Well, we have all made it through another year. Since the Mayans were slightly off on their calculations for the end of the world, we must now try to find distractions like fly fishing to keep our minds off of the dehumanized power mongers who run the world. The only thing is, cold fronts are lined up like college kids the entry gates to Disney on spring break, ready to hammer us with stiff winds, rain and low temperatures. How should we combat these elements? How do we find the fish? What changes should be made in our approach to fishing with regards to tackle, winds and temperatures?

Right. Let’s start off with some basic information about cold fronts. Cold fronts, which are denoted on weather maps and charts by a blue line with blue triangles pointing the direction the front is moving, travel faster than warm fronts. What is really happening is the cold air, being denser, wedges itself under the warm air ahead of it, forcing the warm air up. This lifting action, coupled with high moisture content in the lifted airmass, produces the cloud formations and rain associated with cold fronts. The colder and less-humid air behind the front causes a sharp drop in dew points once the front passes. The low humidity also leads to an increase in visibility.