I still wanted to use the only hour of daylight to hit a favorite place of mine even if for only a cold moment.

I fished a #20 Zebra Midge behind a #16 Pink Squirrel and I only made four casts. Normally this particular stream remains crystal clear all the time, even when rains will muddy larger watersheds and yet today it was murky, I couldn’t tell if the fish were holding in the same holes as in the warmer months. The wind was mild but picking up as I burnt the first hour of sunlight, after the sun came up the wind started picking up cuing my exit and I headed home. I love this water and this particular time of the day so despite the cold and the real limited possibility of a fish, this for me was fun. The air temp on the way into town was +9 degrees falling from +16 when I left. Note: The coffee I left in the car was still warm when I returned making for a very pleasant ride home.

Sershen Bros and I hooked up again to see a new area of The White Water system neither of us had explored before. The day started around noon and went for only a few hours due to lack of fish and the desire to find some elsewhere, however once we left rain hampered any return to water. We headed home at 3.

Once we got going I warmed up quickly and got down to fishing. Today we spent more time with lines in the water than hiking, which felt good. I was nymphing without an indicator fishing a small pt. #18 and a pink patrick #18. I also tried a #12 Black Leech down a deep fast run but came up empty handed and then lost the leech on a stick I think, I wasn’t getting wet to find out, bummer. 

I like winter fishing, its official. I’m comfortable and despite the temperature I adjust well. I’ll catch a fish here soon but until then I’m content being near the water. My suggestion with the winter fishing is that you go slower. Take your time picking your approach and don’t over extend yourself by trying to do everything too quickly.

I didn’t see any midge activity and I thought I might seeing that it got warm enough to rain on us as we left to find fish in a different location. This prompted us to head in due to worsening weather conditions, a drive in the ice isn’t how I wanted to head home. 

Winter trout season opens January 1st. The MN DNR has specific regulations for where anglers can fish from Jan.1-Mar.31st. Although there may be a possibility that in a few years all streams designated for trout will be open for the winter season for now we fish a select few. The MN DNR released maps with the winter symbol for the streams designated for winter fishing, however the DNR’s website has a much more descriptive map for the winter streams. These are the streams closest to me.

I have added and changed a few images on the Stream Running and Trout Hunting page, it is in the gallery format so it should load faster but you have to click on the image a few times to see the full size. I loved taking these pictures so I hope you enjoy looking them over. 

-the winona fly factory