Blue Line, Blue Halos, The Winter Solstice

Kirk and I met up to fish this first day of winter. The time was 9:30am, which was a good choice for it allowed the sun to warm up things and it enabled the brook trout to fully wake up. We moved along the stream and the action was slow. We both fished flies that stayed close to the bottom and the response was poor. An hour into the outing and Kirk had the first fish of the day and suddenly our outlook looked brighter.

The stream was free of ice for the most part. Water temp was taken and showed 38 degrees, not prime dry fly action so we thought, but again we were proved wrong. Fishing a really remarkable run we saw multiple fish rising. Not seeing any flies about at first I selected a soft-hackle. I put a bit of floatant on the tippet and just a touch of it on the fly head and sent it off on a drift.

It did not drift long before it was noticed and eaten. My first brook trout of the day to hand.

The semi-dry soft-hackle.....red silk body and starling hackle. This fly worked real well today.

"Winters Reflection" can be seen here....cold and beautiful.

These wild native charr are so gracious and beautiful.

This run must have held 20 plus fish. They were taken on dries and soft-hackles.

This guy still held that awesome color of autumn...as it turned out he was my last fish to hand.

And the fly that fooled him....these are a common hatch on winter streams....Alan time for another cup of coffee, you must be dreaming.

Kirk working a dry fly through a nice run. At one point he had on a parachute Adams and a natural stonefly was fluttering right along side, the brookie rose in a heartbeat and grabbed the natural.....but

One of the many Kirk brought to hand. Pretty fish.

The seasons can be seen in this photo.....autumn departing, its leaves wrapped in winters icy grasp...the solemn look of the trees as they stand naked. This is the start of the long season.

Winter Angling, and More

Winter trout fishing is usually reserved for those days when the sun can be expected to reach earth and take the bite out of the cold and give the angler a fighting chance to fool these wild salmonids who swim these waters.
We have been fortunate this year to have many of these days, and the results have been wonderful. Monday was one of those days that found Kirk and myself fishing a small stream. While catching a few trout is the objective it's not the only reason we're out. The beauty of winter waters are many, I especially love the ice formations on the stones and branches along the stream. To see a winter stone fly hatch from 40 degree icy water and fly to safety before a hungry trout ends it short life. The sounds of the water as it rushes over obstacles, the sound increased by the crispness of the air. These are a few of the reasons we fish winter.
I started fishing a dry fly, because I like fishing dries. Kirk fished the Picket Pin. We each brought a wild brookie to hand and after a quick photo sent them on there way. Kirk soon changed to a dry fly and had taken his first winter trout on a dry.
This day ended very successful in many ways. A day etched in my minds journal.

A winter brook trout and an elk hair caddis.

Kirk with his first winter dry fly brookie. Is he a convert?

The stream is in great shape, and the brook trout are too.

Care, admiration, and respect are shown.

While the stone flies were taking wing along the bank, the trout were taking along the log and the small rock on the right.
RKM Photo


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