Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 24
Winter Fishing
Northwest Pennsylvania
photo-Denny Puko
by Charles N. Cantella
"Anyone would go fishing thinking you'll catch something.
It's when you go figuring you probably won't that you
know you've crossed some kind of line." John Gierach, At
the Grave of the Unknown Fisherman (2003).
Everything slows down when it is cold. Even air molecules,
when cooled, slow down. So, it should come as no surprise
that life in rivers slows down. Bugs slow down, baitfish
slow down, and trout slow down, too. The first rule of
fishing for trout in the winter is to go low and slow. The
fish will likely be deep, and the fish are not likely to move
far for a meal. Whether you are fishing an egg, nymph,
Woolly Bugger, or streamer, your lure may need to bump
fish to elicit a strike. It is possible to have amazing fishing
during the winter, but, a more likely scenario is that just a
few, if any, fish will be brought to the net.
Winter fishing success hinges on a great deal more than
simply the calendar's declaration of winter. Some winters
do not get as cold as others, while others have more rain
and less snow. Occasionally, you will have a day where the
temperature is above freezing, causing the snow to melt.
24
But, instead of raising the water temperature, the melting
snow lowers it. So, a whole host of variables come into
play during winter fishing.
Plan for the weather
Even with air temperatures in the 50s, hypothermia
is possible. As per a University of Michigan study,
"Hypothermia can occur when you are exposed to cold
air, water, wind, or rain. Your body temperature can drop
to a low level at temperatures of 50 degrees F or higher in
wet and windy weather, or if you are in 60 degrees F to 70
degrees F water" (University of Michigan hypothermia).
Most trout streams are between 50 and 60 degrees F at
their warmest, so despite the desire you may have to seek
solitude on these winter forays, it is always a good idea
to take a friend along and have a dry change of clothes in
the car.
Starting points
If you mention winter fly fishing in northwest
Pennsylvania, the first thing most anglers think of is
steelhead fishing in the Erie tributary streams. However,
this article is focused on winter stream fishing in other
northwest Pennsylvania waters. There are a multitude of
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 3
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover4
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