When I was younger and drowning worms or throwing baits, the freshwater fishing season was usually from mid-April to mid-October.
Some western states have an open season where you can fish year-round with a single barbless hook and using catch and release. In New Hampshire, the state has a few rivers open year-round with a catch-and-release provision.
Fortunately, three of these rivers are located on the coast. Parts of Cocheco, Lamprey and Isinglass are open thanks to the efforts of groups such as Three Rivers Stocking. If you are in the New Hampshire Fly FaceBook group, you know that they have just stocked some of these rivers with big fish.
Last year, one of my resolutions was to go fishing at least once a month, which I accomplished. I actually fished at least twice during the winter months and at least once a week during the warmer months. I had just washed my waders and cleaned some of my lines when I heard that Three Rivers had just stocked my local river. I used some self-control and decided to take a short break until January before returning. Then I saw some pictures of big fish and my self control went out the window. I have found that there are a few different groups of fly fishermen. There is the fair weather group that only fishes from April to October. Then there are the fly fishermen who hit the rivers all year round. The third group is also stalwart, but chooses to fly fish during the season and then ice fish during the winter.
I fall between fair weather fly anglers and heavy river anglers. I’ll go out in the winter months if it’s more icy and the wind isn’t blowing twenty miles an hour. My reason is that I don’t want to invest in neoprene waders, which are a must if you’re a serious hardcore guy. I have a couple of friends that I know are on the river all the time. On a stretch of the river I pass to check how the river has frozen, I can see my friends fly fishing, looking like the boy dressed in snow from Christmas Story.
I admire their determination and tenacity, and almost feel guilty for not being there with them, but I don’t like being cold. When I fish in the winter months, I can usually layer up and stay out for an hour, maybe two if it’s not too windy and the day is close to forty degrees. When it’s really cold on the river, all I can think about is sitting by the fire reading fly fishing books.
For those who only fish in nice weather, I admire your self control. I guess I’m just too addicted to being outside and fishing. All these years I would be working and thinking I should be on the river fly fishing. Now I am! I know there will be a day when I may not be able to fish every season and that will be okay. For now, I’ll make an effort to get out as much as I can. So if you see an idiot outside on a cold day without a wetsuit, it’s probably going to be me.
George Liset of Dover is an award-winning outdoor writer and avid fly fisherman who shares insights from his time on the water exploring streams and rivers in New Hampshire as well as surrounding New England. George graduated from Wheaton College, Illinois, and the University of New Hampshire. His Writing on the Fly column has won awards from the New England Press Association and the New Hampshire Press Association.