Friday, November 29, 2024

Miss Mayfly Moxie Waders Pants and Boots Review

I had wondered if there is a women's wader pant specifically designed just for women.  Take a look at Miss Mayfly I am very thrilled to discover these fantastic women's wader pants, the Miss Mayfly® Moxie Wading Pant© are a comfortable women's wader pants that fit just right for women!  These comfortable waders are a great fit and have a padded high waist that is adjustable for size.  Good mobility in the knees and waist for wading and capability in covering a lot of river.

Winter is approaching with colder conditions where I have room in my wader pants for warm layering.  


Miss Mayfly® MOXIE Wading Boot©, Rubber- Blue are a comfortable lightweight wader women's boot with a comfortable fit, good insole foot support, and with a durable rubber sole.  I wear a 7 1/2 women's shoe with a nice comfortable fit in a size 8 of this boot. I love the grabby boot lace holders!  I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to have your boot laces come undone!  The lace holders keep everything in place and secure.   A grippy rubber sole with compatibility for cleats.

Use discount code: CATTOY for 10% savings!  

Note:  Above discount code cannot be applied additionally to promotional sales.*

Monday, November 18, 2024

Don't forget about fishing the scuds in the cold months

 


With the colder weather moving in and Old Man Winter is just around the corner, some of us may want to continue bundling up and fishing through winter.  Scuds are crustaceans that dwell in many habitats but are oftentimes in the shallow water areas on aquatic plants, river bottom leaves, and silt of cool tailwaters, springs, lakes, and ponds.  Scuds are highly nutritious and an excellent protein source for the trout. 

Fishing between weed beds can be very productive 
with some careful maneuvering.

Weeds beds are a favorite habitat for scuds, trout will often be grouped up around the weeds and river bottom areas and easily become pushed in the river current.  They are present year-round constantly swimming up and down the water column. 

One of my favorite year-round patterns to fish at
some of our favorite tailwaters.

A great fly pattern to swing by the trout all times of the year including the colder months.  My recipe in tying the scud in tan:

Hook:  Togens 3x heavy hook size 16
Thread:  UNI-Thread 8/0, tan
Back:  Scud back 1/8" clear
Thorax:  Dubbing for Scuds and Sowbugs, tan
Head/tail:  Antron yarn, tan
Segmentation:  UTC Ultra wire, gold extra small
UV:  Solarez Ultra thin, clear

Scuds come in various colors including olive, grey, greens, tans, and orange.  Scuds turn an attractive green at the late part of their lifecycle.  Scuds transform into orange in color when they die, and they can be vital to imitate in tailwaters with fluctuating water flow. When the water level drops, scuds can become stranded in the streambed, and as the water level rises again, the dead scuds are swept into the river and an easy meal for the trout.

The best way to fish a scud is a dead drift just as you would with a nymph.  Fishing within the weeds is complicated, but something you don't want to miss.  Casting into the larger channels between the weeds could hold lots of trout with the occasional hidden beast.  Fish the different parts of the water column as well as the casting into the riffles.  Fooling the trout with a tumbling scud in faster waters can be quite exhilarating!  See you on the river!

A fantastic brownie fooled by a tan scud.













Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Water Temperature and Trout Metabolism

 

One of the first things I like to do when I arrive at the river is retrieving my thermometer from my pack and check the water temperature.  Trout are ectothermic, or cold-blooded and their metabolism is affected by the temperature of their environment.  As temperatures rise and fall, enzymes of the trout that control the speed of their metabolism undergoing different adjustments.  These changes result in increase or decrease of the trout’s metabolism.

Tailwaters generally holds a consistent
temperature year-round.

As water temperature rises, trout’s metabolism increases, leading to a higher demand for food to fuel their energy needs.  At these higher temperatures, their oxygen requirements increase.  Trout have a specific temperature range where their metabolism is most efficient, often around near-freezing temperatures for their lowest metabolic rate.  As temperatures rise, their metabolic rate gradually increases until it hits an engaging hunger curve point (around 55–65°F for most trout species).  Beyond this point, if temperatures continue to rise particularly above 70°F, their metabolic rate declines rapidly as the trout experiences heat stress, potentially leading to lethal conditions.

In most streams, particularly freestone rivers, water temperatures tend to rise significantly on sunny days, especially during warmer seasons.  However, tailwaters and spring creeks often maintain more stable temperatures.  Tailwaters benefit from water released from deeper, cooler parts of reservoirs, while spring creeks are fed by groundwater that generally holds a consistent temperature year-round.  This stability creates a more favorable environment for fish and aquatic insects.

Vegetation along stream banks can significantly
lower water temperature by blocking sunlight.

Vegetation along stream banks can significantly lower water temperature by blocking direct sunlight. More shadows usually mean cooler water temperatures.  Larger bodies of water generally have a greater capacity to absorb and distribute heat without a significant rise in temperature. Smaller streams, with lower volumes, can warm more quickly and be more susceptible to temperature fluctuations.  The angle of the sun affects how much solar radiation hits the water. This varies by season, time of day, and latitude.

A successful fishing day for the crew
fishing in January fishing pocketwater.

Streams that are wider and shallower heat up more quickly because a greater surface area is exposed to sunlight relative to the volume. Narrower, deeper streams tend to stay cooler as less water is directly exposed to solar heating.  Warmer ambient air temperatures can increase the heat exchange between the air and the water.  Summer days or prolonged warm spells could lead to warmer water temperatures.  Faster-flowing water tends to mix more efficiently and may stay cooler than slow-moving water, which is more likely to stagnate and heat up.

Welcome winter fishing.

While we are headed into winter, carrying a thermometer isn’t just for summer.  Temperatures 32 to 35, maybe for little activity.  As water temperatures head to 36 to 40 degrees, there may be some pick up in trout activity.  45 degrees, the fish are moving around and in larger pools and runs.  Temperatures headed to 50 degrees, the trout will move into shallower waters such as riffles.  The temperatures the trout are into their peak metabolism rate of 51 to 60 degrees.  Trout will be holding most everywhere in the river but the fastest water.  With winter fishing, focus on fishing the slow and deeper waters.  When the water temperatures rise during the day, fish the shallow riffles and pocketwater.  When the water temperatures drop below 32 degrees, time to head home for a hot shower.  See you on the river!

My brother fishing with me in December.