In most cold climates, rivers will continue to run through the winter. While wade-anglers will give up on cold-water trout, kayak anglers can stay out of the water and on the fish. Ed Anderson runs No Business Lodge in Valley County, Idaho, where he targets rainbow trout in the winter ice and snow. “We drag our kayaks two miles across the snow to get on fish that haven’t seen a fly in months.”
How to Nail Winter Rainbows On Fly
Anderson targets trout on Idaho’s high mountain waters as the fish leave the reservoirs and head to the rivers to feed, but he says the fish will respond the same anywhere. “Look for trout holding deep in the winter,” he says. The swift water brings a steady stream of food so the trout will lay low and wait for a meal. Hit the run-outs leading into deep holes. Deep logs and rocks make great cover for big trout. Get close to structure without getting snagged.
Anderson looks for snow and ice to help find the fish. Using the slippery stuff, he can drag his kayak for miles in search of prime water. Once on the water, he casts big flies with heavy rods and reels. “I like to fish an intermediate sink tip with my streamers,” he explains. This system keeps the fly low in the water but off the bottom.
Sometimes he trolls a small wet fly to get the more skittish fish. “If they don’t want to chase streamers,” he says, “I’ll tie a double nymph rig below a bobber and add a couple small splitshots.”
Winter Trout Tackle Box
Anderson uses big flies and beefy tackle to target winter trout. He recommends a nine-foot rod that has stiff action. His reel is Lamson Litespeed and features a smooth drag to turn a big winter trout. To reach fish holding deep, he uses Rio fly line and 3X tippet off a seven-foot leader to his big stone or sculpin streamer.
Best Trout Fishing Boat
Anderson paddles a Jackson Coosa kayak because it holds high in rough water and crushes through big waves. He also likes the Jackson Kilroy hybrid sit-inside to bring the dog and still stay high and dry. Anderson looks for a boat that is river-worthy and still stand-able. There is no better way to watch the bottom where the water is slack than from an on-water perch.
Cold-Weather Fishing Apparel
Winter fishing in the high mountains will take an angler through a year’s worth of weather conditions in one day. Anderson’s layer system has to protect against cold, wet and heat.
The icing on the cake is his felt hat. “The hat stays warm when wet and breathes when it gets hot,” he explains. “Most felt hats are serviceable. I like something that can get abused and bounce back from the bottom of the gear box.”
This article was first published in the Winter 2015 issue of Kayak Angler Magazine. Subscribe to Kayak Angler Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
Big rainbow trout lurk in cold winter rivers. Use streamers and sinking line to get a fly to these fish. | Feature photo: Bryan Huskey
