What to do When You Can't Fish This Winter

I was slated to head out to our hometown lake this morning in an attempt to snag a few trout before a looming storm blew us off the water, but Mother Nature had another plan.

Her early arrival meant another troutless weekend, which got me thinking.

What are the top five things fly fishers do in the offseason (i.e. when Mother Nature puts a damper on your fly fishing trips)?

1. Tie flies.

2. Read about fly fishing.

3. Go shopping for fly fishing gear.

4. Watch a good movie (A River Runs Through It is always in my NetFlix queue).

5. Get active. Write about fly fishing, like I always seem to do. Or draw, or paint, or chat about it on the Web. Get creative. Find a message board. Search a fish report on a river two states away. Fantasy fly fishing? Probably not. But try to learn something new about the sport when you can. Anything to pass the time, spread the word, and keep that passion alive.

Winter isn’t an easy time to be a fly fisher, but it can be a productive season depending on how you decide to use your time.