For most of Idaho, trout season is 365 days a year. There are some selected black out times, such as the spring cutthroat spawn on certain waters, but for the most part, if you can get to the water you can fish it. This means that you can fish all winter long if you want to, but Idaho winters bring Idaho weather, so you need to be prepared.
I used to fish a lot in winter, even on days when air temperatures were well below freezing. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve cut back for a couple reasons. First is for the sake of my body. I get cold faster and I’m not as stable in flowing water as I used to be. One good fall and that would be it. Goodbye life! Second is for the sake of the fish. There is evidence that fish face increased mortality if exposed to freezing air temperatures, even for a few seconds. Delicate gill and eye tissues freeze quickly when exposed to freezing air. Because of this, when I do fish in freezing temperatures, I never let the trout leave the water. I’ve not always done this, but I can learn and change my flawed behavior.
So what winter fishing gear have I found that works for me? Obviously it depends on the temperatures and duration you’re out in them, but here are a few items that keep me going all year long.
Hat
I used to wear a fleece lined hat, but I found that it would make my head sweat and I didn’t like that. Now days I find that I can just wear my regular ball cap as long as I keep my head and neck warm with a Buff neck warmer. The one I like has polar fleece on the lower part and microfiber material on the top. I pull the Buff over my head and I’ve been amazed how warm and comfortable it is. If I get too warm, I just lower the Buff and cool off a little. When I wore a fleece lined hat, I couldn’t take it off, as I had no place convenient to put it while fishing (I don’t wear a pack when winter fishing anymore, as I don’t like the extra bulk). If you want extra warmth, just turn the Buff upside down so that the fleece portion is over your head. The Buff works, and I like it.
Gloves
This category is essential. Next to frozen toes, there’s nothing worse than frozen fingers. To avoid frozen digits, I wear two pair of gloves. I wear a thin silk liner glove and then a warmer, waterproof over glove. For the over gloves I prefer Rock Fish Thermo Fishing Gloves or Glacier Glove neoprene gloves. As long as I wear both liner and over gloves my fingers stay warm. But what about tying on flies with gloves? I find that I can tie flies on just fine while still wearing the silk liner gloves. So, I remove the over gloves, tie on the fly (flies) and put the over gloves back on. Just remember to keep the silk liner glove dry!
Glove Tender
Over the years I have dropped quite a few gloves in the river when I took them off to tie a knot. I now have a plastic bin in my den with unmatched right or left handed gloves. To prevent this from happening again, I now use a glove tender. This simple item clips to my coat and when I take one or both over gloves off, I clip them into the tender. This works great and I’ve not lost any gloves since!
Base Layer
Next to my skin I wear a thermal base layer. Although there are numerous styles and weights, I have found that a mid-weight thermal bottom and an active-weight thermal top work best for me. If I wear a heavy thermal top I tend to sweat, and sweating and cold temperatures are a no no. After all, wading in the water, casting and working the fly creates a lot of body heat! I’d rather start out a little on the chilly side and warm up as I move up the stream.
Top Clothing
Over my base layer I wear Simms ColdWeather Pants. There’s nothing magical about these, but they are what I bought years ago and they’re still going strong. They are sort of expensive, but I’m sure any reasonable weight, fleece lined synthetic trousers will work. I’ve used stirrup-type winter pants in the past, but I prefer a normal looking lined trouser over the skinny leg look. On my top, I prefer a relax-fit polyester blend turtle neck shirt. Polyester is a warm material, and the T-neck (along with the Buff) helps keep my neck warm. For me, a warm neck means a warm me.
Suspenders
The way my man hips are shaped, they have a hard time keeping my pants up, particularly when wearing fleece-lined trousers on top of a thermal base layer. The fleece lining and base layer tend to fight each other like bobcats in a burlap sack, and invariably my trousers creep downwards. To counter this, I have found a pair of suspenders to be essential. Any suspender will work, but I prefer Duluth Side Clip Suspenders. I find them easier to put on and take off, especially when nature calls.
Socks and Toe Warmers
Like gloves, I wear two pair of socks, one pair liner and one pair over socks. I have tried all sorts of thermal socks, even battery operated ones, and still my toes get cold. But what I have landed on lately for thermal socks are alpaca socks. I find them to be warmer and less bulky than wool and I like how they slide over the liner sock without cramping my toes. Alpaca socks can be really expensive, but I bought some less expensive ones on Amazon and I’ve been really pleased.
BTW, I’ve also used those exothermic iron powder toe warmers to try to keep my toes warm. The problem is that they need plenty of air to activate and stay warm. Deep down inside your waders there’s not enough air to get them hot. However, if you take them out of the plastic, and put them on your car’s dash vents with the air blowing through them, they will activate quickly and get really hot. I stick them on my liner sock – don’t stick them to your skin or you might burn yourself! I put them on the top of my toes instead of the balls of my feet, as I need to feel the stream bottom without interference. They help, but they are not perfect.
I’ve tried heated socks that use traditional heating wires attached to size C batteries, but they didn’t keep my toes any warmer than a traditional sock. Also, the heating wires were under the balls of my feet, and I didn’t like that. It made it harder to feel the stream bottom through my boots. I’m now using newer technology heating socks that incorporate 360° heating wires attached to rechargeable battery packs. I’m evaluating them to see if they’re better than past technologies. I’ll report on them in an upcoming review.
Outerwear
Obviously when winter fishing, you are going to need a coat. I’ve got a few, and they all work just fine. If it’s a cloudy day with a breeze, then I wear a heavier one. If it’s sunny, yet cold, I wear a lighter weight one. The one thing they have in common is that they are snug around the waist and have plenty of pockets. Since you have a lot of clothes on when winter fishing, it’s hard to access your pants pockets to retrieve stuff, like your phone. Having extra pockets in your coat really helps. You can also wear a smaller, less bulky fishing pack because you can strategically put fly fishing stuff in your coat pockets. It works great!
Waders
Waders are essential. There’s no wet wading in Idaho’s winters. I’ve used neoprene chest waders, breathable chest waders and finally waist-high breathables. I prefer the latter. I never found that the neoprene kept me warmer. Staying dry keeps me warmer, but the style of wader hasn’t seemed to matter, as long as I wear appropriate thermal protection underneath. Waist high waders are less bulky, and unlike PNW steelhead anglers, in winter I don’t wade over my knees. I prefer the freedom of movement over any buoyancy and insulation neoprene provides. For waist-highs, I like Lost Creek Men’s XTI Stockingfoot Fishing Waders. They’ve got a few pockets and I like the protective lower leg double fabric gaiter. They last about a long as any other waders I’ve used, expensive or not.
Wading Staff
I always use a wading staff, ALWAYS. In fact, I consider it the most important wading gear I possess. If I forget my rod or chest pack, then I’m a little put out, but if I forget my wading staff I am paralyzed. It keeps me safe and stable, like a human tripod. Even when I was younger and had better balance I used a wading staff. OK, if you don’t want to use one in summer, fine. But in winter, USE A STAFF!
Stanley’s Ice Off
Nowadays, I fish fewer days when the air temperature is less than 32°F (0°C). But if I do, then I use Loon Outdoors Stanley’s Ice Off Paste on my line (just the line, not the tippet). I hate getting ice beads on my line, and the Stanley’s keeps my line ice-free longer. Perfect? No, but it helps.
Ketchum Release Tool
Finally, how do you release a fish without lifting it out of the water or putting your hands in the water? Use a release tool. There are various types out there, but I’ve settled on the Ketchum Release tool. They are easy to use and most of the time the fish can remain in the water. In winter I carry all three sizes on a zinger, because I use a lot of different sizes of flies and bead heads. The rest of the year I only carry the medium size. Since adopting a release tool, I try not to touch the fish any longer. Works for me.
Conclusion
Winter fishing can be very rewarding, as you will usually have all the water to yourself and nature in winter is amazing. But it can be cold and miserable, if you don’t come prepared. The most impotent thing to remember for your safety and comfort, is to prepare with appropriate clothing and gear, and don’t overstay your visit. I find that about one and a half hours is about perfect. That’s long enough to catch a dozen or more trout, yet not too long to freeze your toes solid.
Also, make sure to protect the fish from harm, so they can be caught another day. Don’t take them out of the water if the air temperature is less then 32°F (0°C). Also, don’t play them too long and don’t try to catch every fish in the river. If you don’t like the thought of winter tenkara, that’s OK, as tenkara anglers need rest from time to time. The fish will probably appreciate the down time – fish need to rest too!
Reader Input: Do you fish in the winter? What gear do you find useful, and what gear not so much?
Do you have a story to tell? A photo to share? A fly recipe that’s too good to keep secret? If you would like to contribute content to Tenkara Angler, click HERE for more details.
When you buy something using the retail links within our articles or Gear Shop, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Tenkara Angler does not accept money for editorial gear reviews. Read more about our policy.