Winter Tactics

[Wmass]

I CANNOT give up fishing for the winter and no matter how cold and nasty it is out, I will fish. I was wondering if anyone had any tactics they would like to share?

I usually use nymphs in the #16-18 fished on the bottom and with a strike indicator. On rare warm days I will use midges if I see the bugs on the water. I also find that fish are more likely to take a nice fat streamer pattern like a muddler or marabou pattern because they know they are going to get more bang for their buck.

 

[MKern]

During Winter, I fish the deep holes espectially ones with something to warm the water quickly on those days it hits 45 degree (bridge abutments, trees, large bolders). I fish a lot os large stonefly patterns, and the ocational bugger, despite the fact I don't like streamer fishing.
It's always good to remember that the fish are sluggish and a lot of the time will only hit your fly if it is right in front of their noses. So, I cover each hole one inch at a time.

As a side note, this is when I usually take my largest fish of the year. Probably because they spook less easily and the larger the fish the more food it needs.

 

[Grey]

I fish the winter months a lot, and probably enjoy the months of October through March than I do the "in season" months. I'm looking for peace and quiet when I'm out, and nasty weather seems to give me that more than a sulpher hatch does in central PA.

I dislike fishing "holes" at any time of the year. I usually pass up the long flat water and the pools especially in the winter b/c I find that working them slow enough allows time for my body to get cold. I nymph probably 90% of the time, and look for midge activity for the other 10%. Once the water really gets cold, the trout seem to move into the slower riffles and the tail outs, no longer hanging in the faster water, but also not just collecting at the bottom of pools.

I fish mostly limestone streams in the winter and I think it makes a big differnece.

Pattern? Sucker spawn.

Enjoy the day.
Grey

 

[Wmass]

Keep adding winter tactics people

 

[fishinginasuit]

Exactly. This is my first winter as a fly fisher and I am hoping to get out now and again so I'm waiting for more "tactics" with baited breath from those wiser and more experienced than myself.
Chris

 

[afishinado]

No magic tactic or fly in the winter, but to sum it up fish….."low and slow."

I generally use small generic nymphs like the BHHR size 16-18. In mid-winter / early spring I will use tiny black stonefly nymphs if I see them along the banks or know they are present in the stream. On rare occasions trout rise to drifting stoneflies in the winter and I use dry flies. I don’t like fishing streamers much, but sometimes a drifting or slowly retrieved bugger saves the day.

I fish nymphs very close to the bottom. I cover every inch the water very slowly and carefully since trout in the winter won’t travel very far for a fly. I find most fish in the slower deeper water in the winter.

I use midges if fish are rising, but find tiny midge pupa fished just under the surface to be most effective. The best midge pupa patterns I’ve found are tiny bead head thread midges in the appropriate color tied on pupa/scud hooks (like TMC 2487 or 2457). When you put a bead on them they ride hook point up like a natural pupa. I use 1.5mm beads. When fishing midges I use a small but visible dry as a strike indicator in rippled water, or in flatter water I use a small pinch of strike putty on the tippet knot to track the tippet. In a glassy water, like near the dam at the Yellow Breeches, you can “grease” all but the last foot of your leader and tippet and just watch your tippet.

In the winter, no need to get up early, the best time to fish is usually mid afternoon, when the water is warmest. I have noticed that during a warm spell with snow on the ground, the water temperature actually goes down due to the snow melt. I still catch some fish, but I usually don’t have a great day fishing when the water temp is below 40*. The fishing usually improves at 40+.

I look forward to fishing this winter. Good luck – stay warm.

 

[tomgamber]

I have some of my best days when its actually snowing. Not 25 or 30 degrees and snowing but those high 30 to low 40 degree days when that big shower passes thru. And believe it or not on dries. Other than that, I like bigger stonefly nymphs and very slow if not dead drifted buggers.

 

[PennKev]

I stick with smaller flies for most of the winter. #20 and smaller nymphs and midges seem to work best. Occasionally, a streamer will produce, particularly during a warm spell. I don't bother with larger nymphs until late Feb when stoneflies tend to become very active.

Kev

 

[YBFlyFisher]

Clouser Minnows! Dark colors seem to work better for me. To get them down deeper in the faster water I put about 6 inches of lead line between the leader and fly line. Seem to work and the browns really smack them hard!

 

[wncflyfisher]

I fish a dry dropper and drop my dropper down 18+ inches if the sun is shining. If it is raining and the water is flowing high, I will streamer fish a booger.
But I have discovered that casting to the key locations and not beating the water to death are two important keys to catching fish during the winter months.

 

[YBFlyFisher]

I was out yesterday in catch and release area of YB. No one around, so that was my first concern. Ended up dead drifting Buggers. (Picked up suggestion from tomgamber, thanks) It worked, but they were hitting short. Trimmed off some of the tail but still short hits for the most part. Any suggestions for these "short-sighted" trout?

 

[Spyder20oz]

Sometimes larger than normal nymphs will produce, its a bigger meal and worth moving farther for it. My personal favorite would be an olive Hares Ear size 12 to 14. Throw a little bead on it and some flash and its a deadly pattern. I fish a small PT below this and the combo usually produces on the slowest days. Don't under estimate buggers in a variety of colors as well as the muddler minnow. The gold body produces just enough flash to really attract fish. On the surface I use a Patriot or Wulff like size 16 or 18 but only when I see fish rising do I break out these patterns.


Thinking where the fish will hold is key in the winter months, they will be in warmer, slower water. Near big rocks and bridge abutments often times hold larger fish. They don't want to use much energy so they will move out of the faster water. Winter fishing requires you to take your time and watch you shadow with the low sun. Good luck!

 

[tomgamber]

They may not be hitting short. If you've never done it before, its sometimes difficult to detect the strike because there is subsurface slack. Till that slack get taken up and you feel a strike, many times they've spit that thing out. Shortening the leader can help as well as watching the end of your floating line. Its something you have to get used to. But hey, if you're getting them to strike in the first palce your half way there.

 

[JeffK]

I go either with nymphs or streamers. My favorite winter nymph is a size 12 little black stone, but eggs, muskrat nymphs, scuds, green caddis larvae, and midges are all staples too. I don't think water fish are generally fussy.

Letting a streamer bounce on the bottom with a slow down and across swing is my other tactic. Olive buggers and olive over white craft fur streamers work in my area because there are plenty of long nosed dace about.

Watch water temps! I find change in temperature is more important than absolute temperature and the fish will be active if the temps go up 3F. For example, if its been 35F and the water hits 38F I will have good fishing, but if the water has been 45F and the water drops to 42F the fishing will be slow. Watch for warming trends, but as mentioned earlier melting snow will lower stream temps.