January and February are hard times for mid-Atlantic fly fishermen. We’re so close to the bounty of Spring but the weather is harsh and the days are short. For me, cabin fever hits hard. Sometimes getting motivated to tie the flies I need for spring is hard. With the new year ahead, I’m looking forward to getting out on the water again, even if it’s after-work sessions and battling the family calendar for some selfish time. I’ll share open guiding dates as we get into late March so keep in touch.
The Knee Deep Interns are getting bigger and we’ve got a few surf fishing sessions under our belts. I don’t think they’re ready for the 10-weight rods yet but I see some bait soaking ahead this spring. Santa delivered some new toys and I can’t wait to get them out for some road-tripping and a bit of nymph dredging. It’s 5wt time for sure.
With winter here, the little black stoneflies will be moving around and getting ready to crawl out and do their thing on sunny days. One of my favorite flies for this time of year is a quick-to-tie stonefly nymph. Check out the video below and get creative with the materials. Everything about this fly is straight out of the hand-drawn books from 40 years ago but with some newer materials substituted in for biots and quills. Tie up a half dozen and go dredge up some trout!
Tight Lines,
Micah
