This week’s picture is brought to you by Nicholas.
Fishing the Root River in Wisconsin just after ice off brought fish after fish for Nicholas, he had no complaints that day.

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Although most fly patterns are designed with balance and presentation in mind, some dry flies tend to land and drift upside down or on their side nearly as often as they land the right way.

One way to correct this phenomenon is to trim the hackle flat on the bottom of your dry fly so that it makes more of a nice flat surface on which the fly can rest as it drifts. I do this with almost all of my conventionally hackled dry flies. You shouldn’t have to worry about it with parachute style patterns.

Try this simple trick the next time your bugs seem to float a little funky.

This week’s picture is brought to you by Susan.
Nothing better than a cold 40 mph April wind, a 5 wt rod, and a big cut to make your day on Pyramid Lake!

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It’s that time of year when several trout species including browns and brook trout get that feeling and go looking for love. This can be both good and bad for us as anglers. Here are a couple of things to think about when the fish get frisky.

Don’t fish to visibly spawning fish and don’t walk on spawning beds. This is slightly controversial and opinions differ a little but I just feel better about letting the fish do their business. Most healthy populations of fish will produce far more young than the system can support into adulthood and so losing some in the egg or fry stages may not be too detrimental, however, where populations may be struggling every possible fry that can hatch and have a chance is a good thing. Disturbing spawners or destroying eggs by walking on beds just doesn’t make sense.

Do fish to other non-spawning species that may be feeding on eggs or fry. I like to fish for rainbows that follow spawning browns or salmon and feed on their eggs. This is a great chance to catch some seriously fat and sassy egg-fed bows. It is best to sight fish to these fish with egg patterns to ensure that you aren’t targeting the spawning fish.

By leaving amorous fish alone and targeting only the non-spawners you will have the chance to still get out on the water, catch some great fish, and protect your favorite streams and their fish populations.

I’ll see you on the water!

This week’s picture is brought to you by Brandon.
This beautiful scene was captured somewhere in the mountains of Colorado. We’d all like to get out and play on that lake.

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The weather is probably starting to turn cold where you’re at. It is where I am. However, as the tip last week pointed out, this really shouldn’t be a deterrent to you getting out and catching fish. Here are a couple of things to remember when fish get cold:

Like you learned in Jr. High science, or whenever (I can’t really remember), fish are cold blooded creatures and their biological functions, including metabolism and consequently feeding, generally slow down when the water cools. This makes it important for you to take advantage of the fewer opportunities you may get to present your fly to feeding fish.

First - make your presentations smaller. With a few exceptions, most fish prey, whether it is invertebrate or vertebrate, is smaller in the winter. If you trout fish, concentrate on midges, small mayfly nymphs, and small scuds or sow bugs.

Second - slow your presentations down. Cold fish simply can’t move as fast and so if you fish streamers for trout, bass, or other species be sure to move your offering slower than you might at other times and usually get it deeper.

Third - make sure that your presentations are very accurate. Cold fish are not likely to move as far to intercept a nymph or to chase a streamer. Sometimes you just have to feed them by drifting the fly right into their mouth. This takes some practice but you’ll be well rewarded.

Get out there and try some of these things this Fall and Winter. I’ll see you on the water!

This week’s picture is brought to you by Chris.
Chris caught this Bull Trout in Fernie, British Columbia. He was using an 8 weight with sinking tip line and a very short 3X leader.

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Well here on my bend of the river we just had our first really cold snap of the year. I don’t love it, but why let it effect on how much I fish right? Here are some things that wll keep you happily astream:

The great cold weather gear available now is absolutely amazing and will totally keep you comfortable out on the water. Some of my favorite items are soft shell micro fiber jackets, fleece underlayering pieces, and windstopper fleece gloves.

A good stream thermometer will help you to locate water that is not too cold. Look for water at least above 40 degrees Farenheit for trout. You may have to find springs or tailwaters to find this kind of water in the coldest times.

Ice off paste won’t make water defy physical laws but it will help. Just apply it to your rod guides and it wiil help. you will still need to de-ice but far less often.

A good guidebook and good maps will help you to plan excursions to locations with more sun. Whether that means a stretch of stream with more sun exposure or a stretch of water in the southern climes is up to you.

Which leads me to another point - even if frigidity is too much for you don’t put the fly rod away; just head South. Tons of warmwater, saltwater, and Southern Hemisphere locations await. I know I’ll be heading South this winter.

I hope to see you on the water. Whether bundled up or in shorts, it will be good times.