S7, Ep 103: Staying Warm and Catching Fish: Matt Reilly's Winter Fishing Strategies

The Articulate Fly wraps up 2025 with the final Southwest Virginia Fishing Report featuring New River musky guide Matt Reilly, who shares essential winter musky fishing strategies and cold weather survival tactics in this fly fishing podcast.

As water temperatures drop to the critical 42-43°F threshold post-Thanksgiving, Reilly explains how musky transition into the deepest, slowest-moving winter holes on Southwest Virginia rivers. Learn a proven technique for locating winter musky by observing carp and suckers, which congregate in the same deep-water structures as muskies during cold months.

Reilly provides detailed cold weather fishing gear recommendations including his layered glove system (latex gloves under fingerless insulated gloves), Simms Challenger insulated bibs, cold weather Buffs and chemical hand warmers that keep anglers comfortable in freezing conditions.

With low, clear water conditions and fluctuating temperatures between snow and 50-degree days, understanding these winter musky patterns and prioritizing comfort over fishing are keys to success.

To learn more about Matt, check out our full length interview.

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