Snow lines the banks of trout-filled rivers and ice floats downstream as winter strengthens its annual chokehold. While some anglers may hang up their waders in favor of tying flies and dreaming of warmer weather, there are still plenty of opportunities to land trout. Some tactics and flies can work for many months out of the year. However, winter is a season unto itself requiring special gear, strategies, flies and a dedication that verges on obsession.

You can probably assume the main problem with winter fishing in Montana. Temperatures can easily dip below zero, but that shouldn’t deter you. Here’s how the FishAngler app can help.

The Flies

Winter temperatures rarely allow for a hatch, but for those who swear by the mantra “dry fly or die,” there may be certain exceptions to the rule. According to Justin Capps, the shop manager at The Tackle Shop in Ennis, Montana, if you get a series of calm and relatively warmer days you could find success with smaller midge patterns around size 16. Winter is a time of preserving calories for trout so if a hatch starts, some fish will be hard-pressed to pass up the bountiful meal.

For standard winter days, Capps and the guides at The Tackle Shop go back to basics with pheasant tails, San Juan worms and prince nymphs. Because of the lethargic nature of fish in the winter, though, Capps said you will have to drift any fly as close as possible.

Streamers are also a possibility, but again lethargy will prevent an aggressive take. Instead, Capps recommends drifting a streamer and waiting until the tail end of the drift to twitch and add life.

  • Tip: Add a nymph onto your streamer when dealing with murkier waters.
How FishAngler Helps

When you post a catch on the FishAngler app, you can add as much, or as little, catch info you would like. FishAngler’s detailed catch data covers everything from fish size and fly type, water depth, temperature, current and much, much more. This data will serve as a constant journal of how fish were caught, at which times of year, times of day, and during which weather conditions. 

You should also bring up your forecast before heading out into the cold of winter. With a quick tap, you will have access to the temperature, the wind velocity, barometric pressure, and more. Each forecast will show an easy-to-read graph, which will show the day’s patterns on a graph set against the time of day. You can even get accurate updates five days in advance to help plan out the rest of your week.

Your forecast will help you decide which gear will prepare you for the weather and also give you an idea of fish activity.

Special Gear

The winter temperatures bring up many other problems than just being cold. With the constant water running through your guides, the shop suggests coating them with a lubricant like vaseline to prevent them from freezing over. You can apply this to your line as well, as casting an iced up line is a lesson in futility.

  • Tip: Keep fragile rods at home. “Last year as I tried to de-ice the tip of my precious five weight the tip snapped clean off.” Laments Capps.

Your line and guides aren’t the only thing that can freeze though. When the temperatures really start to fall, your breathable waders are capable of freezing, collecting ice and even cracking. When it’s this cold you may rightly be tempted to blow the dust off your old neoprene waders. 

Outside of fingerless gloves to keep your dexterity and warm coats, another great way to spend more time in the water is by loading up on toe warmers.

How FishAngler Helps

You can keep track of your best cold weather gear by adding it to the “My Gear” section on your FishAngler app. This feature allows you to sort through and organize some of your most efficient and successful gear, from waders and line, to flies and rods. You can add photos and descriptions of your gear and even add more detailed analysis on best-case scenarios for use.

Winter can be a beautiful time of year to see your favorite streams in a brand new light. The clarity of the water and the silence of a snowy day add to the landscape, while providing you with the perfect backdrop to gently lay out your line. This year don’t lose the joy of fishing to an entire season. Brave the cold, make new tracks after a fresh snow and marvel at what ice can do for the colors of a trout.

 

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