It was 70 and sunny ! No that was Florida. January 1st was 15 degrees and calm. Hay Creek outside of Red Wing was my destination for opening day. This small stream has always been a favorite of mine for winter outings and the trout did not let me down. Trout tend to lie in the deeper water during this time of the year and this is the water I target. The time was 2 PM and by the second cast a mammoth 9 inch brown was brought to hand. A #16 Prince nymph followed by a pink, orange, olive, or tan scud in smaller sizes produced fish for the next two hours. This rig, along with Pheasant tails, Caddis larva, Copper Johns and Hares ears will all work well for the entire winter season. The best tips for success this winter is to stay out of the water as much as possible, fish during the warmest part of the day, find the deeper pools and smile!