Wintertime on the Fly
By guest blogger James Bradley
A guide to fly fishing in February: Our streams and rivers up here in the southern Appalachia’s should become the coldest of the year. Extreme cold water and trout usually do not go hand in hand very well. What I mean by that statement is trout simply slowdown in everything they do.
A trout’s behavior will greatly change when comparing 40-degree water temps to say 50-degree. They will be more inclined to find good holding water that still has some current. Keep in mind, the current is what will bring them food. Trout will use larger rocks for cover, but any log jams will offer better cover and habitat. Look for deeper water, especially, anything over three feet or deeper. If you know where an underground spring enters the stream, ground water will be warmer than surface water. These are all keys for locating wintertime trout.
![](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=903ec5aca78f77d31ecd92b6fad9115a 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=d008a4b33215576c252cb0ca574fef10 540w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=9b6d375d72eef43fdb56df41229a9b9f 768w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=4179b0e382e454029cb36f0b76440d89 1024w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=5ed19f993d52ba0cb8017b0e118bad9c 1200w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=d02d2ac32236653b92266fdace3a2218 1440w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=81104c1c28a3e8db65ece4d86c197561 1600w)
Wintertime on the fly can be fun and entertaining for any angler. Some things to keep in mind. Don’t be shy with weight. Many trout will hug the bottom of a stream during the wintertime since it has the least current, and they can almost sit there effortlessly. Continue to add weight to get your flies to get them down to the proper depth - the bottom!
Dress for success. Nothing can be worse than being frozen while on the water. Bring proper clothing for the day. Remember, you cannot wear what you do not have with you. Try to hit the stream from 11 am to about 4 pm as this is usually the warmest period during most days. One last note, try to fish after warming period. Usually the third or fourth day of air temps in the 50 to 60-degree range will make for some fun hookups!
![](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin2.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=249fbb59715e99f0e9594a3eec2dfc6e 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin2.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=3fbc7395c76a188253fe6cabf5548faa 540w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin2.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=b249e2dbaad7b33db24e0658c850f718 768w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/Reelemin2.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=78750af489ef5d83eb34fc92ed5eea65 1024w)
Trout feed when there is food to be eaten, but the amount depends on their size, availability of food and the water temperature. Water temperature affects their metabolic rate and their desire to eat. When the water is cooling off day in and day out and the temperature gets down to around 45 degrees, trout will need less food. This doesn’t mean they stop eating but just not as much. Once the temperature reaches 40 degrees, trout become fairly lethargic. A good friend of mine says you just about have to hit them on the nose to entice them to eat. If water temperatures reach the 35-degree mark, it is possible that death will occur. Just as trout slow down on falling temperatures, the opposite will usually occur on increasing temperatures. Carry a thermometer to check the water temperature. Keeping a daily track of water temperatures can help lead you to success on the water.
More Info
Check out Reel Em In Guide Service for more information.
Related Stories
![](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/FallFishingBlog2_5ac8ae049534b01c104dc4019c5230ff.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=315f6ccc8fcb3460ab71a8fccb11b531 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/FallFishingBlog2_5ac8ae049534b01c104dc4019c5230ff.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=69374831b79f82b500485bcaafb069a5 400w)
Fall Fishing with Cohutta Fishing Company
Fall is around the corner. No season brings us more excitement to be in the North Georgia Mountains and Blue…
![](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/On-the-Fly-Winter.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=aff0e89681f3b7437237bd6b84cd6807 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/On-the-Fly-Winter.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=39f70daf54c57d0fec9cb961744db41b 540w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/On-the-Fly-Winter.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=fd9df306b120f164d08f514d13a19a28 768w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/On-the-Fly-Winter.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=7c2f47bda3f9bed593e1f4c2061c851b 924w)
Winter Trout Fishing in Blue Ridge
Winter in North Georgia is the perfect place to enjoy all there is to do outdoors or to enjoy doing…
![Trout Fish Mucklow](https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/TroutFishMucklow.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=529582382a765700e825a021d6b7ae09 320w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/TroutFishMucklow.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=d6c6e94ab2a194b4b6e2def16b4f75a1 540w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/TroutFishMucklow.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=10b25df7f90b788206d00cbbd9943d2a 768w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/TroutFishMucklow.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=017cbe686823cab7a291b49a7bbd96fc 1024w, https://blueridge.imgix.net/images/archive/TroutFishMucklow.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=02d91b17e044b0d6627bdc3b6ea01ff7 1111w)
Blue Ridge is the Trout Capital of Georgia
Great news! Blue Ridge is now the Trout Capital of Georgia.