For the past week, it has been snowing here in Bozeman. Many people, myself included, are getting pretty fed up with the snow by now. Spring snow can reduce some fly fishermen to pathetic depths. Normally during these spring storms, enormous amounts of alcohol are consumed as the fisherman nervously ties flies and checks out the window every five minutes for even a hint of sunshine.
But, there are always those hardy souls who don’t mind the snow and cold. A number of these fishermen are no doubt motivated by sheer desperation, as you can only go so long before getting out on the river again. Fly fishing withdrawal is a sad sight to see. And then there are those who truly do enjoy fishing in the snow. Here are five of the reasons I enjoy it.
- Fewer People on the Water. It is true, not many folks will be sharing a blizzard with you on the river. Most other fishermen are inside their homes, sitting by a blazing fire and sipping a steaming mug of hot coffee. If you do see anyone else out in the snow, you automatically think, “What kind of crazy bastard would be out in weather like this?”
- Lets You Know How Much You Love The Sport. You find out really quickly out in the snow if you are truly passionate about the sport. If you don’t mind clearing ice from your guides every few casts and letting various appendages freeze, then you just might be a diehard. Not to say that fishing in the snow is the only way to prove your passion for fly fishing; far from it. But it is one way to show your drive for fishing.
- It is So Quiet. The snow muffles all other sounds when it is falling. Even the river seems to lose some volume. Some of my favorite places to fish here in the area are unfortunately right beside the road. Case in point, look at the Gallatin Canyon. Most of the time, it is easy to tune the road noise out by focusing on fishing and the river. But when the snow is falling, silence seems to come more easily.
- The Fishing Can Be Good. Cloudy days are the best fishing days. A couple of my best fishing days I have ever had were on snowy days. It is pretty cool to watch rising trout in a snowstorm. One day, down on the Firehole last year, I watched in amazement as the trout kept rising to some of the snowflakes that had landed on the water. And when you do catch that big fish, snow in the picture does make for a great background.
- Some of you might be wondering why I am so excited about fishing in the snow all of a sudden. One of the reasons is that the snow is what we have at the moment, might as well make the best of it. But the real reason I am so psyched about it this afternoon is the simple fact that I am going fishing in the snow today with a friend of mine. I have never been fishing with her before, so I am excited to spend some time with her and get to know her better. If you see the jeep back in Bear Trap today, stop and say hello.
Fishing in the snow isn’t for everybody, but I strongly suggest you give it a shot. We would love to hear your top five reasons to enjoy fishing in the snow. See you on the water!
Tags: Weather
