Commercial fishing interests and even recreational anglers often bemoan the political creation of Marine Protected Areas around the globe, but the science suggests these sea-life sanctuaries benefit regional fisheries and those who pursue fish for food or for recreation.

Limestone streams, spring creeks, and tailwaters can offer year-round fishing opportunities even in the coldest regions of the country. Die-hard fly fishers embrace freezing temps, numb fingers, and shorter feeding windows on countless streams and rivers located in these colder, northern climes. While I enjoy the beauty of streams and rivers draped by snow-covered backdrops and the peacefulness of streams and rivers devoid of angling pressure, there’s a force that pulls me south each winter.