Die Hard Winter Fly Fisher

I’ve been out on the river only a couple of times since the first of the year. It’s that time of year when you decide if you’re a die hard winter fly fisher because many days the temperatures hover around 32 degrees or colder. March is the month of transition. Spring weather is right around the corner…I hope!

Here is a Baetis I found along the river a couple of weeks ago. It was in the shadows on snow crystals. It reminds me of pictures from Mt. Everest and the ice flows climbers must navigate. This little guy was doing the same.

Baetis on Snow Crystals | www.johnkreft.com

And speaking of snow, there is still a little snow on the river. But it’s certainly fishable. Here I am playing and landing a fish using a $3 Dip.

Metolius Upper River | www.johnkreft.com

Baetis mayflies have been hatching on the river. March Brown and Cinygmula mayflies should be showing up very soon. 

Then there are the small winter stones. Here is a short video my wife took a few days ago.

https://instagram.com/p/BRUJclWAmUG/

Every once in a while, you hook up on a bigger fish.

Winter Fishing | www.johnkreft.com

Oh, I forgot to say he might have been snagged. But it sure felt good for awhile. 

It may be a few days before I get back to the river. I’m headed to the NW Fly Tyer & Fly Fishing Expo in Albany, OR on Friday and Saturday, March 10 & 11. Be sure to stop by and say hello while I’m tying flies.

Then it’s off to Grants Pass and Medford for a couple presentations. 

Looking forward to the next couple of weeks. If you are close, be sure to stop by to talk fishing.

Enjoy…go fish!

Similar Posts

  • Birds Nest

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Birds Nest, another one of Cal Bird’s inventions. The history for the Birds Nest is a little mixed up for me. I found three versions: So you pick which one you’d like to believe. Regardless, it was and still is a great pattern for multiple bugs if used…

  • RiverKeeper Flies Outtakes

    I hope you get a chuckle from a few RiverKeeper Flies outtakes. How many times have you tried to take a grip and grin picture and the fish explodes at exactly the moment you press the shutter release? This quick release happens more times than I care to admit! I’ve included a few moving water…

  • LaFontaine’s House Fly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Gary LaFontaine’s House Fly. LaFontaine’s House Fly is one of the flies highlighted in LaFontaine’s Legacy, by Al and Gretchen Beatty. I know what you’re thinking…a House Fly imitation? Yes, that’s right. Here is another fly pattern from the mind of Gary LaFontaine. If you need a challenge someday,…

  • Fly Fishing Knots

    Which fly fishing knots do you use? It’s important to tie good strong knots. Think of all the time casting, casting, casting only to lose a fish because your knot slips or breaks. Why would it do that? Let’s discuss knot slippage. Whenever a knot is tied and trimmed, a tag remains. If a knot isn’t…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *