Posted: Thu 12/03/09 12:13 pm Post subject: Winter Fly Fishing: When, Where & What Flies?
I live in Maine .. and just walked out side. Yes, its December but today the temperature feels more like October! Its very warm, the sun is out and -- of course, as almost a natural instinct, the thought of going fly fishing pops into my head. Now, I realize that everyone on this site is from all different parts of the world .. many folks even from Caribbean type climates - so this doesn't really apply to those people because, yes, we all realize that for you -- "winter fly fishing" means wet wading for bonefish or permit etc.. But, for those that love trout fishing and don't live in Belize or somewhere like that, do you fish in the winter? If so, where and what method or flies do you prefer? In regards to "where" - I am not referring to actual locations, rather what types of water do you generally look for .. big rivers, fast moving rivers, creeks? For me, It goes like this:
1. Steelhead, I'm more likely to be willing to tolerate colder and worse (snow, sleet etc.) conditions.
2. Trout, I'm probably not going to rush to the river for first light if its 20 degrees and snowing. Locally, where I live -- I will consider trout fishing if the air temp is relatively nice, the tides are right (here in maine many of our winter fisheries are coastal rivers and connected to the salt water .. so, tide often plays a factor.) I generally go "winter trout fishing" with a much more casual and "whatever" approach, using it as an opportunity to just get outside rather than being concerned with lot's of "catching" (although don't get me wrong, I love to catch." I find that the flies I use and methods that I fish are different from "in season trout fishing" .. I look for slower moving water .. typically fish small nymphs or smaller streamer flies .. and don't do much fast retrieving of the streamers. I can still get the trout to take wooly buggers and things like that, but i generally (in winter) fish smaller patterns and do a lot of "twitching" and dead drifting, rather than throwing big leach patterns and stripping fast. There are often dry fly hatches ... but the bugs are tiny .. so, i fish a lot of grifith gnats and things like that on top ... real small nymphs #20-22 black stoneflies, egg patterns, brassies etc.. and for streamers .. lots of little sand eel patterns, little shrimp patterns, small wooly buggers and things of that nature ..
When you think "winter fly fishing" when, where and what flies do you use? Thanks!
Probably like the rest of the folks down here going after the pike in the rivers and canals. Tossing streamers to pike and perch would be my nr.1 option.
You could also fish for the shiners who congregate in the small freshwater harbors but I do not know of good places close by where I live.
In the rivers I usually fish the shiners disappear when the temps go down and I still have not found their hidingplace.
The weather is miserable again - windy and raining - which is a sign for our annual trip to Lake Oostvoorne chasing rainbows in a brackish lake.
Normally that place is traumatic for me since I have problems catching anything from shore.
Now I finally decided to get a float tube and somehow I think I will do better with the rainbows or in the worst case scenario I just drown and surely get into the fishing valhalla.
I am spoiled when it comes to winter fly fishing. Many days when it is above freezing we see midge hatches and you can actually cast a dry (if you can see it) when these hatches are going off I like to toss a Roy's special midges emerger, black or grey RS2 and anything else tiny. When the midges are not getting it done. Small flash egg always gets it done. There are a lot a few Tail Waters (yampa, blue, frying pan) with in and hour in each direction where you can cast numerous fly patterns ( eggs, mysis shrimp, midges, BWOs, scuds). It is nice fishing out here (colorado) in the winter as well because the crowds are relatively small. If you find yourself out here to go skiing skip the lift line and head to the river.
Posted: Sun 12/06/09 5:20 pm Post subject: Cold Weather Fishing
I fished today and found the water cold and high, not moving fish water but put the nymph on their nose water. Sunny but a Northerly wind made it cool enough for me to put on gloves. Small flies 16, 18, 20 and 24. Zebra nymphs, stone flies, best dropper a brown or black stone. Streamers haven't worked for me much this Fall and winter. Maine is tough this time of year, February is a good time to look South!
Winter fishing for steelhead at the moment and not really cold yet so you can still catch them in the fast water. Methods employed swinging flesh fly's , speys and buggers , nymph fishing the seams and pockets with stone fly's , prince nymphs , sucker spawn and egg patterns with or without an indicator has been producing.
And later on when the travel gets rough I stay close to home and fish the wild trout streams. I like to use a dry dropper for this and it works very well. My two go to fly's are a para Adams followed by a bead head prince nymph or PT off the bend.
I am totally blessed with some first class fishing spots out here in Western New York. Steelhead and lake run browns are great all winter long, especially with tail water fisheries. And then we also have a spring creek which stays at or around 50 degrees all year round. We also have another trout stream that stays open all year round and has some fantastic fishing. So if the tribs are blown out we can always go to the other streams and catch some trout. We usually have to slow our presentations down and go small, but there are always some trout willing to take a fly. And to make it even better....there are very few people around during the winter and we often get any spot we want to ourselves. The only bad part to all of this is....iced up guides!!!!! But that is par for the course when winter fishing. Let the snow fall!!!!
Posted: Tue 12/08/09 11:42 am Post subject: Winter fishing
Like most of your replies, the majority of my winter fishing is spent chasing Pacific Chrome in California's coastal rivers. But that doesn't mean that I put away the 5 wt for the season. We fish for trout year round out here. We mainly target our tailwaters due to them having a way more managable water temperature. Like most places in winter time, our bug life tends to ber smaller. We have consistant midge hatches in winter time, and have great BWO activity when it is crappy out and overcast. Some of my best days ever winter fishing have been in snow storms with minimal wind. The baetis tend to go off!! Most or all of our fly patterns are in the 18-24 range. Small flies and a slow presentation are the key to success. But, like Jeremy said, dead drifting streamers and buggers also can have great results. You can fish them under an indicator, or my preferred method is on a short tight line with out an indicator. Start with a15-20 foot cast up stream, throw a mend downstream toward the direction in which you want the fly to travel, then I like to make a small loop at the end of my mend back upstream and keep it tight to the fly rod. Then I like to gently twitch the fly rod with an upstream motion while maintaining the loop at the end. Watch for your fly line to twitch,slow down,sink more or do anything funny....then bury the hook! Winter time trout fishing can be great, and you will usually have the water all to yourself. Don't hang it up yet.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Search
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
