Dear February, Please Bring Spring

The glimpse of spring weather we saw on the Chattooga this month could best be characterized as enjoyable but short lived. The weather in the area has been described as unseasonably cold and just as Punxsutawney Phil predicted, the winter temperatures have cloaked the upstate this year for a little longer than usual.

The month began with dreary days, frigid temperatures, and sluggish fish. Under these conditions, large ice sheets clogged the slow water and frozen equipment was a constant battle. On one such instance, the prime feeding lane in the stretch I was fishing happened to be just underneath an extended sheet of ice. Needless to say the drifts were difficult, the hook-ups were infrequent, and landing fish was near impossible. Under these adverse conditions one must take full advantage of the limited chances available to get a strike.

A couple of days thereafter, one would honestly think that spring in full swing. The water temperatures were rising, the fish were active, and the first mayflies of the year were spotted. Needless to say, life was good! The dry fly action was fast and furious and it seemed that just about everything on the end of the line was getting attacked.

And of course as quickly as it came, it was gone again. More cold, more ice, and with it the fish slowed down once more. With incessant dreams of caddis and mayflies littering the air over the Chattooga, the anticipation of spring is at a peak for this angler. With my fingers crossed and my eyes locked on the long-term weather forecast, the warming trend can not come soon enough.

Until then…be sure to enjoy the solitude, the cold crisp air, and consistently fishable water levels.

New Camera

Thought I would share a couple of shots and a short video with the new camera...

The video can be viewed here... http://www.vimeo.com/2722098

And a few pictures....

January

Talk about a warm spell! I knew the weather today was going to be magnificent, with air temperatures in the high 50's, so what better to do then chase after some trout?

It was a late start, but made it to the river around noon. Chatted with a couple of frustrated people on the way to the river, but we agreed that no one could complain on such a nice day. I got my things together, geared up, and quickly headed down the trail eager to get to the river. I was suprised to find some snow still lingering in the shady areas.

There were quite a few people out on the water so as usual I started off in an inconspicous areas, one that most people would overlook. After a few swings with no strikes on a streamer I switched up to a double nymph rig.

Second drift through... Wham! My line immediatly goes taut and I feel that tell-tale tug on the end of my line. I knew right away that it was a good fish... no darting, no runs, no acrobatics, just brute force toward swift current.

After a few moments of worry I got it under control and brought another nice brookie to hand. If you have been luck enough to catch one of these bruiser brook trout then you know what I mean. These big brood brookies look like footballs!





Things slowed down for the next hour or so picking up an occasional fish here and there, mainly rainbows. They seemed to be keying in on the little dropper off the back bounced along the bottom with some split shot. Best pattern was sort of weird... a size 18 tellico nymph. I assume these fish are getting educated and keying in on different looks.

With the sun shining down and the temperature starting to rise I was anticipating a nice hatch, and thankfully my expectations were answered. From about 1:30 -3:00, I witnessed the most prolific stonefly hatch I have ever seen on the Chattooga River. At one point I looked down and had five or six crawiling around on me.

Threw a size 14 brown stimulator the rest of the afternoon and had a blast. It was the first honest dry fly action this year and it was a ball. Strangely, an inordinate number of fish were chunky browns that were keyed in on the stones.

I ended up really wearing them out on gaudy dry flies which is always fun to watch. Hope that you guys made it out to enjoy the warm weather.

Cold Weather Fish

Most people consider the dead of winter to be less than prime time for trout fishing on our local streams and rivers. The weather is usually less than optimal, the fish are sometimes pretty lethargic, and more often than not fishing season and winter just seem not to coincide. With postseason football and hunting opportunities, why would someone want to pursue trout under these conditions?

Most importantly, waters this time of year are void of the anglers found each year in the seasons of spring and fall. The limited fishing pressure certainly helps the fish feel more comfortable and can often times increase catch rates. More often than not, fishing this time of year will be in solitude and it can be outstanding.

In the trips I have taken this year, I experienced varying conditions typical to winter weather in South Carolina. While seemingly cold weather should be expected, keep an eye out for those spurts of unseasonably warm conditions that really turn the fish on.

Always keep in mind that these differing conditions will require different strategies to successfully catch fish. The techniques I have been using recently are simple and effective. The most important thing to keep in mind is to fish deep, really deep.Make sure that you can feel the weight “tick” along the bottom. If the fly is not getting snagged every once and a while then it is not getting deep enough.

This time of year the fish are mostly found in slow water, primarily in the deep pools and tailouts. Be sure to cover every spot carefully, making sure to drift past all possible holding areas. The strikes will almost certainly be subtle so be sure to set the hook on anything out of the ordinary.

Lastly, remember that the difficult conditions this time of year are often times negated by the limited fishing pressure.