Nebraska Outdoor Notebook

by Tom Keith

Winter Got You Down? Go Trout Fishing

About this time of year I always start getting fed up with winter, I get bored and feel jittery like I’ve been drinking too much coffee. Those, for me at least, are the signs of acute late-winter cabin fever.

I can only do so much getting ready for the up-coming season-- the reels are repaired, cleaned and oiled, the casting and spinning reels have been wound with new line and the fly lines have been cleaned or replaced and are ready to wind. The rods have been cleaned and any frayed wrapping around the line guides has been rewrapped and sealed. The waders have been patched, the boxes in the fly vest restocked with new or reconditioned flies, and the tackle box cleaned and everything neatly arranged so I can easily find it. It’s all done, there’s nothing left for me to fuss with. It won’t be long before I finally hit the proverbial wall and just have to go fishing.

Unless you’re an ice fisherman, there aren’t a lot of spots to fish in Nebraska during the winter, but two of the best are the East Branch of Verdigre Creek just north of Royal in Antelope County or Long Pine Creek east of Ainsworth in Brown County. Both offer brown and rainbow trout and have spots where there is easy access to the water. I prefer stream fishing for trout, though I have caught rainbows from Lake Ogallala in the winter.

I like cold-weather trout fishing, but it is a little different than fishing in the spring, summer or fall. The most obvious thing to consider is keeping warm while you are on the stream. The neoprene or rubber waders that are too warm at other times of year are ideal for winter fishing, but I wear pants made of a non-absorbate material or wool inside my waders to trap moisture and protect my legs from chafing. Some people don’t feel like they are fly-fishing unless they’re wading in the water. That feels good in the spring and summer, but in the winter I stay on the bank as much as possible as I walk the along the stream.

I layer my clothing on my upper body and always wear a warm knit stocking cap I can pull down to cover my ears. It’s more difficult to keep my hands warm, but I find that a pair of waterproof fleece gloves with half-fingers work well and I carry a couple of chemical-type hand-warmers -- the kind that you just open the package and it gets warm when the air hits it -- in my vest pockets to warm my hands when they do get cold.

When fishing in the winter I use about the same tactics as in the summer, but I have the best success if I slow everything down. By that, I mean I fish the slower-moving water with shorter casts and slower retrieves.

I always try to be as quiet as I can and walk softly when I approach a trout stream. When I get close to the stream I bend down or crawl on my knees so I don’t cast a shadow on the water.

I always fish down-stream because trout usually face into the current and wait for food to float or move to them.

Some fly-fishermen use dry flies in the winter and catch a few fish, but I’ve had better luck with size 12-14 nymphs, wet flies or woolly buggers. The fish seem to prefer the darker colored flies in winter, especially if the sky is overcast or I’m fishing at dawn, dusk or after dark.

I’m a swapper when I’m fishing, that is to say I change flies often if I’m not getting strikes on a particular fly size or pattern.

Trout like to lay along undercut banks, or in spots where the current has scoured out deeper holes in creek bottom, usually near a tree limb or fencepost that has fallen into the water, or other object creates a break in the current.

If you are using a spinning rod, fish upstream and let the current bring the bait to the fish. Salmon eggs, cheese balls, and PowerBaits are all productive in the winter. I have taken trout on all of those by attaching the end of my line to a snelled hook and baiting it with one of the above. I usually pinch a small split shot another six inches above the snell to keep the bait near the creek bottom. Or, you can use a slip bobber to keep the bait at whatever depth you want as it floats along in the current.

The next time you feel yourself coming down a case of cabin fever, head for the nearest trout stream. It will do you a world of good.