Midlands Trout Fishing Report

What a difference one week makes! Last week although the weather was very wet with strong winds trout were well up in the water and we were catching on dries every day. One client caught six rainbows off the top on his first ever fly fishing trip! With the sudden drop in temperature the rainbows have moved lower in the water, but are still willing to take.

Tactics as always vary from water to water. My winter fishing experience is that on waters with a maximum depth of 15 feet I set up a single rod with a floating line and long leader, keeping an intermediate in my bag in case of strong winds. Where the water you are fishing has extensive depths over 15 feet I would carry two rods. One is setup with a floating line the other with a wet cell 2. This allows you to search through the depths while maintaining the slow retrieve so critical in cold water. Wether you are fishing a floating or sinking line remember to count your flies down after casting. I work from the surface down as trout looking up can easily spot your fly and some though not all will intercept it. Fishing this way allows you to carefully search the depths finding fish as you go. If you get no takes having covered the water around you, move!

Remember, even on the coldest days a hatch can and does occur around midday. Always keep that floating line handy as even if the trout refuse to come to the surface they will take ascending midge pupa and olive nymphs a couple of feet down.

As I type this some of our smaller lakes are frozen over bank to bank but larger waters are open. No matter what the weather, from now until the end of March is my favorite time for rainbow trout. The fishing can be challenging and the trout fight fantastically well in the cold water. With modern outdoor clothing their is no excuse to stay indoors!

Thats all for now I'm off fishing!