Notes of Interest:

• Adult Winter Stones and Midge on Arrival (~11am)
• BWO’s at ~12:30-1pm as the Water Temp Rose to 49 Degrees
• Despite Higher Water Temps Minimal Rising Trout
• Saw Four Deer When I Usually See None
• Found 3 Deer Carcasses, One Way Too Fresh To Show Here
• Attempted Bug Photo’s with Reference Tape in mm, worth the effort, will continue this practice.
• Flies that worked: #20 Zebra Midge and a #18 Pheasant Tail Nymph
• New Water Today With a Nice Trail, Google Earth Estimates 2.4 Miles Travelled One Way

Slide Show

edit: JP at Roughfisher.com made me realize that the proper picture for this day belongs with the White Sucker that snagged my Marabou Leech, thanks JP.

Slide Show

Parked 10am. 1/3 of a mile hike in some fluffy deep snow to get to the water then another mile upstream and the entire distance back out again. A total of close to 4,050 yards according to Google Earth. 40 football fields in 3-4 feet of snow. Reminds me of the crawling through sh*t line in Shawshank Redemption. Along the way we happened upon many sights, a pair of hawks flying above with a screeching mouse in tow for example. The hike in was slow, through some serious snow with nothing more than an animal trail over an old set of truck tracks from months ago to aid us. This would be worth it though. I expected to find warm gin clear trout water and that is in fact what I found. First water temp more than a mile downstream of two major springs held a temp of 46 degrees at ~10:30am.

Midge were already peppering the snow more than twenty feet from the stream when we began fishing. We nymphed, myself a #14 Pink Patrick with a #20 Beadhead Midge Larva. Simple, standard and effective patterns. The sun waited until late in the day to show itself, the photo’s reflect that aspect of the day well. We fished old H.I. work as we travelled to the source of this stream. We each managed a few takes on the way in but  water levels were down considerably through the section we fished. I wonder if the massive amount of instream growth this stream supports in the summer that shrinks in the winter might have something to do with it. The more instream vegetation, the more stuff to fill up the channel, thus making the stream look as if it has more water in it. Anyways just a side thought. We fished to source, hiked half the distance back out and fished up again.

At 1pm as we hiked downstream the midge began doing it, literally in the snow they would link up and the larger of the two would basically tow the other around in the snow. Interesting. We saw thousands of midge through the course of the day, with an initial water temp of 46 degrees and the fact that so many were already crawling around several feet from the stream I have to think a majority had hatched before we arrived, maybe before we woke to start the day. At 1:25pm I saw the first one float towards me. I had to stop for a second and really look to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was, as soon as I was sure I was diving in close to my waist to catch a few WINTER BWO’s? Yep. We watched as a good couple dozen emerged on the run I was fishing, float downstream and take off. Very cool, good day for bugs. Now to find a few trout.

We did eventually find a willing pod of fish that readily took a #20 Miracle Nymph like it was candy but it took nearly the entire day to find it and after swapping fish for an hour we were frozen and ready to head home. Heath had a nicer +16in fish on but as the net came out it spooked and bolted forcing a limp line and an empty net. I managed a few browns as well, typical winter fishing. It isn’t easy and sometimes you’ve got to work pretty hard to see your line tighten up but it makes those days in the spring and summer when it jumps upon a strike that much better. With frozen feet and smiles we hiked the last leg out quickly. It was 4:30pm. Potentially a top 10 day for 2010 and it’s not even March yet.

Notes: So we found Midge had already been hatching before we arrived, and BWO’s hatching as the water temp got up to 47-48 degrees at 1:30pm. The Miracle Nymph worked wonders today while the Pink Patrick did nothing and could have been split shot for all the trout cared, actually I think I’ve had trout more readily strike my splitshot than they did the Pink fly today.  Sometimes this thing can whack fifty trout, others it is a curse and is best left in the box. I learned this lesson today and will not forget it. Especially when the rocks showed about a million tiny nymphs, I was determined to feed them something twice as big and pink. I would have been better served fishing a WD-40 or a PT with the Miracle Nymph trailing. The BWO nymphs that were hatching were a yellow/cream color and were very apparent, I’m surprised and a little disappointed I didn’t take any pictures of them. Finally at the source of the stream we found a dead deer that was something’s dinner, when we hiked to a second spring we found a second carcass that had also been well fed on. I wonder if something large isn’t dragging them down into that valley, interesting… I apologize for the quantity of images but it was a day of things to see. Check the slideshow out on fullscreen.

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.