Spring 2017

One thing experienced winter anglers consistently battle
is frozen rod guides. This occurs when water from the fly
line collects on the rod guides and freezes with the cold air
temperatures. The line will actually stick to the rod guides and
it makes casting accurately quite difficult. There are a number
of remedies to combat this issue. Many Steelhead anglers will
spray their rod guides with non-stick cooking spray (i.e. Pam
or similar product). However, we’ve had good results us-ing
Mucilin with Silicone (it’s the one with the green label). Apply
the paste to your dry guides and on the rod itself above the
guides when first rigging up. You’ll likely have to re-treat the
guides a couple times during the day depending on the air
temperatures. If all else fails you can dip the rod into the 50
degree water and much of the ice will melt. This method isn’t
recom-mended as ice will quickly return and it’s really best
to take a few minutes to re-treat the guides.
Finally, hatches in late winter can be sparse or come in waves
throughout the day. Being com-fortable and on the water as
much as possible looking for active fish is crucial. One of the
best ways to do this is having a hot beverage nearby. There’s
nothing that will warm you up quicker than a hot cup of tea,
coffee or even soup. Packing a thermos and setting it creek
side for easy access will help you accomplish this and keep
you out there longer.
Winter on the Water
Walking & Stalking…
The Creeks are a sight fishing angler’s dream. Thingamabobbers
and streamers can be effective, but we’ll be focusing more
on sight fishing tactics. Fishing the Creeks is quite a bit
MONTANA FLYFISHING