Yes folks, today I did catch 5 Atlantic Salmon and 4 Brown Trout. The weather outside is a balmy -5 Celcius (23 degrees F). And I did it all legally, as well. You interested in being able to catch both Atlantic Salmon and Brown Trout in the middle of winter, in Ontario, and do it legally? Read on!
Ok, I don't have the pictures to prove it, but tomorrow I just may return to the same location and do it all over again. In fact, I'm willing to bet that I'll be capable of catching ten times what I caught today - but I'll in fact NOT be attempting to do that. But it is possible. And not only that, I did it all in a span of less than 45 minutes!
"Where," might you ask, "can one catch such magnificent fish legally in Ontario, right in the middle of winter?"
Ah, that's the problem. But once that problem is overcome, I can assure you that being able to do what I did is a most rewarding experience. And I bet you could to, if you wanted to put in a wee bit of time as well. Of course, you will have to release all the fish you catch. That's a given.
I am a member of a club with enthusiastic conservationists. Yup, a lot of them eat fish, catch fish, and go fishing whenever they can, but at the moment, there is one activity going on at the club which in some ways, the members treat with respect much better than Muslims do their Koran, or Christians their Bible. And that's our hatchery. We're all pro-life at our club, and we'll do what we can to ensure the natural resources of the area we live and fish in. Which brings up a random thought that just popped into my mind: Ask a PETA member when the last time was that they were in a hatchery, caring for the fry of Atlantic Salmon or Brown Trout!
Later this spring, when the fry that we are carefully tending and fending are larger, club members will release them into a tributary of Lake Ontario. It's a lot of work, but at the same time, we're all doing what we want to do; giving back to that which we sometimes take. Today, I spent some time cleaning the bottom of the tank floors that contain the fish, while watching them swim about, feed, and grow. A few times, I had baby Atlantic Salmon from one tank, and Brown Trout from the other tank in my cleaning net.
There are a few problems that we have to figure out how to overcome efficiently, such as raising the temperature of the water that is flowing into the tanks. Presently, the water is coming out of wells at a temperature of about 8 degrees Celcius, with a flow rate of about 450 gallans per hour. This is a mite cold - and it would be good to find a way to raise the temperature to just above 10 Celcius in order to activate more feeding in the fry.
As well, I'm looking at more efficient ways to clean the tanks so when volunteers come in to work, the tank cleaning can go much better than the present method. I'm investigating the possibility of "vaccuuming" through some sort of syphon apparatus.
Hey, this is something you could do as well! Give back to that which you take from, find a place that is hatching fish, and go help out in the middle of winter. Then even you can maybe come home and say that you've caught five Atlantics and 4 brownies in one day. And take enormous pleasure in doing your own thing for the continued enjoyment of your passion - fly fishing.
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The Muncher is a favorite of Ian James for carp, smallies, more. 
Thoughts of a Chicken Rancher. Doc tells it like it is.