Surviving the long, cold, harsh, fishing season

Published in the Nov./Dec. 2009 issue of the Montana Sporting Journal

By Joshua Bergan

Fly fishing in the winter isn’t for everyone, and that’s a good thing. It gives us real anglers a chance to prove how hardcore we are (sarcasm). Seriously though, it gives everyone a chance at fishing Montana’s major rivers with peace and quiet. I know more than a couple anglers who prefer winter fishing to summer (I don’t fully understand, but to each their own).

One of my crew’s favorite destinations is the low-flowing Beaverhead River. It’s only open downstream of Pipe Organ Bridge, but that gives plenty of room for the few anglers that are there in the winter. If you peer into the river anywhere from Pipe Organ to the dam, you’ll know why it’s closed. Zillions of fish stacked up, visible to the naked eye. It’s a sight to see but it might drive you nuts, so I don’t recommend it.

All you need to know about the Beaverhead in winter is pink scuds, San Juan Worms, Copper Johns, and Glo-bugs. It’s not rocket science, and it’s fruitful.

That said, if you fish anywhere in January and you’re not prepared, it will be a negative experience. It will be cold, but proper preparation can make it bearable long enough to get your fix. There are a few things I have picked up that will keep you just warm enough to hook one last trout.

• Bring a backpack to carry all of the things you’ll need to keep you warm.


• Get a good thermos and fill it with chicken soup, or hot chocolate, or coffee, or Hot Totty, or straight brandy. I prefer chicken soup – even boiled bullion cubes taste like gourmet food when you can’t feel your face.


• Two pairs of gloves are necessary. No matter what you try, your hands will get wet. When the wind kicks up, it can get painfully cold. Keep a dry pair in your backpack.


• If you have the means, winter is the time for bootfoot waders. The constriction caused by laced-up boots only makes your feet colder due to the lack of blood flow. Bootfoots allow more blood, thus more heat, to your toes.


• Wool socks. I still haven’t learned this one, as I tend to wear cotton socks under the neoprene feet in my waders. And my feet get cold every time.


• Wool long underwear works great under Goretex waders. Certainly any long underwear will work, but wool is warmest. Cloudveil, Patagonia, Simms (and probably others) make bottoms specifically for layering under waders, are they also work well (and cost pretty penny).


• You’ve probably heard it a thousand times, but dress in layers. If you can make your top layer Goretex, even better. Puffy parkas will keep you warm, but are not practical for fishing.


• Those hand warmers that come in the orange package provide good heat and are affordable, and Zippo even makes a lighter-turned-hand-warmer that apparently provides good heat. There are a few other high-tech “new-fangled” devices that also claim to double as hand warmers. I’ve never used any hand warmer so I cannot vouch for them, but they are something to think about.


• A copy of the current regulations brochure is a good idea, although it won’t provide any heat, per se. Many smaller streams and sections of bigger waters are closed in the winter. Other waters are catch-and-release only, and others are pike and/or whitefish only from the end of November to the third Saturday in May.


• Scuds, and some more scuds. These keep you warm by providing nonstop action. Scuds will catch fish, and catching fish will get your heart pumping.

Finally, in my eyes the biggest problem with fishing is not the slippery riverbanks, or the lack of insects, or even the cold. Iced-up guides cause me more frustration than 100 snagged back casts. Some days, you have to break the ice off the guides after every drift – it can make fishing in the winter tedious and extra laborious. Loon Outdoors makes a product that addresses the issue (Stanley’s Ice-Off Paste), but it is not very effective and needs to be reapplied about as often you’d have to snap the ice off your guides. The best solution I’ve found is simply to dip your rod in the water and swish it around for a few seconds. It’s a very temporary fix, but it will get you fishing again without sacrificing your fingers. If you’ve found a better solution, it might be the most important item in your winter gear bag. And please, I beg of you, let me in on your secret.