5 Winter Mo River Tips

Lots of stories every winter of anglers not getting the catch rates they want during this sometimes frigid and lengthly Montana winters. What are the reasons that lead to too much solace and quiet on the water? Well they are trout. That is the first reason. But the rest of the winter equation is pretty straight forward.

And I am speaking of the nymph game here on today’s blog. The streamer bite is different everyday. The dry fly bite depends on bugs, and then the correct attitude of the trout. The swing bite is based on the right kind of water and ability to find the zone. This blog is about nymphing.

1. Find the right water. It is slower than you think. If you are fishing the sexy banks, the seam lines, the good shit? You are totally in the wrong water man.
2. Ask questions at the shop. Stop in and say hello, buy a couple pink flies, and ask some questions. That is the fastest way to winter success. Those fellers and ladies will tell you everything they know. A step up is the right way to start everyday! And get some hand warmers too.
3. Winter fishing is a science. Adding weight, taking off weight, not using weight. Many ways to get it done. Watching your flies and counting them down until they bottom out is important in any season, but so important in the winter. Understand how fast the flies achieve depth. Watch how they are kept there. Understand what your flies are doing below the surface.
4. Spend time in the winter water. Don’t go out there, if you want to catch them, and experiment by tossing nymphs in that fun bubbly summer grasshopper water. This is the number 1 mistake. Yep, said it twice. #1 above is this same deal. Fish winter water. Understand what winer water is. And don’t fall into a deal where you think you are smarter than the metabolism of the fish.
5. Spend time in winter water and figure out whee in the water column they are sitting. It is usually on the bottom. Spend the first hour dialing it in. Then proceed. Find water where you know they are in, and fish it until you find the depth, weight, patterns etc.

Winter. Winter fishing. We like it.