January Report

Happy 2021 everyone! We are looking forward to seeing many of you again this year! We have been blessed with great winter fishing conditions to start the New Year.

Current Winter Conditions:

Right now, we continue to see above normal daytime temps with flows moderating after the last late December rainstorm. Our moderate snowpack has been melting slightly each day which has kept river flows at ideal winter fishing levels. Ice on freestone streams like the Saco has been minimal allowing opportunities to float water that is often completely iced over in January. These options coupled with dam-controlled rivers and streams have given us good options for winter fishing.

Fish have been taken on medium sized sculpin and minnow patterns along with eggs, and prince nymphs. Fishing slower deeper pools along with the slower sides of sunny riffle water has all produced fish. Best bite windows have been from 10am till dark. First light can also produce eats but we prefer giving the air a chance to warm up.

Why Winter?

Often times when we mention fishing in January people wince at the thought of cold hands and fingers and few fish to the boat. While winter fishing can be cold and challenging, these colder months can offer chances at the biggest fish in the river. Why is this? Well during prime time many larger trout shift their feeding to night time, when waters cool and larger prey items are more vulnerable (ie. Mice and other trout). While good hatches and high water can certainly bring about excellent prime time opportunities for large trout you will need to weed through average size fish to find alpha trout. While this isn’t a negative for most anglers it does make landing a large fish more difficult. Freshly stocked fish that arrive on our local rivers in June and July often get to our flies before the more cautious wild and holdover trout. Stocked trout also represent an abundant food source for large trout, providing such easy meals that Alpha trout become full and are less likely to chase smaller food items. Fishing an 8” trout pattern shortly after the stocking trucks roll is probably your best chance, but there are few fish more difficult to catch than a wise old trout with a full belly.

A fine winter rainbow that ate a jig style streamer in the middle of the day. Big fish like this need to feed more often in colder water than smaller fish.

Skiing conditions got you down? Go fishing!

To be honest I didn’t always fish that much during winter months. For most of my life an obsession with skiing distracted me from the water from December through March. Over the past few years my obsession with fishing began to distract me from the slopes. My winter fishing has taught me that when ski conditions are less than ideal, I would much rather be on the water.

HCG guide Kevin Gordon with an average sized winter brown.

In winter milder days bump water temps and get large fish feeding on smaller more abundant prey items that require less energy expenditure to catch than bigger prey items. The months of January, February and March are also a time when large brown and brook trout are desperate to put on weight after their fall spawn and rainbow trout are packing on weight for their spring spawn. While cold water temps do slow fish metabolisms the largest fish in the river require more food than smaller fish to keep their body weight up in the winter time. Thus, you are more likely to get attention from a larger fish than a smaller fish in winter.

Fewer food items:

While prime time conditions offer trout a veritable buffet of food options this diversity in biomass means that trout have the luxury of becoming picky eaters. A large trout might refuse all bugs except one…or simply decide to focus on eating large mice at night. Conversely when bug activity is limited fish must eat what they can find. Eggs, midges, worms, stoneflies, crayfish, and smaller baitfish provide hard to refuse meals when large trout need to feed in the winter. If you do see a hatch in winter it is usually of one specific bug like a midge, early dark stonefly or winter caddis making matching the hatch much less complicated.

Less angling pressure:

The fact that few anglers are willing to brave the cold weather, means that fish are less pressured and therefore more likely to mistake your flies as food.

Less variability in conditions:

In winter water flows are usually relatively stable with little rain or snowmelt resulting in high water, and water temps usually fluctuate less than in summer months. This allows fish to get into more consistent rhythms and results in predictable bite windows and holding water.

Keep the faith and keep throwing:

While some winter days can provide good fishing for hours on end, it is common for winter bite windowns to be short and spread out. If you’ve gone hours without a bite resist the urge to call it a day. Often times it isn’t where you are fishing or what you are throwing but rather that the fish are between feedings.

Brian Boyle with a seriously large male brown caught yesterday at the end of a slow day of fishing. Often the biggest fish eat right when water temps hit their peak for the day.

Slow down:

Fish the slower water and when retrieving flies retrieve them slowly. Fish can be deep or shallow but they aren’t likely to move quickly to intercept a fly.

Preparation and timing are key:

While there are certainly winter days that are downright brutal for fishing there are also plenty of days that are mild enough to provide a surprisingly comfortable fishing experience. We’ve found that a calm winter day with highs between 30-40 degrees is very comfortable for fishing. Wearing nitril gloves to prevent hands from getting wet is crucial and carrying the following items will ensure the comfort and endurance you need for a successful winter trout hunt:

Clothing:

· Heavy winter socks

· Long underwear or insulated pants

· Waders or high boots like muck boots (as long as you don’t plan to wade fish)

· Rubber or studded rubber boots (felt is deadly on snow and ice)

· Hat

· Spare gloves and mittens, (mittens are a great accessory to get hands warm if they do get cold)

· Winter hat

· Down jacket (down jackets provide excellent insulations and better range of motion than heavy insulated clothing)

· Sunglasses

· Hand warmers

· Synthetic layers (Changing temps and activity levels make having layers you can shed or add throughout the day essential

· Balaclava or neck warmer

Food:

· Easy to access snacks (bars, nuts, anything that isn’t hard to open or access)

· Something warm (a thermos of soup or just hot tea goes a long way)

· Plenty of water( dehydration can sneak up on you in the winter force yourself to drink water and don’t be afraid to ask your guide if you need a pee break)

Looking forward:

The weather over the next week will be consistent with highs in the 30’s and light winds, ideal conditions for winter fishing. We have dates available between now and late January so let us know if you want to get out!

Tight Lines,

Nate