Winter fishing is generally slower than the warmer months, the fish seem to have lost their appetite. Early mornings, normally a good time for fishing is chilly, and I’ll sleep in, have a nice cafe breakfast and hit the water at the crack of noon. Many winter days have a daytime high of 65 degrees. Fishing on a sunny afternoon in the Sea of Cortez is a pleasant experience, whether you are catching fish or not. December is a good time for whale watching, and I have managed to spot a few off Mirador Beach, in my kayak.
Lately I have been using a tippet ring to tie on the end of my leader, I tie a 2-foot and another 3-foot piece of fluorocarbon on to the ring, and fish two Clousers instead of one. The result is double hook ups, that really doubles the fun! Note the photo of the two small Cabrilla or Sand Bass.
Staying comfortable while fishing, I tend to wear light, quick drying clothing like polar fleece, or poly materials. I can launch my kayak without wading very deep, and I am warm and reasonably dry. A light wind breaker or rain jacket is good if we are getting that cool northern breeze. Avoid cotton and especially heavy blue jeans, or you will be cold, wet, and chafed. If it’s windy with a chop on the water I’ll put on my waders to stay dry, but I generally don’t like the bulk and extra weight of the waders.
While we don’t need to worry about freezing conditions, it’s a good idea to have a dry set of clothes, especially if you fish the Second Estuary. The lightweight throw-away rubber gloves are good on a chilly day to keep your hands warm. I find I usually need to slow down my retrieve during the winter, and many times the bite will be on the drop.
Hope you will try wintertime fly fishing, If fishing is not your thing you may want to try one of the Oyster Farms at the First Estuary. Vince Deadmond The Retired Fly Fishing Hardware Guy can be reached at vincehasgonefishing@outlook.com and at 480 818 1796.
