Fishing the Cool Weather Doldrums

DryFly82

DryFly82

Steelhead
I am trying to crack the code for catching fish when the wind is absolutely dead. I fished a local westside lake on the 15th and had a good 31 fish day under the indicator with bloodworm and chironomid with a little bit of chop on the surface. I fished the same lake last weekend and only caught 3 in 4 hours with no wind. I find it to be a regular pattern that I just can't get the chironomid/bloodworm/leech bite to cooperate when the wind is dead this time of year when the fish are sluggish. What is your go-to method in the "no wind" situation this time of year?

Trolling/Casting Boobies? Blobs/Squirmy Worms? Naked method? Powerbait?
 
Flat calm and cold are tough conditions. Some strategies that (might/sometimes) pay off are targeting the next deeper zone, fishing bright or white patterns, and covering water to locate concentrations of fish. For example, if you were catching fish recently on a 10’ deep flat when there was a breeze, try moving out out to 15’, then 20-25’. Sometimes they move deeper when there’s no chop.

Blobs, boobies, and leeches in bright colors like fire red, chartreuse, peach, and white are usually more productive than natural versions.

Look for active fish. Move to the happy fish.

The warmest part of the day will probably be the most productive.

Enjoy being out!
 
Switch to no indicator and tight line work the chroni down through the water column and slowly back up with a little jigging action.
 
Years ago, I watched a guy trolling a white bunny leech behind a rowboat (West side lake). He was killing em and I could not get a bite. Fast trolled, deep , sparkly white bunny leech might be an option worth trying, it's worked for me in the winter. The fast troll was, for me, counterintuitive, but it seems to work for me. BTW that guy gave me a particular fly that I have duplicated many times. He was rowing his boat much faster than I was kicking my floatube
 
Jim in Anacortes said:
Years ago, I watched a guy trolling a white bunny leech behind a rowboat (West side lake). He was killing em and I could not get a bite. Fast trolled, deep , sparkly white bunny leech might be an option worth trying, it's worked for me in the winter. The fast troll was, for me, counterintuitive, but it seems to work for me. BTW that guy gave me a particular fly that I have duplicated many times. He was rowing his boat much faster than I was kicking my floatube
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Thanks for the tip. I have experienced a few times when the fast troll was the only thing that could generate a bite. Definitely worth keeping in the back pocket.
 
Ceviche said:
Brian Chan once noted that big trout move into the shallows in search of food during the cold days of winter. If you’re fishing the same depth of water you normally do in Spring and Fall, trout may not be there as much.
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I have heard him say that, but this lake is pretty shallow to begin with. On days with some wind I can usually count on 15-40 fish to the net. It's really just the days without wind where catching 5-10 is a struggle. I see them on the finder, but I just haven't been able to find a fly/presentation that consistently performs.
 
Micro-strips on glassy days usually induces more strikes than static presentations, and with a bloodworm best to be just inches off the bottom. If visibility is an issue, a small, bright blob a couple of feet above the bloodworm can often be a useful attractor for the bloodworm.
For change-ups I'll strip a small wet hackle on either a sink tip or intermediate, and have had surprising sessions tossing something like a Micro-Chubby or small Beetle along the shoreline and parking it there.
 
SurfnFish said:
Micro-strips on glassy days usually induces more strikes than static presentations, and with a bloodworm best to be just inches off the bottom. If visibility is an issue, a small, bright blob a couple of feet above the bloodworm can often be a useful attractor for the bloodworm.
For change-ups I'll strip a small wet hackle on either a sink tip or intermediate, and have had surprising sessions tossing something like a Micro-Chubby or small Beetle along the shoreline and parking it there.
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Thanks for the advice. I usually target 12-18" off the bottom. I'll try dropping it down closer with the blob above and see if that makes a difference
 
Ive been learning the art of fishing leeches under bobber last couple years.🤣 its really not terribly complicated I've found. I will say the biggest challenge is patience. Because I get bored easily bobber fishing, I started experimenting with a very subtle retrieve. This works well with light chop, but even on near calm conditions. I figured if the bobber isn't disrupting the surface and catching the eye of fish, why not. Not short stripping but more a steady smooth gliding action by raising the rod tip slightly, collecting line when the rod tip is lowered. Its slow, but deliberate....engages me anyway.
Seems to work pretty darn good.
 
Always worthwhile to consider the current trend in temperatures. Not the most fun but a good reality check. If conditions have them inactive/trying to adjust, you can throw anything you like and the result is the same. Likely they can see it just fine, but when they're down they're down.

I.e. if temps took a good dive recently, expect an "adjustment period" where trout may just sit tight for a while. That doesn't mean don't bother; I try my best to lower the bar and, if it just isn't working out, it's probably not me.

Sometimes it's not about the right or wrong fly, or method of presentation. They're simply active or they aren't. And unfortunately, on some days waiting for the bite isn't much of an option.

Best time of year to give oneself a break if you're not solving the puzzle 👍
 
A flashy baitfish pattern cast up against the shoreline and stripped back worked today.
We were using type 5 lines.
SF
 
I usually take the bobber off on those really calm cold days. However, when I have had success with the bobber it's been with a jigged/balanced leech using a small strip, strip, strip, stop. Or using a hand twist retrieve. If no love on that setup then I go to the type 3 or type 6 and throw something bright or fancy.
My buddy and I have done well a few times trying to out-do the other with outlandish flies. It usually goes like-
"You think they'd hit a purple and pink Hobo spey?"
"Haha, you're crazy. I'm gonna try this white snook fly." :ROFLMAO:

I mean, if dudes are chucking pink or yellow & black Panther Martins or tiger flatfish and catching fish, you should probably try something crazy. I think @Tim L has a great point about decreasing temps. The bite can go off so fast and won't return until they get hungry or the temp somehow (not likely) goes back up. In our temperate climate, the windy days are often warmer than the still ones so can increase temps just enough.
 
Jim in Anacortes said:
Years ago, I watched a guy trolling a white bunny leech behind a rowboat (West side lake). He was killing em and I could not get a bite. Fast trolled, deep , sparkly white bunny leech might be an option worth trying, it's worked for me in the winter. The fast troll was, for me, counterintuitive, but it seems to work for me. BTW that guy gave me a particular fly that I have duplicated many times. He was rowing his boat much faster than I was kicking my floatube
Click to expand...
I'm 98% sure the "guy" was me. I clearly recall an interaction just like that, white bunny leech and all. Sent you a PM.
 
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Three recently stocked lakes flat out sucked for me in the last few weeks. No signs of groups of fish, even the powerbaiters on two lakes were getting skunked. I started thinking the plant numbers were bs…..can’t believe everything we read. My fly patch looked like a fly box at the end of the day. Full sink, indicators and any other technics I tried with minimal success. All I can say is “come on spring!”
 
Bambooflyguy said:
Three recently stocked lakes flat out sucked for me in the last few weeks. No signs of groups of fish, even the powerbaiters on two lakes were getting skunked. I started thinking the plant numbers were bs…..can’t believe everything we read. My fly patch looked like a fly box at the end of the day. Full sink, indicators and any other technics I tried with minimal success. All I can say is “come on spring!”
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You're exempt from any of my usual advice. In your case you simply weren't holding your mouth right.
 
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