Rock Creek, Montana, mid-April this year, the annual pre-runoff trip. Water is still skinny, weather is freaky and the water is cold. Everything is normal.
Morning water temperatures read in the low- to mid-30's, and didn't get above 39F all week. We usually wait until the water gets into the mid-40's, but we but we suited up after breakfast and hit the water.
We slayed 'em on dries, from morning until dinnertime. We had blowing snow, sunny afternoons and the occasional hatch of the usual early Spring bugs: BWO, skwalas, and something the locals call Gray Drakes (not so).
Despite the low water temps, the four of us had 20 and 30 fish days on everything from #6 Air Heads to quill-bodied #20's. We've learned nymphs in that skinny water yield more whitefish than cutts, so we gave them up years ago. Besides, with all that dry fly action, why change?
We can't explain all that enthusiasm from cutts, browns and cuttbows in such cold water. We came up with theories (what fly fisherman doesn't?), but we decided to just accept the success.
I'd be interested to hear some of your theories and experiences.
5weight

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If the trout are lost, smash the state.
Tom McGuane