Fishing with Andrew Corpening

Ski or Fish?

By Andrew Corpening

Now that winter has arrived in the High Country most people are thinking about slope conditions, not stream conditions. This is understandable since the winters here can be rough for fishing and great for snow sports. But for those of you who can’t wait until spring there are some winter angling opportunities.

The first thing to remember is the trout still eat during the winter. Trout are a cold water species and are actually more comfortable during the winter months than they are in the late summer. This is because cold water holds more oxygen than warm water. Fish may breathe well during the winter, but this does not mean they are overly active. With the cold water there are fewer aquatic insects for them to eat. They have built up fat to help them survive during the lean winter months and don’t want to burn calories chasing food. Even though it is always helpful if you can read water to know where the trout are holding, it is vital to be successful when winter fishing. You need to put the fly or lure right on the trout’s nose to get it to bite.

Now that you know the trout will cooperate during the winter the next big consideration is the temperature. This does not refer to the angler’s comfort since you can always layer up on your clothes and, with fishing gloves, be reasonably comfortable. Rather, you must consider your equipment and the condition of the streams.

If the High Country experiences an extended period of below freezing weather the streams can be partially or totally frozen over. Obviously fishing would be impossible with a solid sheet of ice covering the water, but even partial icing creates problems. With ice along the edge of streams a hooked fish can run under the ice and your leader or line can be cut. Another problem when it is below 32 degrees is water freezing in the line guides on the rod. This is especially a problem for the fly fisher. Since fly line is thicker it picks up more water. When this water gets on the metal guides it freezes and it becomes nearly impossible to cast.

That is the bad news; the good news is that there are many days during a High Country winter when it gets above freezing. Just ask any of our ski area management about the dreaded January thaw. When we do have a few warmer days to fish, there are some important things to keep in mind to fish safely.

As mentioned earlier, layer your clothes to stay warm. Multiple layers will keep you warmer that one heavy coat. You will also need to get some fishing gloves to protect your hands. There are numerous types but the most common kind are fingerless gloves. Also, when you get to the stream watch out for ice on the streamside rocks. A wrong step could make you take a hard fall. And speaking of falling, it would be a good idea to not stray too far from your vehicle. Falling in while fishing happens to everyone; if you have never fallen in you are not fishing enough. Normally it is no big deal but during the winter you want to get to your vehicle and heat up as quickly as possible.

If you really want to fish and the High Country is in a deep freeze, there are several angling opportunities “off the mountain” where it is warmer due to lower elevation. One possible location is Wilson Creek in Caldwell County, which has a long section of Delayed Harvest water. Delayed Harvest waters were stocked by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission the first of October and the first of November. Delayed Harvest waters are the only streams that get stocked with trout in the fall. Also keep in mind that Delayed Harvest streams are classified as single hook, artificial lures only and are catch-andrelease this time of year.

Another option is the Tennessee tail waters near Elizabethton and Bristol, TN. The two rivers closest to the High Country are the Watauga (yes, the same Watauga River but after it has flowed through Watauga Lake) and the South Holston below South Holston Lake. These two rivers are below hydroelectric dams so the water released from the lakes comes off the bottom and stays about the same temperature all year. In fact, during the winter the water can be warmer than the air temperature but it is the ideal temperature for trout. Tennessee Wildlife estimates that there are approximately 3,000 fish per mile on these rivers.

One very important safety aspect to be concerned with is rising waters. These rivers are below Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) lakes. What makes them good places to trout fish also makes them potentially dangerous. Since the main purpose of these lakes is power generation, the waters can come up quickly if TVA starts releasing water. Neither river can be waded if TVA is generating electricity. With that said TVA does a good job of making the generation schedule available. You can find the schedule by going to TVA’s website. But keep in mind that TVA has the right to start generating any time they feel there is a need for electricity. It is a good idea whenever you are fishing these rivers to locate some rock or log and keep an eye on it. If you notice the water rising on the rock or log, get out immediately.

Even with these options there will be times during the winter when fishing is impossible or the roads are bad due to snow. During these times you can still be involved. If you tie flies winter is a good time to stock up on flies for the spring. Winter is also a good time to check your equipment. Clean your fly line and reel. Clean out and organize your fly boxes or your tackle box. If you use a fishing vest or pack, get rid of the things you never use. After all, do you really need that two-year-old oatmeal cookie?