As the colors of fall start to fade, my mind tends to wander into a powder-covered snow line with large riffles of cold clean water. It’s always a bittersweet moment. But as with all phases of nature, it brings a unique beauty and desire.
The snow and cold have a way of warming the soul in a way that summer never will. The deafening silence seems to pause time, as you watch snowflakes fill the air and your breath freezes. It’s a calming, surreal sensation. The hardest decision is whether to ski or fish. I usually fall casualty to the later.
I seem to forget every year how beautiful the sunrise is on the water amid winter’s grasp. I am lucky enough to have a few friends, lost souls that are willing to torture themselves in single-digit temps, who are up early to find the light. Another favorite winter ritual is throwing streamers to gorging brown trout on the mend from autumn’s exploits. These trout can be large and ferocious in the early days of February, and they provide a thrill for the angler at any moment. The bonus of winter fishing is less pressure and hungry fish that are eager to eat anything in their path.


The hope of landing a giant was the conversation while rigging up in the 40+ big “W’ gusting. The change up ..trying to figure out the menu for cold water and single digit temps.



All this being said, fishing really is the best way to find silence and solace after a holiday season. Usually it sets the mind at ease and on target for the year to come. I find it to be the best time to sort out the design of the journey I am on. I write a lot of music and create a lot of flies out there, and the photography opportunities do not get any better or dramatic.


I always take delight in jumping quail on the river in January.




The winter seems to be shorter and warmer lately, leaving me to contemplate what I can do to reduce my footprint and do my part. Winter is and always will be a time of regrowth for us and the planet we hold dear. This year I am trying harder to do my part as a human on this planet. I love it all too much to not try harder.
So I’ll leave you with the line to a song I wrote the other day….”Well, I’m walking and I’m singing, and I make it up as I go. See that water there looks like sunshine, it’s that pretty kind of Gold”. – Matt Guymon








Contributed By
Matt Guymon
Hi my name is Matt Guymon. I am a freelance photographer and owner of Freestone River Photography. I Have been on the journey of fly fishing and photographing the experience for the better part of 20 yrs. The outdoors and water are truly part of my soul. When I’m not fishing, you’ll find me with my beautiful wife and little girl exploring every detail of this perfectly spontaneous journey. I grow food, play music and chase light. Follow my journey @freestoneriverphotography. Go walk a river!