Winter officially started today, but we have been dealing with winter-like fishing conditions for a few weeks now.
Water temperatures are in the low to mid 30s, running clear and the steelhead have seemed to find great places to hibernate as fishing has been challenging. If you head out, look for the deep, slow water and the soft water tail-outs to be your best bet.
It’s time to fish some smaller, realistic nymphs and “dead egg” patterns in pale, muted colors as dead drift as possible. Fishing under indicators and floats help with that. If that doesn’t work, try big and bright attractor flies like bold egg patterns and chartreuse caddis. Swinging a decent sized fly suggesting a baitfish is still a possibility because it allows you to fish over some structure (wood) and entice a fish to eat something with a few more calories. However, as winter bears down on us, that window of opportunity is closing.
I hope you all have a great Holiday Season and that the New Year ahead finds you healthy, happy and on the water.
Regards,
Ted
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