Frustrated by my lack of success in winter

[waskeyc]

Thanks everyone for your responses. It would seem that there IS NOT a large crowd of people who successfully fish for smallmouth during the winter. Trout are a more common target, although they are probably a more common target in general, given that this is a fly fishing board.

A warm-up like last weekend can hurt, and will, if there's snow on the ground. The air may be warmer, but the water will be colder.

Good point. In this case, the warm-up caused a >10F water temp increase. We have not had measurable snow in this part of Virginia this winter yet. There is still time though...

But, at least you are getting out and trying, the vast majority of fly fishers seem to hang up their rods during the winter, which is sometimes the best fishing.

Yes, it would seem that few people even give it a try in the winter. Perhaps it is a way of testing the level of affliction.

I am not sure what a "float n fly" technique is.

The float-n-fly is a technique used by reservoir spin fishermen to catch winter smallmouth. They suspend a streamer, such as a Clouser minnow or a shad dart as much as 25 feet under a bobber and let the surface waves impart action to the fly. The Tim Holschlag variation is to float a similar streamer under an indicator in rivers a foot or so above the bottom. It's nearly a dead drift retrieve, with infrequent twitching.

I suggest you join a local fly fishing club or find a fishing buddy to help you find some public water that has fish and maybe learn a new technique or two.

A good idea. However, note the reference in my original post to my "4 older kids". Given that the two babies were taking an afternoon nap at the house, I have 6 good reasons why joining a club that takes me out of the house is not in my near future. However, I do stop by my local fly shop from time to time and buy some tying material and ask for fishing advice and I do occasionally have friends over to fish the stream in my backyard.