Warmwater vs coldwater and why?

[Cornholio]

I'm just curious how many fly fisherman are strictly warmwater or coldwater fisherman and why? I am 50\50 I couldn't imagine one without the other. It just amazes me when people claim to be strictly one or the other. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, just curious as to why.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

It's all the same. I fish for same things almost year round. Musky, pike & the incedential smally n 'eye. The pike and musky can be caught in warm or cold water. So it all 1 big long season.

 

[Chaz]

Pretty much cold water fish only, but for a few exceptions when the trout aren't cooperative during July and August. For me it's too hot to fish then, even the smallies don't like it. Did all my bass fishing when I was young. I might try for pike on a fly if I knew where there was good pike water, but I don't.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear C,

I'll pretty much fly fish for anything that swims, including bluegills.

I used to fish a lot harder year round but now I'm like Chaz and don't fish as much in July and August due to the heat. I figure if I'm uncomfortable imagine how the fish feel?

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[salmonoid]

I haven't targeted anything but coldwater species for at least the past ten years. I don't really know why, except perhaps I like fishing isolated small forested streams, which are usually coldwater streams. I even live within five minutes of the Susquehanna and the Conestoga, and could easily throw buggers with a steelhead rod at bass and walleye there, but I don't. Perhaps the strangest recent outing was catching six warm/coolwater species and only five trout on a coldwater stream.. but I don't think that makes me a warm water person

 

[pete41]

Flyrods , flowing water and trout are a natural marriage.
My first and most enduring fishing love-everything else I break out the spinning rods.

 

[Cornholio]

"fly rods, flowing water and trout are a natural marriage." well put pete, i like that, it has a catch to it.

 

[Cornholio]

salmonoid, what are the warm/cool water species you are referring to?

 

[NickR]

I do quite a bit of smallmouth fishing and it can be a blast but nothing for compares to coldwater fishing for trout.

 

[dryflyguy]

I fish strictly for trout - although I've caught more bass this year than I can ever remember. Just likely do to the very mild winter, and the early warmup of the streams i'm sure.

As for the reason - just a number of things I guess. Trout are the most beautiful fish IMO. And they seem to fight somewhat differently. I also like their environs too - as compared to waters that usually hold WW fish

 

[pwk5017]

I could care less about WW/CW, I only have a preference towards flowing water over still water. I find rivers and streams to be so dynamic, that fishing a lake couldnt compare to. Luckily for me, streams offer both WW and CW opportunities. I agree with everyone that a fly rod and trout just go together, so that might be my first choice; however, a big time close second is small/medium sized streams for smallmouth. I just had a 8 hour adventure today on a local WW with my brother and it was exactly how fishing should be. A bunch of excellent catches spread between us and even better company. Like everything, too much of one thing makes me want the next and I am beginning to look forward to what the next season will offer me.

 

[salmonoid]

A blacknose dace (with a brilliant red stripe), a chub, and four green sunfish. I guess the dace could be considered a coldwater fish; maybe the chub too. But the green sunfish were a bit of an anomaly for the stream they were in.. And I should have qualified my original post - I wasn't talking about warm/coolwater game species, unfortunately. If I had been pulling out SMB or LMB or pike/muskies/walleyes, along with native brook trout, something really would have been amiss (and the brookies wouldn't last long in a habitat like that anyway).

Cornholio wrote:
salmonoid, what are the warm/cool water species you are referring to?

 

[Stenonema]

Judging by your picture I believe that you are a young man. I like the question and I believe it's an honest one. The enjoyment of fishing is like beauty, it's in the eye of the beholder. I as a young man was and still am fascinated by the capture of a big wild brown trout with a fly. I have been fortunate enough in my youth to have within a bicycle ride both w/w and c/w. I to this day enjoy catching any species. I believe that all species have there merits as a quarry. However, for me large wild browns represent the ultimate test and after a month long quest for a particular fish, I enjoy the thrill of catching fish. All species represent challenges. Maintain that childish curiosity of all species and you may become innovative. They are all fish and one will help with the other. Tying fly patterns works well this way. Don't pigeon whole yourself and enjoy. We live in a great place that offers us the opportunity for both. Enjoy it to the fullest.

 

[afishinado]

Some great posts.

My fishing quarry changes with the seasons for the most part. I enjoy many types of FFing for different species.

In winter I pursue steelies and trout.

Maybe some muskies early spring, and of course more trout.

There's nothing better than fishing for SMB in the summer mixed with a little LMB FFing in the lakes.

Fall brings back trout fishing, and surely some SW trips for stripers.

And late fall to winter back to steelies and trout.

I will admit I have no interest at all in fishing for "rough fish" like carp or catfish. Like Chaz, I guess I caught my fill of them as a kid.

Instead of bitching about the weather or the conditions, I try to go with the flow of the seasons and FF for what's most available and enjoyable at the time.

I would feel cheated if I didn't change it up.

 

[djs12354]

After many years away from fishing, a friend got me started again. He also introduced me to Fly-Fishing.

I dove back into back into fishing, fished all I could starting in January and have not missed many weekends since then. I fish both streams and rivers for trout and head for the lakes with my spinning gear for bass. I enjoy both methods of fishing, but really like my time on the streams. That just feels like the right place to fish for trout.

Also, there is something about being out with the fly rod that brings a quiet to my soul. As I posted in the OT Forum, I'm coping with the loss of a good friend who just died, way too young, and leaving a young son behind. Time on the water, both alone and with my friend, Dan, gave me the first peace I've had all week.

Cold vs Warm water? Different strokes for different folks. Enjoy which-ever or both as you like.

 

[marcq]

I feel everyone has there own preference of fish to catch. MIne has always been stripers. I have just recently started fly fishing for them and it can be a very humbling experience. Once you get a fish on you can see why it's worth it.

I will never stop fishing for trout. I don't do much smallie, just cause there not much of it around me. A fish is a fish any this that can put a bend in the rod makes me happy.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I flyfish strictly for trout. I can trout fish year round as I have two top quality limestone streams closeby. Recently though a flyfishing friend and I have talked about maybe trying to flyfish for smallmouth bass. It does sound fun.

 

[pcray1231]

I'm mostly a trout fishermen. It's not that I like the fish themselves that much. For bigger streams, my main attraction is hatches and the topwater action they offer. And once the hatches are over, my main attraction is places. The places I like are deep woods, mountainous small streams. It's where I feel most at home. And they fish just fine in the heat of summer.

Those situations happen to be mostly trout.

I have nothing against warmwater or saltwater fishing, and I do both on occasion. A change of pace is nice. But I don't think I could get really into it; it's just a change of pace.

Warmwater fishing to me is more like rabbit hunting, when compared to deer hunting. Much more light hearted and not so serious. You sleep in, get out with some friends, joke around, don't really have a plan, don't have to be quiet, don't really care if you miss.

 

[nealfish]

although that i do like trout more than bass, its still prettyu serious matters to be ww fishing. i often wake up before sunrise for ww fly fishing, hit a trout run in the heat or maybe just go swimming, and stay out an hour past sundown. while on the stream the only words i say or hear are "all right take, take, take, FISH ON!" or "headin up, hold cast" but that is probably due to the fact that one of my only 2 fishing buddies who i regularly fish with is a bass fishing maniac and it takes a lot just to keep him on the little lehigh, "its not too much farther to the real lehigh, we could be into bass in an hour man,"

 

[JeffK]

I fish plenty of species to keep things interesting and to work the seasons, but I still like trout best. I too am a moving water fan, but lakes and ponds have their attraction. One plus for trout is that I live near a number of trout streams and it is convenient for me to fish for torut 12 months a year. If I lived far from trout streams my answer might vary.

But variety is the spice of life. Three years ago a buddy of mine got me back to wading in ponds and catching LMB on old school deer hair bugs in June. It is a blast seeing a 5 lbs bass inhale a bug and I look forward to the start of the bass bug season now.