It has been tough here towards the later part of December. Frigid weather and fluctuating flows at times have attributed to some very slow days in the drift boat and wild trout sections. Water temps have been down in the thirties at times and this has made the fish very lethargic. Zero activity on the surface save for a sporadic midge hatch on the very warmest mornings. Our best days involved fishing streamers #6-12 near the bottom and getting them to hit the flies more out of aggression than hunger. Nymphing right on the bottom will produce some fish in the very deepest pools using midge and caddis larva patterns #18-20.

Look for the fish to hold in the softest, deepest water you can locate in any given stretch. They are not holding at the base of riffles or in the traditional transition lanes most of the time. Looking into the crystal ball I see a warming trend developing in the first part of January and this could be the catalyst to get the fish feeding consistently once again.