
All images by Brian Slusser
Winter fishing usually presents essentially the most troublesome and uncomfortable circumstances of the 12 months, main many anglers to place away their deal with till subsequent spring. Others simply can’t wait that lengthy in between fishing journeys, nonetheless, so that they haven’t any selection however to courageous the outside throughout the coldest and darkest months in quest of the subsequent trout repair. When you occur to be a kind of hearty few, then these 5 ideas–advised by fishing information and ski patroller Brian Slusser of Four Seasons Fly Fishing in Truckee, California–ought to provide help to catch extra trout this winter.
1. Be Able to Stroll
When you’re in an space that will get plenty of snow, be ready for restricted parking and the opportunity of needing snowshoes or skis to succeed in the water. When you select to stroll by means of the snow, the brand new rubber-soled wading boots are superior as a result of the snow doesn’t persist with them almost as badly because it does to the previous felt soles. Whichever you select, make certain to not lace your boots up too tightly. Looser is hotter than tremendous tight.
2. Go In the course of the Warmth of the Day
The water temps are already chilly throughout winter, and so are the fish. A one- or two-degree rise in water temp can flip the fish on. I additionally search for high-pressure intervals when it’s 50 levels throughout the day, versus cloudy and 20-degree days. Ski within the morning, fish within the afternoon.

3. Fish Low and Gradual
Like I discussed above, the water is chilly and the fish are too. Nymphing–whether or not below an indicator or Euro-style–would be the finest approach to begin with. Streamers will also be a good selection to combine issues up and get a pair bites. Preserve your presentation low and sluggish with streamers, as effectively.
4. Small Hatches, Small Flies
For us, the winter months of December, January, and Febuary produce principally very small midges and blue-winged olives. There simply isn’t that a lot happening, so the trout are compelled to concentrate on the little stuff. Preserve your flies small and delicate, though it doesn’t harm to strive some attractor nymph patterns, as effectively, from time to time.

5. Look ahead to Rain
Strive fishing after a rain occasion. If it’s been raining, then not solely will the water be a little bit hotter, however likelihood is good that it’ll be excessive and off-color, as effectively. In different phrases, it’s the right time to strive a giant streamer or some greater nymphs.
Winter will be powerful, so don’t be afraid to get skunked. This isn’t a numbers sport, particularly not throughout winter. The extra you go and check out, the extra information you’ll accumulate, and the extra success you’ll get pleasure from. And if not, you’ll be able to at all times go snowboarding.
Brian Slusser is proprietor and operator of Four Seasons Fly Fishing in Truckee, California.