Winter Trib Fly Fishing - Techniques and Tackle

As we're entering what is typically the quietest time on the rivers I thought I'd start a thread on the potential strategies, tackle and rewards for those who brave the nasty weather. Let's hope we continue to see mild temps and that reasonable opportunities to fish stick around for a while.

Doing some reading I've come across recommendations for midge patterns predominantly during the winter months. Apparently there can be winter midge hatches on warmer days with heavy cloud cover. Anyone ever seen one of these in Ontario?

Assuming that these hatches would be especially rare then midge nymph patterns seem like the best place to start. Bead heads with additional weight may be best to get flies down to the bottom of deeper pools where trout tend to congregate in cold winter temps. Please share if you have had/are having success with any particular nymph patterns in winter months?

Second most recommended approach seems to be swinging streamers. This has always been my least successful approach personally and I would love to hear what has worked for you and those you fish with in the past - size, patterns, retrieval speed?

Look forward to some responses. Dress warm and see you on the banks.

Interesting topic. Don't have any winter fly fishing experience personally but hopefully one of the more experienced fly anglers will chime in.

Not a fly guy.
But from experience slow presentations.
Cold weather means slow reaction and minimal movement on the bows side of things. Have to hit em on the nose.

I know a a lot of guys that fly fish would be dead set on nymphing...but a few of us would still cast clouser minnows and streamers by the mouth. still have some soft water pike fly fishing.

Try to slow things down, try to use smaller strips if fishing streamers. NYMPHS !!! Prince nymphs, and midges ( midge account for 50% of a trout's diet so are effective all times of the year) try these flies in smaller sizes 14 or less. Also try lightening up your tippet, it sometimes helps while the water is clear during the winter months. Also do a lot of spot fishing from the banks before you attack, and always be sure if you see one fish there is not more around in order not to spook them all.

Also black stone flies are very effective during this time of year. I have had good success with these.

So remember : SLOW DOWN, SIZE DOWN, TONE DOWN, PRESENT DOWN STREAM.

Good Luck and Happy Fishing.

my go to in winter, in clear water, white woolly bugger, size 12-14, in dark or stained water, go olive or black size 8-10. stoneflys will come out if the temps come up around 1 or 2, or if the sun feels strong, if you know what i mean.

but again, slow it down, use an indicator if you have to, and look for active fish.

black stone flies killers during winter. on fly or on pin. my personal favorite is white on chartreuse clouser. only because I caught my first brown on it. Still having fun fishing double bunnies for pike on soft water marinas.

Caddis Freak said:

So remember : SLOW DOWN, SIZE DOWN, TONE DOWN, PRESENT DOWN STREAM.

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Words to remember for sure! Thanks for all of the other very useful info as well.

I had hoped to get out this past weekend but alas didn't happen. Went by new fly shop Drift Outfitters instead with the time I had. Insigtful suggestion of bleached out roe patterns in light pink or white to match any older eggs still floatinga round. Picked up a few to test out. Recommend the shop to anyone who hasn't been yet. Rob and Chris are informed and enthusiastic and the gear slection is pretty impressive.

DILLIGAF?! said:

black stone flies killers during winter. on fly or on pin. my personal favorite is white on chartreuse clouser. only because I caught my first brown on it. Still having fun fishing double bunnies for pike on soft water marinas.

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Sounds like you're not alone suggesting streamers; if I end up on some larger west tribs I'll give it a shot again. My first brown...pink worm : ) Not quite as sexy as the white on chartreuse clouser! Thanks for the suggestions.

Found this article while following another thread and then fishing around as one does...

Many of the comments, suggestions in the previous posts are echoed in this article. Definitey worth a read for more detail and clarifying a few points as well.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/fishing/trout-fishing/where-fish-trout/2012/12/flyfishing-tips-catching-winter-trout?page=0%2C0

Please keep your successes posted on this thread as we get into the meat of the winter season. I hope to do the same!

riverman said:

Words to remember for sure! Thanks for all of the other very useful info as well.

I had hoped to get out this past weekend but alas didn't happen. Went by new fly shop Drift Outfitters instead with the time I had. Insigtful suggestion of bleached out roe patterns in light pink or white to match any older eggs still floatinga round. Picked up a few to test out. Recommend the shop to anyone who hasn't been yet. Rob and Chris are informed and enthusiastic and the gear slection is pretty impressive.

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Used to be called Wilsons, before they had issues

It's a totally different shop in the same location 😉

It's a great shop, the guys really know their stuff.

You can also hook up with other anglers in kijiji who trade stuff and trade secrets. I learn pinning from I guy a bought a spinning rod from in kijiji. He was unloading all of his casting and spinning stuff because he will focus more on centerpin angling and at that time I don't have any idea what he was talking about. Couple of weeks later, he was upgrading on his centerpin gear and was selling his float rod. I told him I will take it if he show me how it's done. Spent $50 (rod) and centerpinning lesson.

Black stone flies work really well. I have witnessed many black stone fly hatches during winter and using the pattern always produces for me. Come winter, I will fish a spot over and over (when I think it could hold fish). Don't get antsy and want to move on. Those steelhead are going nowhere fast, so you may think there are no fish in a particular spot, when their actually are.
You just have to present to them right on the nose.

Freak warmer days will get the fish moving and I have seem swung buggers catch fish during this time.

Was lucky enough to sneak away from work for a few hours yesterday afternoon and try my luck at the mouth of a western trib. Came up empty but did see a float fisherman pull in a chrome so the fish were there (which I usually suspect is the case when I dont catch any).

The mouth of this trib was fairly still water so drift nymphing seemed a bit impracticle. Wondered about setting up a float with a pink worm but was trying to avoid going right to the indicator in this case. In the end swung some wooly buggers and larger nymph patterns slow and low. Didn't feel like I had the right approach and results seemed to confirm it. Did snag a couple times so was getting down close to bottom. Next time I plan on swinging some streamer patterns.

Any suggestions as to what rig might have worked best for a cast and wait scenario in these cold water, open trib mouth settings?

Can we name specific large rivers on this forum that are still open? Wondering about larger tribs further west towards Fergus and NOTL and if they are open or frozen? Haven't been out that way in the winter before.

Thanks

you will see small snow stoneflies on the snow along the river banks in southern Ontario,sparse tie,in 18s or 20s,mysis shrimp in 18s too...later in the day midges if the fish are lookin up