Winter fishing is my favorite flying fishing for trout. The nastier the weather, the better for me. You don’t have to fight for fishable water since most people aren’t a fan of fishing in cold rain or snow. But like a friend of mine once told me, “Fish don’t care what the weather is up here. They’re wet anyway.”
Fishing in snow is my favorite. Have you been on a trout stream when it’s cold and silent save for the bubbling sound of water? Add snow drifting slowly around you to that scene. I can’t think of any place I’d rather be.
Trout fishing in winter is not going to be a fish-every-cast adventure. Fish act differently in extremely cold weather. They become more lethargic and generally a little more reluctant to expend the energy to bite your offering. There are, however a few simple things you can do to boost your success rate.
Fish Slow and Deep
Dry-fly fishing isn’t impossible when the temps get frigid, but for the most part it’s best to stay deep – use split shot if it’s deep enough to merit it.
Look for holes or eddies behind structure. The fish are going to find slow, calm water and wait for a meal to drift right in front of them. When you get a bite there, make a repeat cast – most likely there are fish bunched in that hotspot.
Match the Winter Hatch
Winter trout will feed heavily on nymphs and full-grown midges. Red worms are also popular choices, as long as they are small. Fish small flies – midges in sizes 18-22. If you find fish keying on minnows, by all means try a size 8 streamer. Just remember to strip it slowly. Go slow, then slow down from there.
Winter Fishing Means Multiple Flies
I use this technique almost exclusively no matter the conditions. That’s just how I learned and what I’m comfortable with.
My favorite setup for winter fishing consists of an egg pattern with a midge tied 18 inches or so below it. That egg is essentially an attractor for the midge. I’d say 90 percent of my fish come on the midge after the egg has passed through the trout’s field of vision and caught its attention.
How to Prevent Frozen Guides – How to Deal With Frozen Guides
I know some people spray their rod with PAM cooking spray to help avoid frozen guides. Me? When they freeze up, I just dunk the rod in water to melt the ice. Repeat when necessary. If it’s cold enough, your eyes will freeze. That’s just part of it.
Be Safe While Winter Fishing
Winter fishing is cold. That water is deadly cold. Hypothermia will set in fast.
The number one tip I can offer, and one that is overlooked often, is to wear a wader belt. Wear it high up on the chest.
If you fall in, toss your rod and equipment to free up your hands for survival. Try to stay calm. Contrary to popular belief, do not try to float downstream on your back feet first. This forces water to fill your waders, essentially making you an anchor. The higher you wear the wader belt, the less water you will let into your waders. Use this process I found in “Fly Fisherman” magazine to help survive if you fall in while fishing:
“With or without a belt, do not passively float down a river feet first in your waders. Get on your stomach and swim aggressively down and across the current toward safety. In a bony rock garden you might fend off the boulders with your feet, but the bottom line is that the less time you spend in the water, the better the outcome. Swim all the way to shore, then crawl out of the water. Do not try to stand up. The water in the waders will either slap you back down to earth, or the waders themselves will blow up and fall down around your legs. Having water-filled waders pulled down over your knees while trying to get out of a river is a recipe for disaster. Once on shore, lie on your back and raise one leg at a time to dump out the water.”
Now go catch those frigid fish.
