Day Report: Northern Fishing School Stillwater Day - 2nd February 2025
- northernfishingschool
- Feb 7
- 5 min read
Once again, we gathered with 10 enthusiastic participants to explore the incredible network of Stillwater and quarry fisheries in the UK, helping keen trout and predator anglers through the colder winter months. The Northern Fishing School teamed up with international fly angler and destination guide Stephan Dombaj to delve into the intricate details of stillwater dynamics and predator behaviour, including bank, boat, and bellyboat fishing, as well as modern electronics like forward-facing sonar.
It was a beautiful February day in North Yorkshire, with a gentle southeasterly breeze reaching up to 8 km/h. The morning was sunny and crisp, progressing into an overcast afternoon, with air temperatures reaching up to 8°C and water surface temperatures around 3°C. Given the cold water temperatures, the much-anticipated belly boats were predominantly traded for traditional rowboat sessions.
Winter Dynamics:
Fish are poikilotherms, meaning they do not regulate their body temperature, so their activity is highly dependent on ambient temperature. Essentially, fish, like other animals, get energy by oxidising reduced carbon compounds in food. For poikilotherms, the baseline to establish the metabolic rate of a resting trout/fish is called the Standard Metabolic Rate (SMR). For a rainbow trout, the benchmark of a resting metabolic rate is at 10-15°C—a trout, neither chased nor agitated, doing pretty much nothing. The basic necessity to eat and metabolise food requires oxygen. As activity increases, the fish needs more oxygen in the water to sustain its metabolism.
Oxygen, availability of food/forage, and water temperature play key roles in winter fishing.
Lake Stratification:
Water is most dense (heaviest) at 4°C; as it gets colder, water becomes lighter—that’s why ice floats (water freezes at 0°C). Iceless but cold temperatures between 4-0°C, especially in wind-swept areas, create a diffusion layer of cold water that gradually gets warmer towards the bottom layer (hypolimnion) of the lake. The heaviest water rests almost stagnant on the bottom of the lake below the thermocline, an area with a high gradient of temperature differences.
Oxygen:
Colder water holds more oxygen, but temperature alone isn’t the only factor. Lakes are dynamic systems, and surface diffusion of oxygen plays a huge role. In short, oxygen saturation in lakes during winter is higher towards the surface layer (epilimnion) and gradually decreases towards the bottom.
In practical fishing terms:
For both predators and prey, the optimal balance between favourable oxygen levels and temperatures is the thermocline in winter. A slow metabolic rate due to temperatures translates into short windows of activity where fish don’t want to expend much energy. Vertebrate life forms take advantage of short temperature spikes at high noon, so while trout generally stay closer to the thermocline, they will adapt to these opportunities and come closer to the surface if needed.
Tips for Catching More Fish
Effective Depth Control: Use specialised stillwater lines to maintain good depth control, making it easier to locate fish.
Identify the "Hot Zone": Understanding the thermocline can be challenging, especially in large bodies of water. Focus on depth coverage to pinpoint these sweet spots and keep your flies there.
Slow and Steady: Allow fish time to find your fly or lure by maintaining a slow presentation.
We look forward to more adventures and personal victories in the days to come!
Effective Methods and Techniques:
Cold temperatures, short days, and snowmelt-stained water confined most active fish between the thermocline and the surface layer. The optimal depth was between 3-6 feet. Intermediate lines kept the fly in the hot zone, while heavier sinkers were useful for quickly navigating deeper water columns. Activity windows emerged throughout the day, with cold water temperatures keeping fish near the thermocline. Effective flies had enough allure to attract patrolling fish, making the chase worthwhile. The usually clear water, now stained, required more aggressive colours and sizes. Ten-millimetre black and pink snakes were especially effective.
Boat fishing was highly successful, covering large areas and yielding impressive results, including double-digit fish up to 10.6 pounds. Casting large flies in off-coloured water didn't require stealth—strong, heavy leaders up to 20 pounds on our heavy lure rigs worked seamlessly. A washing line on a fast intermediate tip was perfect for depth coverage. Of the six pike hooked, three made it to the bank, with the largest weighing about 10 pounds. Some large specimens managed to evade capture, leaving teeth marks in our lures and a hunger for more. The biggest trout of the day was landed by our junior angler Tristan, with a whopping 10.6-pound rainbow on a pink snake! Congratulations!
Lure Rod Setup:
Black and Pink Snake BC Barbless flies (10mm) fished on a full clear intermediate line WF7I (Hanak Lake Pro) on a 7-weight, 10-foot Cortland Competition MkII. A bread-and-butter rig for stillwater fishing, powerful enough to handle larger lures, long casts, multi-fly rigs, wind, and big trout.
Items to Enhance Your Winter Fishing Experience:
Selection of Flies: We've curated a selection of Stephan’s most successful flies for winter stillwaters, giving you the right ammunition for almost every condition. Fifteen flies that will fish through the season, plus extras just in case.
7 Weight, 10-Foot All-Purpose Stillwater Rod: These hardworking, longer-than-standard rods lift long rigs, leaders, and heavier lures with ease. Equipped with a reactive tip to detect gentle bites on small nymphs, these rods are the gold standard for stillwater competitions.
Cassette Reels: Stillwater fishing requires a variety of lines. Covering different water columns is paramount. Most high-end reel manufacturers build reels for extreme situations with spare spools that can be costly. A budget-friendly cassette reel with three extra cassette inlays is more than enough for your stillwater adventures.
Long Handle Net: Whether bank or boat fishing, a long handle net assists in landing your next large stillwater trout on a longer leader setup.
Boat Cushion: Stephan’s wrap-around cushion for the ramp boat seat is a small detail that makes a long, cold day much more enjoyable.
Hand Warmers and Gloves: Numb hands can ruin the fun. Stephan recommends Patagonia’s Homepool gloves—a fingerless neoprene sleeve that covers the back of your hand without obstructing movement. Thermal pocket warmers are another good alternative.
Specialized Stillwater Lines: The line of the day was a full clear intermediate WF7I from Hanak/Airflo/Rio. A set of stillwater lines ranging from standard floating to clear intermediate to DI3 will suffice for most waters. DI5 and heavier for large and deep fisheries. Long and aggressive tapers help with distance and presentation of longer rigs.
Polarized Glasses: We cannot stress the importance of polarized glasses enough. Not only do they shield your eyes from misguided flies in windy conditions, but they also help spot fish below the surface and potential followers. Stephan credits his ability to spot fish in low light to the yellow glasses he wears—never without them.
Fresh Tippet: Terminal equipment and lines don’t have to be fancy, but they should be good. Old spools of tippet can doom a good day on the water. Especially when large fish are to be had. Nylon and fluorocarbon, if not stored correctly, will lose their structural integrity.
Waterproof Boat Bag: Muddy banks or leaking boats expose your equipment to the elements. A waterproof container, bag, or boat bag helps keep your equipment organized.
Next Events/Dates:
Stillwater and Predator Day: Sunday 11th May 2025 - this is limited to 8 anglers.
River Trout Masterclass on the River Ure at Swinton: Saturday 19th April 2025
Beat the winter blues and dust off those fly rods!
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