As I mentioned last week, I had plans to visit several places that offer winter fishing opportunities in the region. My first stop was at Rocky Ford Creek. There is a mile-long access to this flowing water that starts at the Trout Lodge Hatchery. It is special for a couple of reasons. Number one is that it is spring-fed and doesn’t freeze, so fly fishers can practice their sport clear through the winter, as long as the outdoor temperature isn’t cold enough to freeze your lines to your guides. The other reason Rocky Ford is so special is that through an agreement with the WDFW, Trout Lodge maintains the population of rainbow trout to keep anglers busy. It is famous for whopper rainbow that can be seen from the shore and bridges along the length of the stream. My wife caught a 25-incher just above the lower bridge once and will never forget it. She landed it using a very light weight fly rod her father had made for her. I have checked on Rocky Ford a few time this this winter, and this time I saw that the weeds have cleared out and conditions are the best so far this winter season.