Lower Savage river, Garrett county, MD 1/27/18

[ryansheehan]

Flow: 170 cfs
Water temps: 35-38
Air temp: low of 35, high of 55
Time of day: 11-3:30

I was supposed to fish last weekend but had to reschedule, it couldn't have worked out any better. Today was a beautiful day to be on the river, a nice change from the last couple frigid outings. There were plenty of fisherman out but I had no issue finding water to myself. The insect was solid, a dozen or so little black stoneflies on just about every rock sticking out of the water. Despite the abundance of bugs(midges too) there were no rising fish. This was probably due to the sub 38 water temps. I spent the entire day tightlining a black wolly bugger with a little egg pattern. The action was steady, landing 5 fish, all but one took the bugger. All the fish I took were in water that was hardly moving, most of them tight to the bank.

 

[afishinado]

Nice fish, Ryan!

 

[Maurice]

Good report Ryan. There is a lesson in there for all to see.

When the water is below 40*f you won’t fins fish in the moving water. Their metabolism slows and they stay out of the current and riffles. Sulking in the slack currents and bottoms of the deepest holes where they don’t have to work to stay put.

Also, because the drift is so slow, takes are often detected with a subtle slowing or stopping of the indicator(if you use one).

I found fish in the same way on the same day at my home stream today.

But your fish were bigger....and wilder. LOL.

 

[Dave_W]

afishinado wrote:
Nice fish, Ryan!

Agree. Wow.

That biggie in the upper pic is really impressive and a motivation for this long winter- just beautiful form and colors. The shape of the pelvic fin suggests a male fish; neat nick on his adipose.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Those are some really beautiful fish!

 

[ryansheehan]

Dave_W wrote:

afishinado wrote:
Nice fish, Ryan!

Agree. Wow.

That biggie in the upper pic is really impressive and a motivation for this long winter- just beautiful form and colors. The shape of the pelvic fin suggests a male fish; neat nick on his adipose.

Thanks everyone, I think the first pic is a male too. The bottom jaw had started to turn upwards, tough to see in the pic I took though.

 

[ryansheehan]

Maurice wrote:
Good report Ryan. There is a lesson in there for all to see.

When the water is below 40*f you won’t fins fish in the moving water. Their metabolism slows and they stay out of the current and riffles. Sulking in the slack currents and bottoms of the deepest holes where they don’t have to work to stay put.

Also, because the drift is so slow, takes are often detected with a subtle slowing or stopping of the indicator(if you use one).

I found fish in the same way on the same day at my home stream today.

But your fish were bigger....and wilder. LOL.

Maurice, you hit the nail on the head! Some of the best winter fishing advice I've ever heard.

 

[10rman88]

Great looking fish Ryan that 1st one is absolutely gorgeous. Definitely wish I could have hit the Savage again after reading this.

 

[3oh4]

Almost as good as it gets size wise up there. Those two def. kept your toes warm the rest of the day!