Winter Fishing (part 2)
TACTICS AND STRATEGY
Being cold-blooded creatures, trout metabolism slows right down during winter. Their need to replenish calories slows right down. And, their pursuit of edible morsels follows suit. 99% of the time, you should focus your search in the deeper and slower recesses of the stream. 
Winter Steel: Rabbit Strip Wiggle Hex took this winter steelhead on the Sturgeon River.Deep slow pools, deep slow runs, deep slow undercuts . . . are you beginning to see a pattern? From my experience, waist-deep water is too shallow. I’ll pass that up, looking for chest-deep or armpit-deep water, or deeper. Hopefully, you’re familiar enough with your home water to know where these pools are. If not, and you have to search them out, you’ll know that you’re “getting warm” when you spot water that is dark, and has essentially no ripples on the surface . . . still waters run deep.
For me, winter success means bottom-bouncing nymphs. Since the current is generally the slowest right on the very bottom of the streambed, that’s where the fish will be. I wouldn’t be at all surprised, if they were actually lying with their bellies in the sand.
Don’t expect them to lunge at streamers. And, certainly don’t expect them to rise all the way up to the surface to sip your delicate dry fly. That’s WAY too much effort during the cold part of the year. Get your offering low. Bounce it along the bottom. This may be an exaggeration, but you pretty much have to bump ‘em in the nose with the nymph. Granted, I’ve never donned scuba gear in the winter to swim among the fishes, but I seriously doubt that winter fish will move more than just a few inches to take your offering. This means repetitive casting . . . over, and over, and over, again. Add a foot to the cast, then repeat, over and over and over, again.
Did I say that winter fishing is boring? I meant to. It’s certainly not my favorite way to fish. But, during January and February, its about the only game in town.
RIGGING TACKLE and FLIES
Most of my fishing is on smaller to medium sized wade-able rivers and streams, such as the AuSable’s Holy Water stretch, Manistee River’s “flies only” stretch , Sturgeon River (Vanderbilt to Burt Lake), Pigeon River (Pigeon River Country State Forest to Mullet Lake), Rifle River (north of M-55) and Maple River (entire). I don’t do much big water drift boat fishing, at all. This is the rig I use during the winter on those small to medium rivers.
My outfit of choice is 5 to 7 weight rod that’s 8 to 9 feet long, with weight-forward floating line and large arbor disc drag reel.
Here’s how I construct my leader: The butt section is 15-pound mono that’s only about 10 to 15 inches long. Using a double or triple surgeon knot, I join the butt section to 8-pound fluorocarbon that’s approximately 5 to 6 feet long. Before I attach my tippet section I slide a small, black swivel onto the 8-pound fluoro. Then, I take another small, black swivel, and tie it onto the end of the 8-pound fluoro. At this point, you have one sliding swivel, and one that’s tied on to the 8-pound fluoro.
To the “free” end of the tied-on swivel, I’ll attached my 6-pound fluoro tippet section. This section will be about 22 to 26 inches long. Lastly, I’ll use a triple surgeon’s knot and add another piece of 6-pound fluoro (about 15 to 18 inches long) onto the 26 inch section. As I tie that final surgeon’s knot, I’ll be sure to leave about 6 inches (of the 26-inch section) dangling.
What I end up with is TWO tippet sections onto which I can tie my flies. One fly goes onto the 6-inch dangling section (the dropper fly). The second fly goes onto the very end of the rig (the point fly).
Finally, onto the “free” end of the sliding swivel, I’ll tie a 4 or 5 inch length of 15 pound mono. I pinch my split shot onto this short length of mono.
My winter fly box contains yarn and McFly foam egg flies (Oregon cheese, steelhead orange and Clown Eggs), rabbit strip wiggle 
BH Pheasant Tail Nymph
Rabbit Strip Wiggle Hex
Cheese Yarn Flyhex (olive), Schmidt’s Black Krystal Stone, pheasant-tail (both with and without bead heads) and gold-ribbed hare’s ears (both with and without bead heads). I have a few other patterns that I carry, but most of the action comes on the flies I just listed. The basic rule is: When in doubt, tie on a hex nymph and a yarn fly. Bear Andrews Headbanger Hex Steelhead Fly - 3 Flies
THE CAST AND THE TAKE
Casting this conglomeration of flies, knots, swivels and split-shot is not at all like “A River Runs Through It” . . . so, perish the thought. Hey, this is winter. Do you want to catch fish, or do you want to pose for a calendar page?
Start off by standing in the shallow water adjacent to the deep pool. Strip off fly line so about 3 or 4 feet of fly line is beyond your rod tip. Extend your rod downstream, parallel to the bank, and let your line and leader dangle. Have loose loop of “extra” line in your free hand as you begin your casting stroke. With the rod tip pointing downstream and close to the water’s surface, gently raise the rod tip straight up, until you see the split shot come above the surface. Now, in one fluid motion, LOB the whole mess about 45 degrees upstream. As the momentum builds, release the extra two feet of line you’re holding in your free hand.
Lower your rod tip and keep the rod tip swinging slowly IN FRONT OF the approximate position you judge the split shot to be. Hopefully, by the time the split shot is directly across from you, you should start to feel it tickle the bottom . . . tick . . . tick, nothing, nothing, tick, nothing, tick . . . tick, etc.
If you never get that gentle ticking, then either add more weight, or throw an upstream mend the instant the split shot hits the water. The occasional ticking is absolutely important. The occasional ticking is absolutely important. (Did you notice I repeated that?) You need to be able to feel that intermittent ticking. First, the tickling tells you that your flies are getting deep enough. Secondly, the ticking (or lack of ticking), signals that your rig has stopped moving along the bottom. Either it got stuck on a twig or stone . . . or, or, it got lodged in a fish’s mouth.
“Flick” your rod tip downstream, whenever the ticking stops. Now, get ready for this . . . during the winter . . . when the water temperature is in the low thirties . . . and the fish’s metabolism is the slowest . . . you’ll discover that 63 times out of 64, when the ticking stops, you’ve hung up on the bottom. Pull it free, and continue your drift. But, you’ve got to love #64. Fish ON!
Finally, there’s a lot we haven’t addressed yet. Working the water thoroughly, adding length to your cast, chipping ice from the rod guides, etc. That’s ok. You’ve got the basics, now. I’m sure you can handle the rest. That’s part of the joy, right?
Don’t forget to take your camera along. It’s not necessary to keep every fish you catch, just because it’s legal to do so. You might want to learn and practice CPR (catch-photo-release).
Good luck.
