This is the time of year when many fly fishing trout anglers head for Rocky Ford Creek, near Ephrata. The stream doesn’t freeze through the winter and allows anglers the opportunity to catch big, and I mean very big rainbow when other waters are frozen. I have been made aware of the fact that many rainbow here are showing signs of poor healthy due to being handled with gloves, that scrapes the protective slime from their sides and backs. Rocky Ford Creek is a catch-and-release fishery and is well-respected by those that fish it, but the use of gloves when handling the fish in the colder months is taking a toll. It has been suggested that anglers remove their gloves when fighting a fish so they can release them with a wet hand instead of a gloved one. Even better is advised to grab the hook to release the fish without handling them at all. It is also suggested not to try to photograph fish when fishing alone. This prolongs the stress that the trout suffer and many will die after the experience. Rocky Ford Creek is a tremendous asset to fly fishing and with a little effort will continue to be one of the best places to fish through the winter.