Big Nymphs For Wintertime Fishing?

[fadeaway263]

On the sites opening page is a commentary by guest commentator George Daniel. He suggests that larger patterns are better for winter time fishing. No comments to his post to date so I was wondering if any of you agree with him. He gives many reasons to support his theory but left out one IMHO. From my experience larger flies are easier to tie on when your hands are freezing cold!

 

[afishinado]

Fade,

I nearly always fish two flies when nymphing, and often fish a larger weighted nymph as an anchor fly, to get depth, along with a smaller fly, usually tied on the point. Sometimes the larger fly takes the fish. Either way, I'm covered.

 

[Fishidiot]

It's a very broad policy that one need not stick with too closely. I do like bigger nymphs in winter on freestoners as I want to move fish. Also, stoneflies tend to be larger at that time of year and streams with good stonefly populations are candidates for larger nymphs. On limestoners, however, I tend to continue with small flies all year as water levels are lower and clearer in winter and fish tend to be keyed on scuds and midges.

 

[RowJimmy]

One of my favorite rigs for winter fishing consist of two small size 8-10 black or olive woolly buggers. I fish them under a thingambobber the same way you would any other nymph rig.

 

[Wetfly01]

For me at this time of the year that George is talking about I like to target the bigger waters like the Little J, Penns, and Bald Eagle. The big flies of choice are size 8 and 6 wet flies. I try to concentrate my efforts towards the deep medium flow pools or other areas where the fish don't have to use to much energy to pick up the files. Most of the time the grab is not a hard hit like it would be when the water temps are a little bit favorable to the fish.

 

[JeffK]

A lot of options work. For years my go to fly was a size 12 little black stone nymph. I go smaller if the size 12 fly isn't working - some days they just want small scuds and midges in some of the more fertile limestoners I fish. However, even there I might start a little bigger. For example, you can start with a 16 Zebra midge (tied sparely of course) and go down if needed. I typically don't like to go below a 22, but I have had days when going to a 24 fly made a huge difference when the fish were actively hammering midges.

I like to start with bigger flies, but go down if they don't work.

 

[brookieaddict]

I fish the Tully alot in the winter because its close and its got fish in it, big fish, and its close. I dont pay attention to the fly of the minute posts, I go by the big fly big fish theory. Cone head muddlers and big buggers on 6lb floro. I don't catch as many as some who fish a 36 trico/midge, but mine are bigger and Ican see them to tie them on lol.

 

[Chaz]

No I don't necessarily agree, you have to know the stream you're fishing, while big nymphs may work over stocked fish, I think unless there are big nymphs in wild streams during the winter the fish may not take them. You have to know what's in the stream first before you use a big nymph. I don't doubt it acts as an attrator pattern, but in most cases the nymphs in streams are small during the winter unless there are big stone flies in the stream. I think big stone flies are your best bet.

 

[deaddriftx]

I use a tandem rig in the winter. One heavy size 12 stone tailed by a size 16 caddis. Using a small size 16 single egg works well on stockers and wild fish both. Never use many streamers unless i'm on big water like the clarion or allegheny.

 

[ebroesicke]

picked up a few earlier this month on this, size 6 i think. lead eyes. Calling it the Clouser Woolley Stone ( not claiming to have invented this, just a descriptive name). Does that mean use big flies in Winter, don't know but the theory makes some sense to me.

 

[teacreekfreak]

Where does George mention that bigger flies are better in the wintertime in the article?? I dont think he stated that at all. It is an interesting theory from a very talented fisherman. He does state it is only a theory and there are no absolutes in fly fishing. I am not a good sub-surface fisherman by any means, but a large stonefly does seem to produce the most fish for me during colder months in terms of nymphing. That being said, I throw a lot more streamers during wintertime, keeps me moving!!

 

[pete41]

Could be wrong but I believe a great deal of the size confusion stems from the fact that the natural nymphs are smaller in the winter time as they tend to mature in spring and summer.
so yes, if you are fishing stonefly nymphs its a more natural matchup to go smaller in the winter but it doesn't mean that you will catch more fish as they aren't feeding prehatch,just being opportunistic.

 

[Maurice]

Giant stoneflies have a two ear life cycle so there are big stoneflies in the winter.

What you say is true about most maflys though.

 

[pete41]

not to pick nits but the biggest stonefly nymphs will still be at the end of cycle-lol
talking to an old salmon fly guy Maurice.:}

 

[Hookerman]

Trim or not to trim. Remember, you can always cut back and/or add weight.

 

[Foxgap239]

Hookerman wrote:
Trim or not to trim.

Just to be clear, we are talking about trout flies?

:-D

 

[Hookerman]

A Mike Mercer out in Northern CA is credited for developing the original design for wild Steelhead, there. Some brought it back east in the early 90s and modified the lure a bit. DEADLY for just about any salmonid during winter or early spring. The thing I like most about it is you can trim it back and add weight if there are no takers and sometimes (OK, more often than not) that's the ticket. I've even fished it as an attractor dry during the summer. Hint: Lifting it off the bottom after letting it sit there a while can elict VIOLENT strikes (the untrimmed version). HOLD ON!

 

[deaddriftx]

One very important fact that most fishermen overlook is that fish don't just bite out of hunger. They often will bite something if they are curious. Wild trout are very territorial and often will bite to kill something that is trespassing.

 

[ebroesicke]

Speaking of stone flies:

Found this golden stone in a small Lehigh valley stream a last weekend. Wasn't fishing just turning over rocks with the kids:



Picked up two to look at, the bigger one (not pictured) was a size 8 hook easy.

Again, just an observation.

 

[deaddriftx]

When i was a kid we used to catch some massive stone fly nymphs out of a spring fed creek that flowed behind our house. I'm talking size 4-6 they were like mutant hogs lol.