Winter fishing

[abbie mcmullen]

Hey everyone! I'm new to the group, I was hoping to get some feedback on where everyone goes fishing over the winter months? Due to my line of work I am free from January to March. I was hoping to get one or two trips in over the season. Can't wait to see what y'all think! Thanks!

[Jbilotta@Obassociates]

Argentina, Mexico or Christmas Island are nice.


Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 23, 2017, at 12:14 PM, abbie mcmullen <abbie.m...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hey everyone! I'm new to the group, I was hoping to get some feedback on where everyone goes fishing over the winter months? Due to my line of work I am free from January to March. I was hoping to get one or two trips in over the season. Can't wait to see what y'all think! Thanks!
>

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[abbie mcmullen]

John, I would love to venture some place tropical! Maybe in a few years, this time I'm trying to stick around the east coast. Have read a lot about Cherokee NC, anyone have any experience there?

[vladimir polivanov]

Hi Abbie,

                   Welcome to the group. Steelhead Trout on the tributaries of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. In March, most are a 7 to 9 hour drive from Washington DC. Also there are a handful of power plants around the Chesapeake Bay,which have warm water discharge . Calvert Cliffs usually has good  fishing for Rockfish during the winter months. You would need a boat to access it or a guide with a boat.

Vladimir ( Vo )

On Sep 24, 2017 12:01 PM, "abbie mcmullen" <abbie.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

John, I would love to venture some place tropical! Maybe in a few years, this time I'm trying to stick around the east coast. Have read a lot about Cherokee NC, anyone have any experience there?

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[Jeffrey Silvan]

Winter is tough along the east. If you can get down to Florida, you have a ton of options.

On Sep 24, 2017 12:01 PM, "abbie mcmullen" <abbie.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

John, I would love to venture some place tropical! Maybe in a few years, this time I'm trying to stick around the east coast. Have read a lot about Cherokee NC, anyone have any experience there?

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[McFly]

I made a trip to Pulaski for the Salmon Run and it can get crowded in a hurry, but that's going on a few months before your ready. I've been to The Bahamas Flats fishing about that time you can take your wife or girlfriend because their's so much more to do than fishing, just fish when the tides are moving and pay that 20.00 a week licence fee.

[abbie mcmullen]

Haha I am a girlfriend, my boyfriend was the one that got me into fly fishing and now I go more than he does!!! I'd love to do the flats. I had looked about going to Florida too! Love would hear any suggestions there? Has anyone had experience south, like the Carolinas, Georgia? I've also done the steelhead out of Lake Erie, it was amazing! But I worry it will be iced over'

[Jeffrey Silvan]

I've fished Hilton Head for redfish. It'll get you on the water, but nothing to write home about. Redfish outside of New Orleans is great that time of year. I've done trout streams in the north Georgia / Western NC area, and there are good opportunities if you like nymphing, but I haven't fished there other seasons yet. 

On Sep 24, 2017 1:51 PM, "abbie mcmullen" <abbie.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

Haha I am a girlfriend, my boyfriend was the one that got me into fly fishing and now I go more than he does!!! I'd love to do the flats. I had looked about going to Florida too! Love would hear any suggestions there? Has anyone had experience south, like the Carolinas, Georgia? I've also done the steelhead out of Lake Erie, it was amazing! But I worry it will be iced over'

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[abbie mcmullen]

I would be interested in trying for redfish! Did you have to access from a boat? I have a kayak but prefer to wade.

[Jeffrey Silvan]

I hired a guide, but also did kayak fishing. I'm not sure how many wading opportunities there are that time of year. There's a few people on here that can probably point you in a better direction than I can for that.

On Sep 24, 2017 2:07 PM, "abbie mcmullen" <abbie.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

I would be interested in trying for redfish! Did you have to access from a boat? I have a kayak but prefer to wade.

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[Evan D]

Abbie,

Surprised no one has pointed to the trout streams nearby. If you're willing to fish in cold and sometimes crappy weather, there are plenty of trout streams in MD and even more in PA that still produce fish through the winter. Some hold some big fish. Look at spring creeks for the most consistent action.

-Evan

[abbie mcmullen]

I have fished the md streams pretty extensively! I certainly plan on taking advantage of Mossy creek in Va too. But I was looking to check out some new spots and do a little travel. I don't mind fishing in the cold at all, did it all last winter! Haha but it could be nice to go some place slightly warmer.

[Yambag Nelson]

You mentioned Cherokee.  I used to live in NC and fished the Great Smokey Mountain National Park quite a bit.  There are a lot of great streams in the park.  I never really fished them during winter though as it was a long drive from Durham for winter trout fishing.  I did fish the davidson river during the winter and did have good days nymphing.  Either way, you would have lots of water to yourself.

On Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 9:47:45 AM UTC-4, abbie mcmullen wrote:

[Danny Barrett]

Im curious to ask about the Smokies in the winter.  Going to be camping with a buddy on the Hazel in November.  Have you fished it much Nelson?

Thanks,

Dan Barrett

dannyt...@gmail.com

(540)-222-8064

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[Mark Sauter]

Florida is best in US during winter for wade-fishing lovers like you (and me). I prefer Gulf side. Anywhere with beaches and inlets can work. Be careful to avoid the limited number of larger cities where fishing is not allowed on the beaches, at all or when life guards are present (eg, Miami Beach).Get this book to find good times and locales:  https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Fishing-South-Atlantic-Coast-Carolinas/dp/0881504335

[abbie mcmullen]

Thanks Mark! Sounds like you are just sort of surf fishing/wading? I've never attempted to fly fish on the beach, is wind an issue?

[Yambag Nelson]

I have actually never fished hazel.  As you probably know, it is not the easiest place to get to, especially if you aren't spending a few days.  I have fished some of the streams in that general area (Deep Creek is my favorite) in November and did very well.  You can still have very good weather and lots of dry fly action still available.  Most fish are smallish rainbows but there is always the chance for a decent brown.

On Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 10:18:13 PM UTC-4, Danny Barrett wrote:

Im curious to ask about the Smokies in the winter.  Going to be camping with a buddy on the Hazel in November.  Have you fished it much Nelson?

Thanks,

Dan Barrett

dannyt...@gmail.com

(540)-222-8064

On Sun, Sep 24, 2017 at 10:14 PM, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:

You mentioned Cherokee.  I used to live in NC and fished the Great Smokey Mountain National Park quite a bit.  There are a lot of great streams in the park.  I never really fished them during winter though as it was a long drive from Durham for winter trout fishing.  I did fish the davidson river during the winter and did have good days nymphing.  Either way, you would have lots of water to yourself.

On Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 9:47:45 AM UTC-4, abbie mcmullen wrote:

Hey everyone! I'm new to the group, I was hoping to get some feedback on where everyone goes fishing over the winter months? Due to my line of work I am free from January to March. I was hoping to get one or two trips in over the season. Can't wait to see what y'all think! Thanks!

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[Andrew Sarcinello]

Florida Gulf Coast is a good suggestion.  Winter isn't as good as other times of year there but you can still catch very nice fish on the fly.  I've gone to Fort Myers the past two years for a few days of fishing, all DIY. Sanibel Island is probably the most consistent action in that area.  If your trip coincides with a cold snap you can fish a few freshwater rivers for snook seeking warmer groundwater-fed refuges...it was on my to-do list last year but the weather never cooled off enough to trigger them to move up the river I wanted to fish.  Lots of boat rental places around though shore fishing can be productive in a few specific areas.  Wind isn't usually terrible unless a cold front is blowing through and that's usually a one-day gusty wind type deal.

[Andrew Sarcinello]

Adding to below...worst case scenario down there on a windy day is you float a tidal mangrove creek to find shelter from the wind.  Toss clousers around the roots for snapper, sheepshead, and reds and snook if you're lucky.  Sheepshead are real brawlers on the fly, as are the larger more sought after "glory species".

[Charlie Church]

When I still lived in DC, I would hit brookie streams on those REALLY warm days and in the afternoon. That would typically result in a few fish. Either that, or I'd go mess around with trout in some rivers and spring creeks. One of the biggest rainbows I caught out of the NB came on one of the coldest days I have ever fished (January). 

At the beach, I tend to get out and try to fish winter holding spots for fish but it's pretty terrible fishing. Some days you get lucky but it's more of just me needing to get out. 

I have also taken a few trips down to the keys in the winter. We have found resident tarpon on the bridges and the cudas are always fun to tangle with on fly. 

[Danny Barrett]

Caught my first little red in SC this year.  I was on a boat, but some of those flats could be easily acceded by kayak if you aren't afraid of a lengthier row.  Id guess it was under 6 miles.

Thanks,

Dan Barrett

dannyt...@gmail.com

(540)-222-8064

On Sun, Sep 24, 2017 at 2:07 PM, abbie mcmullen <abbie.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

I would be interested in trying for redfish! Did you have to access from a boat? I have a kayak but prefer to wade.

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[Ben H]

Western NC is a good option for winter fishing. NC has an excellent Delayed Harvest program and most of these streams fish well Nov through January if you like nymphing for rainbows. The NC WRC site has a nice interactive map that makes it easy to peruse all of their stocked waters. I haven’t personally fished the Cherokee area, but have heard good things and any waters holding bows should be good options excepting periods of extreme cold and ice over.

[Mark Sauter]

Not usually in FLA, esp. if you're out morning or evening and throwing a 6w. Be sure to get a stripping box, I prefer the folding mesh ones. The most fun imo is walking the beach looking for nervous water or blitzes, as you do up North for stripers and blues on the beach.

[HenryH]

Steelhead fishing on the Salmon River is good all winter although it can get bitterly cold at times.  Upriver near Altmar is downstream of a dam so it will not freeze over and fishable year round.

[San-Eou Lan]

Can anyone speak to how winter fishing is like within the DMV area? I've been told that 4MR is a good place to hit because of the warm water discharge. This would be my first time fishing in the winter here. 

On Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 9:47:45 AM UTC-4, abbie mcmullen wrote:

[Yambag Nelson]

None of it is really great.  There are places to fish (4MR being one of them) but it is more just to get out and wet a line until things improve with warmer weather.