What these anglers do not realise is that they are missing out on some of the finest fishing of the year by far. Beyond doubt many of the factors that make rainbow trout fishing so difficult during high summer, simply are not around in the winter. High water temperatures can really turn the fish off the take in summer and evidently that will not be a winter problem given the Scottish climate. Clear blue skies with the sun high overhead can also make life more than difficult for the angler. Trout do not have eyelids and when the sun beats down from high above they often switch off and retreat to the depths where they feel much more comfortable. In the winter the sun does not climb just as high resulting in the fish being higher in the water. Of course fly life and hatches are no where near as prolific as in the warmer months. During the warmer parts of a winters day small hatches of tiny dark buzzers often take place bringing the fish up to the surface to feed. The very fact that much less in the way of food is available to the trout can make them a little easier to catch. They are often, even on a very cold day, on the feed. They may well be expending less energy hunting for insects but they still have to maintain their body in tip top condition.

Another myth that I would like to dispel is that when the weather gets cold the fish will all rush to the bottom of the water and refuse to feed until a good rise in temperature is detected. This is total nonsense and I can give various examples of why it is so. This winter I have fished on a regular basis up and down the country. On some of our coldest days last year in December I caught well into double figures each time I ventured out. Did I use a fast sinking line and a black lure? I certainly did not. This was not that I chose not to do so it was because I did not need to. Around 90% of my fish were caught on a floating line and small buzzers. In amongst the usual sprinkling of stockies were some cracking fish that had survived the season. On occasion I switched to a fast glass and weighted lure to get down a touch. Often I just tried it to see if that tactic was better or worse. On even the most bitter of days the fish were often in the top 5 feet of water. Winter fishing is not all about dredging the bottom of the fishery with giant dark lures on a fast sinking line believe me.

So how do we go about catching these fish? In years gone by rainbow trout often darkened considerably in the winter making them look a bit unattractive. Modern fish rearing methods have all but eradicated that but if your chosen fishery is only producing black fish, try another.

Your normal favourite rod that you use in the warmer months is still good for the job as are your reels and lines. A floating line with fast glass or intermediate for back up is all you need to tackle most small stillwaters. I usually miss out the larger waters that can be tough due to being effected more by atmospheric conditions. Fishing is about catching and I would rather be on a well stocked small stillwater than a large one with less stock. One thing that I would urge you to use is fluorocarbon as your leader material. Winter water tends to be very clear and using good quality fluorocarbon certainly will increase your chances of catching. Last season I started to use Riverge and my catch rate increased dramatically. The fish are not as choosey as they can be in the spring and summer so you can limit your fly box to around ten patterns. Fish will come to the top in calm or light wind conditions so carry a couple of shuttlecock patterns. All black and black with an orange thorax are my favourites. Four nymph type patterns that I would not be without are, hares ear, cruncher, diawl bach and damsel. It is unlikely that damsel nymphs will be on the menu but the red head version accounts for good numbers of fish year round. An orange and green okay dokay pattern completes the small flies. Pink does really well in the winter and a pink tadpole with a long marabou tail often picks out the better fish. Last but by no means least in the yellow dancer. On any line or even hung under a bung this lure can work wonders.

Try to keep your retrieve ultra slow. The `bows will not be up for a chase so a slow figure of eight retrieve on your line choice will do for most conditions.

Love it or loath it the bung works really well. Depth control is assured as is presentation. Hanging a lure under the bung may seem heavy handed but it works.